Sicko

I just finished watching Michael Moore's documentary on the American healthcare system - as compared to other systems . Now I'm sure he's taken a point of view that highlights the horrible things that have happened to the American people with coverage by an HMO and those with no coverage. The stories, which appear to be more than isolated incidents, sent me into a seething rage. Michael compared the system in France which is superior on all counts - free health care, free university education, free nanny service in the home, house calls by physicians 24 hours a day, great holiday benefits including an additional week off for getting married. Plus they make great cafe au lait and baguettes. He interviewed an American woman who was refused coverage for her cervical cancer treatment because she was 22 years old (they claim that she was too young for this type of cancer). So she drove across the border to Windsor where she stayed with a (boy) friend and gave his address as her new address and was applying for OHIP. Turns out there's a website for Americans seeking free healthcare in Canada. I think the website is http://www.hook-a-canuk.com/.
Then he went to England where the treatment is, once again, free.

The most interesting part of the movie was when he chartered a boat to take some sick people who had volunteered during 9/11 and were refused any compensation by the government ( and who later developed terrible respiratory ailments) supposedly since they were not contracted by the government to help out. They set out for Gautanamo Bay where all the detainees (suspected al-quaida terrorists, drug runners) were given free medical attention by the U.S. government. Since no one at the tower in Gautanamo Bay acknowledged Michael's call for the same medical services for his 'patients', he sailed on to Cuba (illegal for Americans) where he arranged for medical staff in the Havana Hospital to perform diagnostic testing on his passengers. Subsequently a treatment regimen was designed for each patient to follow at home.

It was also obvious that Canada is lacking in providing the free drug and dental coverage that other countries make available. But that was not the point of the movie.

Well, I guess you can tell that I really liked it.