Michael Moore's SICKO (2007) Movie Review

Michael Moore's SICKO (2007) Movie Review

Michael Moore’s award winning movie “SICKO”, is, as usual, a wacky, highly controversial but ultimately flawed docu-movie about the declining health care systems in the US.

Amazing but True:
With the rising costs of health care in the US, many desperate Americans are finding themselves backed against the wall with no recourse to medical treatment. Some of them are denied health insurance coverage for frivolous reasons by the insurance companies and they cannot afford to foot their costly medical treatments by themselves – resulting in many of them having to fore go the much needed medical treatment for their aliments. Some of them, according to the Sicko documentary, have lost their limbs and even their lives due to lack of access to medication and medical facilities!

Film maker Michael Moore explores the failings of the US health care systems and compares it to the state subsidized health care systems of the United Kingdom and France. Of course, even in such “Utopian” societies, someone has to pay for such subsidies:

• If employers are requested to pay for the full medical cost of their employees' medical bills, they may be reluctant to invest in the country;
• If rich people are asked to pay, they may immigrate to lower tax countries or find other means of avoiding paying taxes;
• If healthy (working) people are asked to subsidize unhealthy (unemployed) people, healthy people will suffer a lower standard of living and marginal income families may opt to go on welfare rather than to go to work resulting in a lower tax base;
• Most governments do not have budget surpluses to finance escalating health care costs over the long term and ultimately the citizens will have to bear the burden of such health expenditure through higher taxes;
• Higher taxes will make the country uncompetitive and lead to the country's economic decline.

Michael Moore's Sicko like his other docu-movies is primarily an anti-Bush and anti-government bashing propaganda and he offers no realistic solutions to the problem plaguing most countries.

The real issue at hand is whether every individual should be responsible for his or her own health. This means everyone should ensure that they take control of their lives instead of relying on the medical establishment i.e. to eat nutritious foods and take health supplements so they can qualify for health insurance, take action if they have health problems and to build up a healthy nest egg for that rainy day. That said, the very poor should have access to some form of basic health procedures and medication. This means counseling on healthy diets and exercise and access to cheaper generic drugs.

For countries adopting the US health care system whereby individuals are responsible for their own health, this movie provides a peak into the future health care implications for them and their countries.

Watch "Sicko" and prepare for your own health and financial future.

Michael Moore's Sicko movie trailer on streaming video here:

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