SICKO

"Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached..."

The above words by Swami Vivekananda, one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of the philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga, founder of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.

The above words are for all the millions of Americans, Asians, Africans and people from different countries who have immigrated into the so called "LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES", THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA..

My point in quoting the lines is to invoke/wake the people here in USA (especially those flag waving people who keep on repeating slogans like "greatest country in the world" etc) to fight for getting Common Social Medical Care for all the residents of the country .

I recently finished watching

Michael Moore's Sicko

(it's a great documentary that everyone should see). It's not about the 47 million Americans who don't have health insurance, it's about some of the 250 million who have/had health insurance and in spite of this their lives were ruined. It dispels a lot of the myths espoused by some in America such as long waiting lines inspite of paying higher taxes. It explains why HMOs were established and how their primary purpose is to deny claims. Advancement in these companies is based upon how many claims an employee denies and any claims that are actually paid out are seen as failures. He goes to countries like Canada, England, France and Cuba and talks to citizens of these countries to get their take on their country's health-care system. He also goes to hospitals and emergency rooms in these countries to get the take of the people there and when he ask "How much do you pay?", they all laugh at him. Moore sums up the premise of film when he says the rest of the western world practices "We" health-care while Americans practice "Me" health-care.

This could be a serious wake up call for a proud nation. I have always wondered how people can still call it the greatest country if it does not have universal health care, but maybe the reason is, they don't know any better. They do not realize that in other western countries this has been done for ages and it works.

I personally feel that Michael Moore is one the greatest patriots of America and he proves this by making documentaries like this. He dares to expose the realities against the government and I feel that makes him the real patriot. There are lot of Americans who call themselves real patriots but I find that going against the government and against all odds he portrays the real situation of United States.

Let me tell you the best part of the documentary (this is what I feel)

At the end, Michael Moore accepts that there are lots of anti-Michael Moore websites all over the world. I do not know why Michael Moore is being hated so much!!!
The masterstroke of the film is the revelation that Moore secretly paid the medical bills for the wife of his most strident web critic. It is timed perfectly at the end of the film and is a truly moving moment in the film. Now that is what I mean by a real patriot. I think after analyzing the situation of health care in the United States and lot of other developing and developed countries, he thinks that there should be some sort of common program for health care for all the people of America which is free of cost like other countries like Britain, Canada, France and developing countries like Cuba.

I certainly agree with Michael Moore on this point because we pay the taxes, we keep this country on the top with our hard work and at the end if we are ill or need treatment we have to ask (no not ask…beg!!) these so called health care insurance companies to pay for the treatment we receive, part of which has to be paid by us. They keep making money and they are to decide whether we should get treated or left on the death bed to die!!!!!!!

Michael Moore tries to prove his point with great examples and experiences people had gone through.

"Sicko" Diagnoses a Cure for the Nation

Perhaps the exponents of expediency just haven't met the rescue heroes of September 11 still plagued by debilitating respiratory illnesses, but unable to get the healthcare they need in the country they volunteered to help in our hour of despair.

We say we are proud of the heroes of 9/11 attacks but do we know about what really happened to those who volunteered to help and risked their lives and now they are paying the price to help people..!!!!!

Or the machinist and his newspaper editor wife who had to sell their home and move into a cramped room in their daughter's house when his heart attacks and her cancer caused their medical bills to soar.

Or the woman whose husband died after their insurer refused to authorize a bone marrow transplant from his younger brother because it was "experimental."

Now here, when the insurance company says that this is “experimental”, I would say …. What is sure shot in medical? The doctor gives us treatment upon his assumptions and suppositions, I am also not sure if he is giving the right treatment. He treats us on the experiences he had in his career but he might be treating me for ulcers while I might have malaria!!!!!


Following the screening, Moore put it as simply as possible: the private insurance companies "have to go."


Moore doesn't think the problem is "too much" medical care, or people who want to over utilize the system by spending hours waiting in an Emergency Room. Among the rare gems here is one of Richard Nixon's taped conversations, in the Oval Office with John Ehrlichman on the eve of Nixon's 1971 law promoting managed care. You can rest assured, Ehrlichman promises Nixon, "all the incentives are towards less medical care."

It was so unfortunate for people who do not have money to spent for their treatment and big hospitals leave them unattended and leave them in a condition when they do know where else to go????? Is it fair enough for a hostpital to leave a person whose bone is broken and had unhealed stiches on her head ?

Can you expect this kind of inhumanity in a country like United States? I do not think one can feel proud to be a citizen of a country who has everything that you need in life except free social medical care.

I liked what Michael Moore said " The British saw it for years(during World War II) what we saw for hours on 9/11". Doesn't that signify that we are not residing in one of the best nations of the world. We stay far behind on the 37th position in terms of health care.

Moore's not even afraid of the inevitable complaints about "socialized" medicine. "Back home in America we're socializing lots of things," "Sicko" finds, among them our fire and police service, Social Security checks, and even the library.

I agree these are essential but health care is also one of the most inevitable service that should be included.

It was really ashtonishing for those 50 people who went with him to the place where the 9/11 terrorists are kept. Michael Moore condemns and proves that this is the only place in United States where you have free universal medical care.. and to be there......and who is getting this kind of care???? the ones who try to destroy us???? and the ones who tried to say hundereds of people are themseleves suffering from respiratory problems.

The kind of treatment those 50 people got in Cuba is really worth showing to all the americans so that they realize that they should not feel proud about their country unless they get the free universal health care plan.

Think about countries like France....they work for 35 hours a week. (We work 40 hours a week). They get 5 week sick paid holidays. (We hardly get 2 weeks of sick paid holidays). They also get paid for going on a honeymoon!!!!!! (We loose money to go on a honeymoon :( ...)

No one comes to your home from the government to do laundry for you, to cook dinner for you, help parents to take care of their kids....No body gets a doctor visit you if you are sick in America. If you can have the police come at your home in 3 minutes for your saftey, fire trucks in case you have fire in your house, then why dont the government have a doctor come to your home if you are in serious problems with your health.

Now it would be understandable that if you have health insurance you do not have to worry. But in a nation where you do have to worry even after you are insured thinking that the insurance company might not approve or will not cover the expenses for a particular treatment for so and so reason...Doesnt that sound ridiculuous????

I would love to live in a country where your health is taken care of by the government.

I am not asking the government to get me a maid who will do laundry for me, who will help me take care of my kid. I am just asking the government to take care of my health and for the millions of people who cannot pay for their hospital bills.

Finally a word for all those who read my long article, vote for those who promise a universal health care plan. Help Michael Moore and all those people who are fighting for a universal health care plan against the government. I am not asking you to devote your time in protesting against the government for this benefit but atleast promote and encourage who are doing it for the benefit for the country.


You can watch it here

SICKO


OR


FULL MOVIE