Like the Canadians (kinder, gentler Americans) I was not entirely enchanted by the Dutch system, even before it began to be commoditised. I still benefit from the ‘collective insurance’ of my former employer. In other words, even under the old system I was a privileged person, not dependent on the basic health insurance available to and required of those below a certain income level.
I had a very mixed experience when I got cancer of the spleen in 2004. In the first place, this was not recognised - despite my suggestion to the specialist that my symptoms might indicate something other than a kidney proble - until I turned up in an ambulance and in agony. In the second place, once an operation was prescribed, I was offered a compilation of information that looked like something that might have accompanied the T-Model Ford (I had to find something better, from the US, on the web). I was sent home, after the operation, with no information or advice. I had to work out for myself that I should refer to my family doctor, and how I should work the hospital system when I suffered post-operational problems (= agony). Being an (ex-)academic, if a foreigner, I eventually found the relevant hospital phone numbers, email, etc. A return trip to hospital found me in a cancer ward in which the staff were unwilling or unable to provide me pain-killers, and in which the toilet (rest room?) literally stank of cigarettes. Whilst taking advantage, once mobile, of the ground-floor public toilets, I made my protest vocal. Whilst sympathetic to lung-cancer victims who wanted their literal last cigarettes, I wanted at least a no smoking sign on the cancer ward’s toilet door.
Three years later, I am alive, reduced to six-monthly check-ups, and active in the global justice and solidarity movement. Thank you, God, for being in the Netherlands rather than the USA!
However, the point is that whilst there is a world of difference here between the USA and civilised countries, national(ised) health services are not the same as democratic, humane, effective health services. In the surviving welfare capitalist societies of Western Europe, there is still a class difference, and still a need for democratisation and organised community and patient action.
A kinder, gentler America is not and will not be good enough!
When I was much younger family we traveled to Singapore. Singapore is a tiny island close to Hong Kong (where we also went).
Somewhere along in Hong Kong I got food poisoned (yeah, maybe it’s not the best idea to eat EVERY thing offered to you — that’s another lesson).
Finally when we got to Singapore I went to a small clinic within the airport. I was given a full exam within a few minutes and two or three different prescriptions and medicines that those prescriptions were filled out for. This cost maybe 20 or 30 bucks. I can’t imagine how long this would take or how much money it would cost within the United States — and this was a foreign country being generous to someone who’s not even a foreign national of theirs.
In my home country of New Zealand, we have a pretty good health care system. If you have to go to a public hospital for treatment or to see a specialist, it is all free, with subsidized visits to your local gp (cheaper gp costs for those with large families or lower/fixed incomes). Private healthcare and insurance is pretty much for the wealthier people, and the care that you get is no different to what you recieve in the public health system. I know, because I nursed in both for over 30 years. The only difference for private is that you do not have long waiting lists, and you get charged for every single thing or pill you are given.
I am currently living in North Carolina. We do not have a health insurance for my daughter and I, my husband is a teacher in a small private school, which only covers him. In order for us all to be covered, it would cost just over $1000.00 per month! What a rip-off! That is way out of our financial reach. SO we go without.
I badly hurt my back 3 days ago, and I know I have some nerve involvement as I am getting sciatic pains down my right leg. However, I cannot seek medical assistance, as the cost of a doctor’s visit and probable x-rays, ct scans would bankrupt us. So I am self-treating with over the counter anti-inflammatories, analgesics and ice packs. Fortunately I have my 30 year nursing background to fall back on. Others here are not so fortunate, and I really feel for them.
The healthcare system here totally sucks! I believe it is the government’s responsibility to look after the health of it’s citizens.
I realise the New Zealand system has it’s flaws, as does every healthcare system in the world.. however, were I home I would have been able to visit a doctor for free for my injury, as it would have been covered by an Accident Compensation Commission. A program set up by the government especially to cover almost all the costs of any injury a person in NZ gets. If they are not totally covered, dependant on what you are having done IE: x-ray, then it is very heavily subsidised, where you would pay $25.00 at the most.
This country totally sucks in it’s care for the everyday American… and don’t even get me started on the Vets… Grrrrr.. or the Elderly..
I am an american, but after i finished my university I moved to the Czech Republic for a year. For some of my time there I lived in a small town called Cheb. While there I got sick, I was in the country on a work visa so I had paid my work visa fee and received a small card saying so. I went to the doctor, showed him my card he looked me over. They even got someone to come in and speak English to me (my Czech wasn’t very good). I was told to take some medicine so I went to the pharmacist, showed them my card, and I got my pills. No money. Nothing more than just saying I was legally there. I have since moved back to the states and I’m a freelance editor. I don’t have insurance and I’m terrified to get sick or hurt.
I did recently buy insurance but since I don’t have a corporation it cost almost $400 a month. I don’t know if I can keep it long. Luckily, I’m moving back to Europe.
As an American graduate student at McGill University in Montreal, I was covered by Canada’s health care system. My first year there, I came down with a serious condition (forgive me for not divulging it, I don’t want to compromise my ability to get health care in America).
I walked into the emergency room at Victoria Hospital and went to triage. In a moment’s notice, I was whisked away to the emergency room and treated by a doctor immediately. It was then determined that I needed further treatment. Three days and copious tests later (including a stint in the cardio-ward), I left the hospital treated. I offered to pay, but they laughed at me.
Now, I’m a Doctoral student in the United States; my only health care is a plan where I have to pay up front, where I have to visit the school clinic and not a hospital, and where every procedure must be pre-approved. And, I get to pay up to 100% if the condition is pre-existing.
My fellow graduates have an innovative health plan: get a credit card; if they ever get sick, they will max out the credit card and then declare bankruptcy. We only get paid $12,000 a year, so we can’t afford “normal” plans–and even if we did, the pre-existing condition clause would invalidate the care we do need. How can one be older than 30 and not have a medical history to contend with? I am shamed by my country and its approach to health-care. I dream of a day when every one of America’s citizens is treated freely with the expert care I received in Canada.
My mother, two years ago, was unfortunately diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was scheduled for her surgey within a week of discovery - in Toronto, Canada. Then came radiotherapy, and then chemo - all paid for by the Canadian government. Based on my research couple of years ago (as I was looking for options and wanted the best care for her possible), I found it would have cost me in excess of $150,000 USD if we happened to reside in the US and elected to do the surgery (alone) in the US. Never mind the after care.
Having said this, we don’t have a perfect system, it may take hours in the hospital emergecy sometimes to see a doctor (if determined by triage that your problems are not serious). FIFO gets thrown out the window, people who need the care most get attention immediately!
The US needs a Canadian equivalent of Tommy Douglas.
I am a Canadian. While I know that our system is not perfect, I am very grateful for our system. I never have to worry if I can afford to see a doctor, I just simply make an appointment and go. Recently, both my grandmother and uncle were terminally ill (both have since passed). My uncle was in the hospital for three months, getting top care. My grandmother was in the hospital for about a month. She also was treated with the best of care. At the end we paid nothing. The dAY THEY DIED WE SIMPLY WALKED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL WITH NO CONCERN OR BILLS. Had we been not been living in Canada the cost of taking care of both family members would have wiped us out. With our system we were able to concentrate on taking care of our family members without worrying about money and our ability to pay for the treatement and pallitive care they deserved.
Medical care is a basic human right. I am glad that my country recognises this fact. I hope the Americans will some day gather the political courage to take back their health care system from corporations who always care more about the bottom line than the people they claim to serve. Also, I pray that all countries with modern, socialised health care systems (ie. Canada, UK, Austrialia, etc). realise the great gift that they have and that they continue to fight for its existence.
Being a teacher, I receive excellent health coverage thanks to my strong union. However, I can’t say the same for health care as a whole, much less all of my friends’ health care systems.
Just after I finished graduate school, I decided that I would obtain a work visa from the UK. This was my first main experience with socialized medicine. I was blown away by the care given to me, even though I wasn’t a citizen of the UK. It was a very nice feeling knowing that I would be taken care of and not have to worry about “how good my insurance is.” After living abroad in a country with socialized medicine and seeing, first hand, what a wonderful society it is when medicine is a right, rather than a privilege, I became a believer in health care for all. This does not mean medicare for some, medicaid for others, and insurance for the ones with good jobs.
Hi, Mike. Glad you’re doing this film. I am only 16, but hey, I have feelings, too.
You see, my friends and I used to sit on these large concrete steps. I was chasing one of my friends (silly, I know), but knocked my face down on one of the edges, splitting my lip. However, I thought that I hadn’t just split my lip, i thought I had broken a few teeth, and my parents were called, and met me at a local hospital. We waited THREE HOURS for help (did I mention we waited in the EMERGENCY WARD? THREE HOURS IN THE EMERGENCY WARD!!), and this help is help which we never got from the hospital. We then travelled to our family doctor’s and got it done within at most 20 minutes. I am appalled that a hospital would treat patients like that, especially patients which are waiting in the emergency ward. I’m also appalled that we are number 32 on the health list featured in the trailer (whether or not it’s true, I agree our health system is shithouse), and it’s not surprising that our health system would be that close to the US with someone like John Howard running this country into the ground head-first.
Thanks Michael Moore - you’re asking the questions everyone else it too afraid to ask.
I forgot to mention that I just split my lip which got stitched within 20 minutes at our family doctors, with the large concrete steps and the incident happening at school during lunch, just to clear some stuff up.
From Japan:
In honor of the movie that’s getting tremendous attention everywhere, I thought I’d share a personal experience of my own. I just got home from the most amazing experience, it’s called….. (drumroll)… SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!!! It was so exciting.
About 2 weeks ago I slammed my knee running for the train (late as usual). The concrete step crashed into the middle of my kneecap, and I could barely bend it for 2 days. Although it improved, I was worried cuz it was still hurting sometimes. I didn’t want it to heal weird, and start throbbing every time there was a rainstorm, or something like that. So I asked the lady at my foreign-students dormitory where I could get it checked out. She gave me a list of doctors in our neighborhood (about 15, all covering different specialties). We agreed I should go to the orthopedic surgeon; “no appointment is necessary, just show up” she said. I went at about 5 p.m. today on my bike.
Oh my goodness!!!!!! It was about the most divine customer-service experience of my LIFE! Dr. Maeda’s office was a little drab, but functional and clean. Not luxurious-looking like hospitals in the U.S., with lots of fake plants and plaques with donors names. Just wood-panel walls and old magazines. I gave a written description of my problem to ease the language barrier, and after filling out one short form (basically contact info only) and handing over my government health insurance card, I took a seat.
SIDENOTE: Did you catch that part? GOVERNMENT HEALTH INSURANCE CARD!!! It is a cute blue affair that comes with a free plastic cover. I got it the week I arrived in Japan. Fresh off the boat, new immigrant, terrible Japanese. Still, I qualified for inclusion and was so happy to finally be fully insured I hugged and kissed the dude in the City Office, jumping up and down and yelling as he sweated in his polyester shirt. It was the best experience of my first month in Japan. But I hadn’t had a chance to use the card until today…
So Dr. Maeda called for me from behind a door. Only wack thing about the office: the walls don’t touch the ceiling! So I guess they don’t care about patient privacy. Everyone can hear everything, so if you have something embarrassing I guess you write it down and slip the paper across the table, like a bank robber.
Anyways, I sat down and put my purse in the basket conveniently provided for this purpose. Dr. Maeda is a cheerful, tanned Japanese Santa Claus type. I wish I took a picture of him. He was laughing and practicing his English on me: “You run for train! Haha! Is dangerous! Don’t you listen to warning in station? Haha!” After a few minutes of poking and prodding my knee, he said “We do x-ray now.”
He took 2 x-rays and I waited another 5 minutes. Then he called me back into his office. “No break! Just contusion! Haha!! No jogging please!” He thoughtfully looked the word “contusion” up in his ancient dictionary while I was waiting. There was no interpreter but we got along ok with my so-so Japanese and his enthusiastic English.
He called the nurse to put a medicated stretchy patch thing over my whole knee, and cover it with a short white netting thing. Wrote a prescription for more of the disposable patches and sent me on my way with a laugh, saying in Japanese “If you were younger it would have healed faster! Haha, just kidding! Stop running for the train, ok? Haha!” I was glad to provide him with a source of hilarity for the afternoon, and stepped out of the office smiling. I sat back down on the bench to wait for the bill. I had been reassured “it won’t be too much!” but I had no idea what to expect.
Soon the secretary called me up. She returned my health insurance card, and gave me a new laminated one to use if I return to Dr. Maeda’s. Then the bill: $13.24 (JY 1,610). That’s it!! I’m on the “30% plan,” which means the government pays the other 70% of the office visit. That includes 2 x-rays, meeting with the doctor, and getting one patch applied. No appointment, no waiting, excellent service, an immediate diagnosis, everyone’s friendly. The whole affair took 30 minutes, out the door.
As for the prescription for the patches, those of us in from the medical hinterlands called the United States know that getting a prescription filled can be the most painful part of being sick. I remember as a kid waiting for hours in the Kaiser pharmacy, in a packed waiting room with screaming kids, dope fiends in rehab, people with rashes, and lots of coughing. As I started to leave Dr. Maeda’s, I was grateful I could put off filling the non-emergency prescription for the knee patches. But the secretary told me: “There’s a pharmacy just around the corner. Across from the 7-11. Take this there.” I hopped on my bike. “Feel better!” she waved as I pulled away.
At said pharmacy, I walked in and handed the paper to dude. He took it in the back. 4 minutes later, emerged with my stuff. Grand total? $2.80 (JY 340). 2 weeks of treatment, silver plastic bag, my receipt. I’m dumbfounded, but the pharmacist is looking at me like I stole something. “Uhh, do you need anything else?” “Uh, I guess not…” Nutrition posters and bottles of Shiseido shampoo lined the walls as I walk out.
Riding my bike home, I felt re-energized. Enthusiastic!! Healthy!! When did I last feel that way leaving the doctor’s office… Maybe it was the warm reception I received (despite being a grammar-mangling foreigner) or maybe it was the unknown drugs in the stretchy patch thing. Or maybe it was the fact that my life wasn’t interrupted by this minor injury, and society seems to agree that pro-active care for my knee is a pretty good idea. That’s calming. I pedalled down the hill to do some grocery shopping. I’m not worried about my knee, or any other part of my health, and can focus on my work and life.
I am a Canadian and I am so proud of our country’s medical system. For small pains… I can get a doctor to look at a boil on my bum. As for more serious emergencies, my friend just did 6 weeks in hospital with a broken pelvis and he has no medical bills…
Also, I lived in Japan and got quite sick and was treated to their wonderful system! Some major tests were all completely covered under the national health system.
Thant’s the ticket my American Brethren - Socialized Medicine !!!!
Sure, there are pros and cons to Socialized Medicine, but at least the people are healthy and out of bankruptcy!
But for some reason the U.S.A government prefers to spend its money on defending your American Freedoms in the Middle East…
I’m spanish and got to say our health care rules.. yes you have to queue and wait… and the ER is full of old people waiting (but is there fault they go to the ER instead to the GP when they just have a cold) but our Social Security(health care in Spain) is great. 12 fractures on my right arm, broken left arm, a dislocated knee and appendicitis are the proof… And by they way, I didn’t have a car accident, I just play rugby
I’m 20 year old Belgian woman, and currently reside in the USA. I have a rare heart condition (I’d rather not specify which) since my birth. In my homecountry, my parents never paid for ANY operation, x-ray, scan, prescription drug. NEVER. They only had to pay 50% for my stays a the hospital (which is $10 per day). Now, as I grow older my condition is getting worse. My doctors in the US concluded that I needed heart surgery, and request I visit the hospital monthly for a standard check-up. These are doctors that have been treating me for 2 years now, while my doctors in Belgium have been treating since the day I was born. My American insurance makes my parents pay for close to everything because of the rarity of my condition. I do not know how much my parents pay monthly, and they wish to keep this so. Luckily for my parents, my brother, and I, we are wealthy thus are able to cover these bills without making compromises.
Back to my heart surgery. My Belgian doctors have checked up on my and told me that there was no need for surgery yet. It’ll just complicate my health conditon. My US doctors told my parents that I was going to DIE in a couple of month without the surgery. Complete BS. I found this so sad. Just recalling the agony my family went through when this news was brought upon us… UGHHHH….
I believe that the US health system is just in itself a violation on human rights.
I’m an American who has lived in France for 25 years, and visit family and friends every year or so. When (inevitably), notes are compared concerning health care, ie. cost, quality, etc.., I’m shocked at how bad things have become in the U.S.. Here, I have approximately five percent of my salary withheld for health care coverage, which generally covers seventy percent of all medical costs, icluding medication. When you realise that simple doctor visits average about twenty five dollars, and medication is about ten times cheaper than in the U.S., you begin to get the picture. More importantly, the quality of care you get in France never ceases to amaze me; whether for trauma, (I’ve had more than my share, since I ski and manage to fall more often than I’d like!),or more general health concerns, the professionalism and human contact is top notch. And they still do house calls! Anecdote; I had a complicated thumb injury a few years back, (titanium screws and other hoopla stuff), was operated the same day, spent the night in the clinic being extrodinarily well taken care of, checked out, went home, and waited for the bill. You guessed it; Total to pay ZERO! (Actually, I had a couple of phone calls to pay…). The pain killers prescribed cost a whopping 8 dollars! Not only that, I’ve had two American orthopedic surgeons look at the job done on me, both of whom oohed and aahed the work, asking what specialist had done such a nifty job! Sure, just like in the U.S. demographics present big problems for future costs, but the essential difference is attitude; health care is considered part of the society’s obligation to its members in the name of solidarity, not a service in the market that one shops for to better “consume”.
well the uk system isn’t all its cracked up to be as mentioned in the brief trailer i’ve seen so far. the NHS has its problems, just like any organisation. not everything is free, for example it cost me £225 ($550) for a few injections last year to go travelling, but thats one of the exceptions.
far too many people complain about the limitations the NHS has to offer cancer drugs that come at extortionate prices that they complain people get in the USA. what they don’t mention is that in the US, you’d be paying for everything from the bed you sleep in to being taken to the toilet or washed or that cancer drugs only prevent and often unreliable.
fair play for raising this issue of health care, its about time the US took some of the 42% of its tax money from the military and started investing it in the people of the country!
I am a 32 year old Canadian. I am currently 7 months pregnant with our second child. I work and travel frequently in the United States. In fact, I found out I was pregnant while I was in the US, and booked my first prenatal appointment for the day I arrived home. I remember very well the palpable feeling of relief when I went through customs and was back home on Canadian soil.
I remember going to a spa in New York, and the woman telling me that she didnt have insurance through her work, and her little boy was a hemopheliac. I was horrified, and as a mother - near tears.
I went back to the office and told some of the staff about this poor woman. I was stunned to find out that the company I work for does not provide health insurance to its employees either.
While they struggle to pay high insurance premiums, I am recieving the very best health care available. My doctor is wonderful, the hospital I will deliver in is a world leader in labour analgesics. I have the option to be fully supported in a natural birthing experience if I so choose, including a water labour. My partner and I will bring our new daughter home, and we will only have to worry about sleepless nights and changing diapers. There will be no bills, no insurance forms, no claims to make and no worrying about our finances.
As much as I enjoyed the US, and the many wonderful people I have met there, I am now even more appreciative that I am Canadian. After my maternity leave (in Canada it is one year) I will not be returning to work in the US.
hey if u want a sh#ty social security come to Mexico and learn about our services…just a few days ago on mi hometown (Cd Juarez)a women die becouse the hospital refuese to attend her, so she wento to a bench outside the hospital and a couple of minutes later died
I went to college in the UK where there were a few American students in my dorm. One guy broke his leg (too much to drink) one Friday night (nothing out of
the ordinary for students in the US and UK).
It was quickly treated at a local hospital.
His parents were very concerned obviously but he called them and I overheard him say “Don’t worry, it really is free”. It was as if he and his parents could not believe the care was free. It was if they just could not grasp that fact.
As an American father living in Spain with my wife and 2 small children (1 and 3 y-old) I cannot but pity my fellow citizens back in the old regime. When I need a pediatrician’s appointment I call a toll free number, I provide my son or daughter’s health care card number (the one with the smart chip containing all their medical history) and I get a suggested appointment time (the dr’s schedule is online) in less than a minute flat. I take it and do all sorts of things: regular checkups, scheduled vaccinations, emergency visits. All within walking distance since each person has a center assigned to them based on where they live (closest one to you is yours).
Once I get there, I encounter a clean, well-equipped, flawlessly run facility that requires not a 30-minute sit down to write down all the stupid medical history questions that I have to answer over and over and over and over and over and over again in the states. , but just a swipe of the card right before we see the doctor. They call us in at the time we were scheduled to be called (this NEVER happens in the states) and our problem/issue is addressed.
Information Technology and knowledge sharing has made this system one of the most efficient processes I have ever encountered (I am a systems analyst and I do this for a living). I can only be ashamed when I have to receive treatment in the states and I am subjected to the most bloated, senseless, and possibly expensive health care system in the world. We put a man in the moon, how come these people are beating us at running a better hospital?
Forgot to mention it: it is all FREE. Well, not free, but paid with your tax dollars. And the medicines? I used to shell out $90/month for stress and sleeping aids. That was after the copay. The exact same medicines are costing me here $7/month, that is before the 2/3 government subsidy. Who’s getting ripped off here? Why aren’t all Americans up in arms about being nickled and dimed just because they can?
I’m a dual-citizen of both America and France. I wish people would stop slamming the French for being snobs when they at least would never leave a homeless person to freeze in the streets, and never expect a victim of a car accident, for example, to pay for her ermergency medical care (a friend of mine in Florida is in debt for the rest of her life and lost her job because she can barely walk - she was hit by someone with no insurance). Most doctors in France answer their own phones, perform their patients exams themselves (they don’t leave it to the nurse and simply talk to you for five seconds while reading your “chart”), and only get paid $30 per visit. They don’t go to med school for the money. They have an ethics charter (like French lawyers) which bans them from any type of advertising (even seen those ads with pictures of babies and the phrase “Does your child have trouble in school, ADD or ADHD? Maybe it was the fault of your OBGYN - call me and let’s see if we can sue him!”). Medicine is a service, not an industry. Do you know that presciption medicines are more expensive in the US than anywhere else on the planet? All the big pharma companies are prevented by foreign governments from charging outrageous prices - but not in the freedom-loving USA! I can’t wait to see sicko and I hope it wakes up America!
My wife and I went to Peru about 3 years ago, she got sick up in the Andes, we rush her to the hopital at 4 o’clock in the morning , the dr. take care of her, give some medications,that we pick it up from the hospital pharmacy,I didn’t care how much the bill was going to be,since we didn’t have an insurance,and were traveling with American passaports,and Peru is one of the poorest country in the Americas.
Well, the bill was O, nothing, nada.
Currently the Canadian Medicare system covers all medical bills by 100% (yes that is 100, not ten). Anyhow I would have to rate the Canadian system of health care pretty good.
The only problem I see in the health care system in Canada is that it does not cover prescription drugs, dentistry and optometry. Although admittingly things are improving.
Currently Ontario (a Canadian Province) is pushing the Canadian government to include dentistry in the Medicare plan. Also, even though the persciption drugs are not free, they are extremely cheap (I think their subsidized although I’m not sure). Hence, The Simpsons dedicating an episode of how cheap most of the drugs in Canada are.
I must say that I have very little to complain about in the Finnish system. My normal experience goes like this:
1) I make my appointment by phone call
2) I go see my Doctor at his office
NOTE: I could go to the local health clinic as well
3) My Doctor treats me.
3a) My Doctor has a computer in his office and simply types in and prints out my perscription
4) I pay the bill at the cashier.
NOTE: The cost is 35 Euros for a 20 minute visit
5) I go to the pharmacy and but my medicine for the next three months
6) That’s all folks!!
I think anyone would find it hard to find anything wrong with that. One time I did go to the hospital. I waited a little over one hour to see a Doctor. The cost was 15 Euros. I must say that if i needed knee surgery I would have two choices: 1) go the normal route and wait to have my surgery or 2) go to the Private Doctor and set up a date for surgery and (of course) paying a lot more money.
Finland can have Single Payer Health Care because there is 1) Progressive Taxation and 2) 22.5% Value Added Tax
ADVANTAGE FINLAND!
I hope “SiCKO” will be available for purchase on iTunes ASAP!
Hello:
I am a Canadian who has been blessed with good health care all my life. Each province requires its citizens to sign up for health coverage, and if you earn below a certain amount, basic services (doctor visits, recovery in hospital, operations, etc) are paid for. We have to pay for glasses, pills, dental and some other services if we don’t have added employee benefits, but even then you can apply for additional coverage through the province. Although the system is not perfect (long waits for certain things, overworked doctors and nurses) most of the time it is something that can be dealt with, without destroying the family budget. I feel extremely blessed to live in a country that cares enough to make sure there is health care for everyone. And I object to the statement that Canadians are just kinder, gentler Americans. We are a seperate culture with a seperate but linked history, and we are as complex as Americans.
Thanks for listening
Susan
I get my prescription drugs cheap in Honduras. The drugs come from the USA - to bad I can’t afford them in the USA. I will get basic health care free or cheap in Honduras. I am conservative, but I believe basic universal health care needs to be installed. Of course most Americans will complain that the health care isn’t perfect. It doesn’t have to be perfect - just be something to take care of us for basic needs like broken arms, pregnancy, gunshot wounds, etc.
If we have an universal health care system I think patients should have the power to influence health policy -like get rid of incompetent doctors, etc but not the ability to sue for millions of $$. If a person is awarded millions for malpractice those millions of dollars are being taken away from the health care budget. It’s alright to sue private hospitals since suing holds them responsible, but not the government universal health care system. Liberals don’t believe in compromise so they would never go for that. Liberals wants perfect health care (the kind Senators get) free for everybody and want to sue for millions of $$ if anything goes wrong. Let’s just get basic universal health care and work from there.
I visited Peru with my wife in 2004, and within the first week I came down with a bad stomach illness that left me severely dehydrated to the point where I was passing out. We checked into a nice hospital in Lima, the capitol city, and I stayed there for 2 nights while I recovered. I had an IV, medication, and many tests run.
The total bill for my uninsured time in the hospital? $340! It was a very nice, modern hospital too!
The debate on healthcare costs in the US too often centers on how government, individuals, and employers should split the bill. Meanwhile, the media debate NEVER goes to the fact that our healthcare is so much more costly than other countries’, while we consistently have worse health outcomes. It’s time that we take a look at why it is so expensive. Once we bring the costs down, then we can argue over who should pay for it.
A native Californian, I traveled to Italy in 2003, when the SARS scare was running full steam, not to mention the beginning of our “involvement” in Iraq. While, in Rome, I had to visit the emergency room for what turned out to be the flu. The entire visit took no more than 45 minutes. There were no forms to fill out, no red tape. I was seen promptly by a doctor and given a complete examination, including chest x-rays.The total cost for this efficient, thorough, and rather pleasant experience- $0. The relief knowing I didn’t have SARS- priceless. When it came time to get the medications the doctor suggested, I was a little taken aback by the price of throat lozenges, but was happy to pay because eveything else had gone so smoothly.
I have a friend in Canada who was very sick and couldn’t work. The doctors couldn’t diagnose him but, through his own research, learned of a condition called POTS. The only way to confirm this condition is through a test using a “tilt table”. Well, the wait in his home province of Alberta was 18 months. Rather than wait for a year and a half, he came to have the test performed in the US within a couple of weeks. Of course, he had to pay for this out of his own pocket, but it was worth it to him.
I’ve lived in Canada and Saudi Arabia as a boy. Candian health care was wonderful. I hurt my knee when I was twelve, and had some internal bleeding, just walkd into a clinic in Ontario they fixed it up very quickly and professionally. Only had to see one doc.
I am sure that if a similar thing happened back home I am sure I would’ve had to see my PCP get a refferal to see a specialist before getting treatment.
In Saudi Arabia, health care is different, again I was younger then I don’t recall seeing doctors but I do remember they used their pharmacists to keep simple medical cases away from doctors. If you had a simple ailment requiring prescription strength medicine you went to the pharmacist and they gave you medicine.
To get these medicines in the USA you’d have to schedule a Dr. Appt and have them diagnose you.
There the pharmacist would listen to your ailments and dispense medicine, keeping simple problems away from doctors so they could focus on more serious problems.
I liked this better because if I had a simple problem like athlete’s foot or something and the OTC medicine did not work, you could just get the pharmacist to dispense the stronger meds and not waste my time or a doctor’s time getting a diagnosis for simple ailments.
As a Canadian having lived in India and having seen the ravages of private healthcare, I can say that what I have learned is that ethical and humane healthcare do not follow the same principles as the market economy. There is NO ROOM for supply and demand where people’s health and lives are at stake.
I work in a pharmacy and am disgusted with so-called prescription coverage. Everyday I see people who have to pay outrageous prices for medications they can’t live without. For example, a man who had an organ transplant needed a certain anti-rejection medication. His insurance would not cover it. His doctor and our pharmacy went back and forth with the insurance company to try and get it approved. Finally after almost a week waiting he had to pay OUT OF POCKET almost $4000!! Thats what makes me sick. And worse yet, it happens everyday.
I have been staying in Bombay , India for past 3 months for business purposes and once I felt really sick and went to a local clinic without any appointment, since it was a emergency.
The other patients (who were in long before me) let me in seeing my condition and it turned out that I had diabetes.
The doctor suggested me a complete physical and gave me a prescription and charged me $2!!
I went for the complete physical at his recommended hospital and they charged me just $25 for a 5 hours effort which involved some of the best equipments I have ever seen!!
The prescription drugs cost me another $6 for a month’s dosage!!
Total expense: just about $35
No overheads..no extensive paperwork..correct diagnosis and a extremely efficient medical system.
Even in a “developing” nation like India ,an average poor person can still walk in a clinic and get possibly the best treatment for his money’s worth and walk out satisfied.
They even have something called local municipal hospitals run by state governments which give free treatment and drugs.
No wonder India is turning out a hub for “Medical Vacations”
I have one comment to add to Alain Brouillaud’s message about Finnish healthcare system: if you’re very poor you DON’T even have to pay the 35 Euro free for the 20 minute visit.
Healthcare in Belgium is fairly easy to describe: excellent!
Depending on your income etc.. you pay your Health Service on a monthly or yearly base (for me that’s about 100€/year); and the service you get covers almost all health-care expenses that you can imagine.
When you visit the doctor, you pay he’s fee (typically about 20€), When you go to the pharmasist you get the medication with reduced prices (because of our ‘SIS’ chip card that’s read at every visit), and all expenses you make you send back to your Health service, who will, within 3 weeks, pay you back up to 100% of the costs you make…)
Having lived in Belgium for 29 years (well, my whole life…) I havn’t really experienced another type of healthcare, and reading about this movie, I’m expecting to see some strange things about the American system… Very curious!
I am an Austrian citizen who lived in the US for about 9 years before returning to Vienna. Although I was lucky enough to be able to afford excellent medical care while I was in the US I was shocked at the fees which hospitals and doctors charge. Anywhere between 90 and 300 dollars for a 10 minute consultation!!! I had a private insurance which covered 80% but I still had to come up with the cash for whatever treatment, consultations, x-rays etc…and then wait for the reimbusement. I paid almost 250 dollars a month for this insurance which is a lot on a student budget.
In Austria, about 5% of one’s monthly income is deducted for medical insurance. That comes out to about 140 Euros a month. Insurance for couples is even cheaper, around 200 Euros for a married couple.
If you want to take the option of paying around 35 or so Euros more, you can have more benefits which include alternative medicine (shiatsu, homeopathy, acupuncture.) You just need to present your insurance card for consultations, xrays, mammograms, lab tests, etc…. No bills to be paid. Prescriptions cost 4,20 Euros. I opted to pay the extra 35 Euros a month and get my prescriptions for free. It so much more civilized.
I was in Paris France 2 years ago, when I had some internal bleeding due to a GI disorder. In went to a Public Hospital ER, and was treated in just a few mins. I had several test done and some scope GI surgery (that day). Next day I was out of the hospital (with meds) feeling fine. What is wrong with America???
The British National Health System (NHS) is pretty darn good. Result of Socialist government that no-one got rid of. The thing is, it works for everyone. If you get hurt, you get treated. Little fuss. It may take awhile, but the baseline is pretty good. You pay only to speed up the process. It’s not slow to begin with but there are people who need speed. Better than America where it’s the “pay up or your screwed” model. The NHS is there. No question.
I am so excited that I can’t even wait to see the movie until it comes out. But, I already know whats the movie about. I am from Bangladesh ( south Asia ). To be honest, the cost of medical support here in US simply ridiculous. and even the people here can’t afford it.
But, if you look at the Asian Developing countries like India and Bangladesh, the cost of medical treatment is affordable. For example, a minor operation in your eye, it could be no more than 130$-150$ in these countries. And, in US you can guess! Although, there is still shortage of higher medical equipments and Doctors. But, The US has the most powerful equipments and technology to serve this nation, but the cost are always high for some reason. America will be fine within a couple of years and I keep my beliefs on this country.
And whatever the story is… ” This Might hurt some people ” hehehe
I was born and raised in America but am also a Swedish citizen. I went to boarding school there for two years. It was wonderful because not only was I given an allowance by the government for studying every month but my dentist and doctor visits were completely free. However there are pros and cons to the swedish system. My 80-year old grandfather recently had some dental work done where the dentist ruined a part of his front teeth. He is now forced to wear dentures and there are not ways to compensate for the mistake. This is a special case though. Overall it is better to have basic decent health care for all than to have corporations deciding how to handle a nation’s health.
Hi Michael, here’s Michele
I’m writing from Italy, and i’m waiting to see your last movie to compare our realty to yours.
But i really can say, i doubt health care in Usa can be worse than the south italy’s one.
Here, you go to the emergency for a heart attack, and you die in the waiting room, because they don’t have enough staff or beds, and we have thousands of italian doctors which go abroad to find a job.
What a Shame!
Here’s not convenient to feel any bad.
Born and raised in Chicago, I moved with my wife and kids to New Zealand when I was 32. Some companies I’ve worked for here gave me comprehensive health insurance, but I’ve never had any health insurance that I paid for. That’s why it’s so confusing to hear everyone in The States talking about universal “coverage” instead of simply free health care. Why do insurance companies have to be in the equation at all (except as “extra” coverage for elective procedures). Doesn’t it make sense to REDUCE health costs - even if that means a few insurance companies go under?
I currently live is Spain with my wife and child. After I came back from vacacion in Costa Rica this january and came down with a rare infection, I had to be in the Hospital for a month and it cost me absolutely nothing, I am an american citizen, that did not matter. Had I gone back to the US and gotten sick I would be ruined.
I am an American. I have lived in Australia for more than thirty years. We have an pretty good system in Australia. It’s a hell of a lot better than the American Medical System. I am horrified everytime I return to the US at how American politicians are bought out by the AMA and Insurance Companies. You seriously need to do someting about your lobbiest and that system. It’s outrageous that it takes so much money to run for public office, that when your politicians are elected they are already owned by big business. When I visit and explain the Australian system, some dunce usually says something like “yeah…well that’s socialism.” I say, “so what? So’s the army!” Wake up, it’s the middle class in America who are hurting most under this sytem. Stop believing the rhetoric of conservatives and the mega-medical business lobby and demand representation. The Insurance companies are vultures feeding off your misery… Look at the hysteria they whipped up when the Clinton Administration tried to do someting years ago.
I live in France and one thing that the health care system provides here is the ability to go to the doctor for an absolutely minimal cost (an office visit costs about $26 USD). Also, there is always a doctor on call in your neighborhood - this is posted in the newspaper and posted on all pharmacie doors in your neighborhood. There is also a number to call and you can get a call back from a doctor if you are at home sick on the weekend for example and can’t get to a doctor. Specialists cost about $70 an office visit. The problem is that the state (govt) determines which procedures are covered by the social health care system. I do have at least one friend who had colon cancer here and she said her care was outstanding… I would say in general the level of care equals that of the US - but the cost is far less and the availability orders of magnitude better than the US. The drawback here is that doctors are starting to complain about only getting 20 euros an hour whereas specialists get 60 euros an hour reimbursement by the state. Another issue that I think is becoming more and more common is that in hospitals - doctors cannot get permanent positions so they work year after year on contract - eventually they get sick of it and the good ones are being forced to move on - to where I’m not sure. I’ve just heard this about the big hospitals around Paris and that the quality of care is beginning to suffer because of it. Finally, I have one gripe and that is the Americans (of which I am one) and Brits who come to France to get care. They are rich and resourceful and they see that the French system is very good but at a fraction of the cost, so they come here (france) to get treated - because for example in the British health care service you can wait 2 years to get an MRI on your knee if you need knee surgery…. I have to admit it sorts of sticks in my throat that these folks come to france to get care … I worry about abuses will eventually overwhelm the system.
Of course the U.S. System needs to be changed. BUT:
1. Medical technology in the U.S., in terms of quality, is still number 1.
2. Europe follows the United States in terms of ground-breaking treatments (which is why the TB guy, Andrew Speaker risked his life to fly back to that hospital in Colorado).
3. National heathcare systems in the UK, Scandinavia, and other European countries can (and often do) deny service, or make people wait for a long time - based on ad-hoc decisions of administrators.
4. Most of these countries support tax systems which would never work in the United States. Scandinavians pay between 40-70% taxes. Brits pay MUCH.
5. There are other options to NHS systems (which overall aren’t the best option). Mandatory private health insurance (required by law) is a good thing to look at. Mandatory minimal private coverage is also a good thing. That’s what Switzerland uses, and they are one of the best systems in Europe. (But even there, insurance prices have gone up 5 times in the past 10 years, and doctors complain about their lower salaries).
6. So the entire system requires examination. It isn’t just as simple as installing a NHS in America.
7. America needs universal coverage - OF COURSE. The question is how to implement it - in a way that doesn’t compromise our world-class technology, and that makes it possible for more people to afford it.
Just a note:
Cuba does indeed have good medical technology, and coverage, as the movie clip suggests - but what the movie doesn’t explain is that Cuba’s entire government funding structure has declined massively since the fall of the Soviet block - which used to prop up Cuba with financial inputs. They made a great emphasis on healthcare, which was a good example, but their entire system is struggling right now. Those guys in the movie probably got special treatment, to make a good example.
So Cuba makes a great example of how a tiny country can emphasize heathcare. They don’t make a great example of, free speech, among other things. But anyways, once Castro dies, the U.S. and Cuba will make amends. It is silly to hang onto that old grudge. Its an old Cold War relic. Like Mr. Fidel himself.
Comming from Australia, we do pay higher rates of tax, however we have a public health care system (Medicare) which is not perfect by any means, but does NOT exclude the poor or charge the gross amounts of money that the U.S Health system does.
We also have private health care for the wealthy in Australia.
The people of American are some of the most warm, inteligent, courageous and thoughtful people I have ever met, and Michael Moore is one of them.
I am an American who has been living in Rome, Italy for two years. Before moving here, as a healthy 34 year old female, I spent approximately $400 per month on Health Insurance. For $400 smackers a month I thought that policy should come scrub my toilets and tubs once a week! At that time, I knew that I was one of the luckier people as millions go without the safety net of insurance. I also knew that the current state of our healthcare system was in crisis.
One of the things I was looking forward to in Rome (in adiditon to my fiancee Marco, the food and the wine), was socialized medicine. When I became pregnant last fall, I wanted to pay for a fancy private clinic as part of my American mentality kept thinking, “You get what you pay for.” Marco insisted that I use the public system as he explained that if there were any complications with the baby or me, the best place would be in the public hospitals.
I trusted him, but still lacked complete trust in the system. And nine months later I can honestly say I was WRONG.
On April 29, I gave birth to my son prematurely via emergency cesarean section. Unbeknownst to me and my doctor, I had undiagnosed preeclampsia which was assymptomatic. This condition causes the mother’s blood pressure to soar, while cutting off that of the fetus. It can be fatal to both mother and child especially when gone undiagnosed (I had been through every test known to modern medicine and this condition never showed up).
During a check up on April 27, the doctor noted that my blood pressure was high. Thenext morning, the hospital began to monitor me… the fetal monitor showed no signs of distress. Not thinking it could be eclampsia, I wanted to go home. But when my blood pressure continued to rise, I was admitted. After 12 hours I woke with a headache and saw a nurse checking the fetal monitor. The average fetal heart rate is 125 BPM. My son’s was 57. Then I began to seize and lost my vision. We were both in grave danger.
Within minutes, I was in the operating room and they were delivering the baby.
Delivery is the only cure for eclampsia.
My son was immediately whisked off to the neo-natal unit, He stayed in the neonatal ICU for 17 days. He was given top notch care by excellent doctors and nurses who utilized state of the art technology.
AND I NEVER SAW A BILL!
There was no 80-20 split, no co-pay, no pre-approved nonsense.
Not only was his care excellent, but the hospital also supplied other services for parents with children in recovery. There were psychologists on hand, a room for the mothers to relax (or pump milk) in, and hot and nutritious meals were provided for pennies.
A sick child is like a great equalizer; it can happen to anyone- rich or poor. In the US, wealthier people can get excellent care because they can pay for it. But working class or lower income families do not get the same treatment. This is disgusting. Not only was I thankful for the care that we were receiving, but I was also happy to see that EVERY family in the neonatal unit received the same standard of excellence no matter what their income.
In the US, it is our right to be provided with an attorney if we break the law and cannot afford one. But what about a doctor? Shouldn’t health care be looked upon with more precedence than say petty theft or B&E? The system is broken and must be fixed.
Today me and my son are alive and healthy because of a system that works AND we don’t have to take out a second mortgage on our apartment!
P.S. well informed Italians ADORE Michael Moore and will be looking forward to this new film. And so will I! Thanks for causing people to think AGAIN. Keep it up.
I got into a really bad car accident in mexico city. I was unconscious, they took me to the hospital, i woke up the next day. three days later i was out of the hospital. i had cracked ribs, brain swelling, the works. i had the best care i have ever had in a hospital and I didn’t even speak thier language.
ambulance ride, 24 hour doctor supervision for three days, meds all came to $240 - less than one month’s insurance premiums here.
oh, and the main doctor checked on me everyday for a week after i was out.
France: You’re sick, you call for a doctor, within an hour a competent doctor is at your door, the bill is $50, prescriptions a fraction of the U.S. price.
U.S.: Makes you sick just thinking about it.
My 80 year old aunt in Sweden had to have a hip replacement. It took two years before she could get the surgery because of delays due to the backlog of cases for surgeons. Two days after the surgery before she could move they sent her home. It was ten months later before she could see a doctor for a followup visit and get scheduled for physical therapy because of the continued backlog of patients. She never gets to see the same doctor twice. My cousin’s stories about the treatment his sick daughter received are just as bad.
The socialized system over there sucks as bad as the one we have here.
I’m an American expat living in Taiwan–and the healthcare system here is absolutely beautiful, wonderful. It is a national system in which you pay either nothing or a small copay for a doctor’s visit and drugs (maybe $15 US)–and even for the most expensive emergency surgery the copay probably wouldn’t exceed $100 US. And, contrary to the conservatives who say that “socialized medicine” always results in huge wait times, in Taiwan you can always see a doctor of any specialty you want, for any problem, the same day that you get sick–and if surgery is needed, it can be schduled for a couple weeks later. Whereas in the supposedly speedy US you have either to schedule an initial visit 3 weeks in advance and then wait several months for the surgery. The quality of the medical care here is also top-notch, with expertly trained doctors and all the state-of-the-art equipment and drugs you would get in excellent US hospitals.
Definitely you get what you pay for, I lived in Mexico most of my life, health coverage is free but you will probably die unless you go to a private hospital (in case you got money).
I am fortunate enough to have been born in Denmark, where healthcare is all taken care of by the government. The system is not perfect, but it is efficient, modern and most importantly, free. All my encounters with hospitals have been good. My mother was unfortunate enough to become seriously ill during a short vacation in the USA, but was taken to what she was told whas one of the best hospitals, at YALE. She got excellent care but was sent home with an insane bill. Thankfully, it was paid by the danish state, phew! I’m looking forward to seeing Sicko, hoping it will lead to americans one day joining the rest of the developed world and getting a proper health care system. Best of luck!
This happened to a very close relative of mine while she and her husband were traveling in Poland several years ago.
They were on a train when she became violently ill–at the first stop she was taken off the train on a stretcher and then by ambulance to the nearest hospital where she was diagnosed with kidney stones and treated. She stayed in the hospital for a couple of days–said that she received excellent and compassionate care. On being released, the physician who was in charge of her care said he was sorry she had gotten sick on her vacation and he hoped she’d enjoy the rest of it.
Even though they were Americans, they were never charged.
I lived in Manitoba & Saskatchewan (in Canada) for two years as a minister. While there, I found Canadian health care very good for people with routine problems. These people were quickly able to visit a physician and get a treatment… all for free. However, One of my friends required an MRI and was told he’d have to wait 6 to 18 months to get one. Also an elder woman in my congregation had a knee replaced, but had many residual problems with it. Finally, another friend of mine had constant headaches and the doctors there weren’t able to diagnose it. In short, their health care is free and good for routine problems; however, if you have serious, but not life threatening, diseases you might have to deal with long waiting lists.
Let me start by saying I have been a huge fan of Michael Moore’s work.
As a dual citizen (US/Canadian) living in the US, (Florida) I can relate to both healthcare systems and their inherit pros/cons.
My parents used to winter here in FL and signed up for Humana to reduce their prescription costs. Little did they know they would be surrendering a large portion of their hospital coverage in the process. My father had a terrible stroke and was hospitalized. As 100 days neared I was contacted by Humana and told he would be discharged from thr hospital despite requiring constant hospitalization (tracheotomy). We were forced to mover him to a “nursing” home approved by Humana. Once there we were told they could not handle his respiratory needs and transferred him to a sister facility close to an hour away. As the magic 100 days of nursing home coverage neared we were again contacted and told he would either need to pay out of pocket or be released. My family flew back to Canada for one weekend, during that time I received a call indicationg he had suffered a heart attack (ironic) and had passed away. My mother never returned to the US despite owning a home here. As a senior she was terrified to surrender herself to the US Healthcare system.
As a result of this, I opened an outlet for Canadian medications to be sold to US seniors.(not mentioning name-not a plug). As a Canadian I knew the truth about Canadian medication (same). This industry came under tremendous pressure during the 04 election when W rewarded the Pharmaceutical industry with Medicare Part D by robbing US Seniors.
When I hear negative comments directed to socialized medicine I cringe. The lies told here in the US are ridulous. US citizens are expected to belive that socialzed medicine in Canada causes such long waits that people die waiting. This is a farce. My brother in law is a Canadian physician. Do you really think 30 million Canadians would not simply cross the border instead of expiring? Our border towns would be over run but its not happening-why? Because they have top shelf health care for FREE or close to it. They pay a little more in taxes, not near what our taxes plus health coverage totals.
Why are all the Pharmaceutical, insurance and health related companies publicly traded? They are hugely profitable thats why. Maybe we should forgo paying for our health insurance and invest in their stock, maybe then we can pay for our own well being.
I’m a Canadian and I’ve been chronically ill for the past ten years. In that time I’ve been treated by my family doctor, an arrhythmia specialist, cardiologist and even a brief stint with a psychiatrist. The cost to me has been absolutely nothing. I’ve never had any problems obtaining appointments and have never suffered any delays in treatment. I’d hate to see what my bill would’ve been had I been a U.S. citizen receiving that care in the U.S.! Our system isn’t perfect here, but atleast EVERYONE is treated equally.
I can see that I am fortunate enough to live in Denmark,
Our healthcare is not perfect, but almost.
At age 16(22 now) i got diagnosed with diabetes(type 1), but at local hospital they dont use that kind of insulin i use, so the government pays for doctors visit at denmarks only diabetes hospital.
I dont have to worry about the bill, it is payed for by my taxes
If a citizen in Denmark goes to another country inside europe and you get sick, you just have to bring social security card(every one in denmark has one) to the local hospital and the government will take care of the bill for you, and this also count for countries outside europe.
But we have to pay for this service, and that is like 50$ A YEAR for an travel insurance.
But unfortunately there has been cases where the bill was not refunded by the PRIVATE health care system, but there are obligated to do so in denmark.
As a nurse from the US I have done international medical relief trips. As the majority are either religious based or government funded my everyday experience caused me to question the ethics of these programs, and eventually for me to leave this type of humanitarian work. People would be started on a medication with zero follow up…good luck if your BP crashed or you had an allergic reaction. No birth control, no discussion of preventative methods, no suggesting divorce or leaving a spouse (even in the case of extreme physical, mental, or sexual abuse which is common in some developing areas). No programs for alcohol or drug addiction -just say no, and all of the religion base groups had an associated mission policy which often lead to a feeling by the patients that they must believe in this God, in this way, to get treatment. I didn’t last long, but still am greatly haunted to know that people need basic care, can’t get it from their governments, or a corrupt medical system based on bribes (as in Romania), and have to be subjected to questions of faith or getting biased/judgmental cure not holistic/meaningful care. thank you.
I spent about three years in Canada, in Manitoba, and dealt with their health care system. (My own involvement was marginal at best, really; it was my ex-wife who faced the lion’s share of our health problems.)
Here are a few facts about the Canadian system (in Manitoba):
1) It’s hard to find a general practitioner that is currently taking on new patients. There are few general practitioners willing to work for the system, and those that are willing generally have quite a full plate. My wife’s doctor was willing to take me on as a patient, but only because I’m a male and she had very few, if any, male patients.
2) Scheduling a surgery for anything but a life-threatening illness takes far too long. My ex-wife was experiencing a great deal of pain due to knee problems, and a surgery that could have been finished within two weeks in the US took place approximately six months after her diagnosis.
3) There are few surgeons willing to work for the system and, as with any system with a high quota but a low number of volunteers, low-quality, sometimes inept applicants are approved. After a six-month wait, the surgery was less than successful, to put it kindly. My ex-wife’s knee pain continued. She also began experiencing the same condition in her other knee; understandably, she was not thrilled by the thought of going through the same process again.
4) Emergency rooms in Canada are a joke, too. The same long waits and poor service that plague our hospital systems are present in Canada’s vaunted health care system.
The only difference between our system and their system is when you pay for your health care (before service in taxes or after in an invoice), and to whom the money goes. The answer to the problem, there as here, is simple: Don’t get sick.
I am English and due to poor health I had to take time off work- two years in fact. The health service here is not amazing- but it it is very good - and when you need it you get great people helping you out and it is free to everyone who needs it.
I spent 1 month in the Hospital for infectious and tropical diseases and was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune problem which is now being treated. BUT whilst I was off work I decided to visit my wealthy friends in America and I have to say I was gob-smacked!
I due to no income stayed with my poor friends at a poor man’s college campus. There were waves of people who had ailments that needed operations and I asked why they did not get it done - they said that they would wait till after college so that they could save up to pay for the operations as they could not afford health care !!!!!!
What shocked me most was a poor girl who collapsed by the side of the road and an ambulance had been called but her family were round her trying to revive her as they could not afford the ambulance ride!!! This I found to be quite offensive!
When I told them that in England they would have got it free - they were shocked and did not beleive me!
When I spoke to my rich friends they told me that it was more or less a lie - and that everyone gets health care in the USA and if you cannot afford it the state would pay - and they seemed to be in denial! What I did not like was their view that we had “socialised medicene” and tried to draw parrallels with Socialisim and communism - which just goes to show their ignorance! It seems that there is a myth in the USA which labels any global system as neo-communist!
The fact of the matter is - the Health care in the USA is probably good - and the reason is - is that they just treat the people that can afford it!
When the USA can spend enoough money on bullets guns and missiles - since the vietnam war an equivalent of £26 million dollars a day for every day since the birth of Christ - you have to wonder - infact you could be the healthiset nation on the planet! What would that do to your economy? How much wealthier would that make you?!! (George Bush are you listenning?!)
Micheal you do a great job with your movies - maybe some of my poor buddies will get good health care as a result of what you have done.
It’s just a shame that the extremists have to make you look like a villain as you have exposed them for what they are. After all they have been rumbled - what else can they do?!
We still have private healthcare here - so people have a choice - but your country is in need of a global system - for everyone - not so that just the rich can look after themselves!
You can still have a right wing government in Europe and a global healthcare system - and you do not have to be a communist - if you want private healthcare you can still have it!
Freedom of choice and a right to health welfare and education are a basic human right - it’s a shame that George Bush does not beleive that and is abusing human rights in your country!
I must add that when I was in the tropical and infectious hospital a man was brought in in the middle of the night - he was very ill with a high fever and was calling out for Jesus as he thought he was dieing. He had just got off a plane from Africa and was diagnosed with malaria. Within 3 days he was able to talk and he said that he had come to the UK for bible classes when he was taken ill. He could not beleive that he was in a hospital and that he had survived as in Africa he would to have to have bribed all the officials in the village to get him into hospital - otherwise he would have died. He called his friends on the phone and he cried out - I am in Hospital and I am alive and it is free - they saved my life -thank Jesus and he was grateful indeed.
I thought that the USA was light years ahead of Africa!
When I moved to Germany to study, part of the visa process involved providing evidence to the German gov’t that I had health insurance, which I did and so they let me in.
One night while I was there, I injured my wrist in a fall and went to the hospital. I didn’t have proof of insurance wuth me, so the hospital said they would bill me, so I can work it out with my insurance company later. After few x-rays, consultation with 2 doctors, a molded cast, a follow-up visit, and a temporary cast (total time = about 2 hours), my bill came out to be only $140. That was so negligible that my parents just paid it out-of-pocket. I was not only pleased with my service but also amazed that the bill was not several hundred dollars.
I compare this incident to when I went to the emergency room in Atlanta a few years ago due to an injured ankle. It took 4 hours for a nurse with an x-ray to tell me I was fine and send me home with an ice pack and some used crutches. No follow-up or pain medication. And it still cost me $100 for the emergency room service.
Denis Kucinich is the only Washington representative I’ve heard talk about the concept of a not-for-profit insurance agency.
Thanks so much for making this movie. As a Canadian with some American friends and family, I’ve always been shocked when I hear stories of people being charged for life-saving operations. Don’t get me wrong, our system has many flaws, the biggest being long wait times, but I still prefer it to a system where your personal income determines your health care options.
Also, in the summer of 2005, I went on a tour of Europe and while in Germany I came down with a stomach bug. My tour guide brought me to the emergency room of the hospital in the little town of Boppard, where I was seen almost immediately by a doctor who assessed me and gave me sample packs of an anti-nauseant. When I took out my traveler’s insurance papers and credit card, I was waved off and told to go home and rest. My cabin-mate, a girl from New Jersey, couldn’t believe it, and spent the whole next day pestering me with questions about the Canadian health care system in total disbelief that such a thing existed.
To be completely honest, every time that I or one of my family members has to be hospitalized, I think about how lucky we are to have socialized health care and how we all need to be willing to fight for it if our government tries to change it. I pray for all those Americans who go bankrupt trying to pay their medical bills and especially for those who ignore medical conditions on the grounds that they are unable to afford to have them treated.
My father is a doctor, and his entire life he has taken the patient before his money. He has treated patients who were denied nessecary care, and been denied payment by probably every insurance company in this country. Patients AND Doctors are getting screwed here.
He is also a French-American, and all of his children, myself included, are French citizens. Last year, I went on a road trip of eastern Europe with my brother, after a few days on the trip I started getting a sore throat and had problems swallowing. It was serious, so in Vienna I went to the University of Vienna Medical Center. First off, I was in and out with prescriptions, spending a majority of my time with a Doctor, and never being asked for any form of payment, in about 45 minutes. Second, we did finally recieve a bill about 2 months later for about $10 for a “processing fee”, they even made a special note of thanks to us foriegn citizens for trusting their health system. I dont think I could breath in the emergency room here in the states for less than $100 a hour.
Hi Michael,
I really like your work and I encourage you to continue. Here’s my opinion of Canadian ( Quebec ) health care. Although we seem privilegied by our “free system” here, let me tell you that it is far from paradise! If you could make a film about canadian “free system”, you’d probably have as much to say about it than what you’ve seen in U.S.A. Here, we have to wait months and sometimes a year of more to get an operation. While you’re waiting for the call of the hospital, you are on pain killer pills. I’m sure some people are dead before they get to see a surgeon. The day you are supposed to get your operation, it happens often that at the last minute, after a long day waiting your turn, they send you back home because they cancel…It can happen two, three times for the same person…imagine the stress and the pain.
For my personal experience, I was supposed to get an urgent operation that usually is done the same day, but I had to be hospitalised for 11 days, after a full night of wait in emergency room…, getting pain killer, drugs, not able to eat most of the time, getting injections after injections, and been victim of several errors. Finally, I got my first operation…no sorry, they cancelled me the first time. The second time, they tried to operate but failed because the doctor is not very experienced in that kind of surgeon. The third time, I had to be transfered by taxi in another hospital and waited a whole day in emergency room before getting the operation. But after that one, they had to transfer me again in my first hospital…in a truck! I was holding myself my solute bag otherwise it would bounce on the road to come back, no hook to hang it properly! I was still drugged from the last operation I had an hour or two before. When I came back to my first room at the first hospital, a doctor came to me to tell they were going to proceed for the fourth time to operate me because there was still something else to do before sending me back home to recover…They’ve operated around 9 at night and I had to stay another two days at hospital…for something that usually is considered as a one day operation and go back home.
I also met once a doctor who diagnosted me for depression while I was only having allergies…and another one told me I had a thyroid problem that needed medication but in fact, I was having the opposite and needed the opposite medication…it took me 4 visits to different doctors who all told me to take that pill but I wasn’t satisfied of their answers because I was having exactly the opposite symptoms that the first doctor told me about. Finally, I’ve met a specialist but I had to insist, so he listened and order more investigation and finally I was right all the way! If I had took that first medication I was supposed to take, It would have send me right through the hospital!
So these are only some exemples…if you thougth canadian system is better, think again…it has its defaults too…
I am French and live in France.
I will not comment more on the French health system which is good, efficient and cheap, especially in hospitals.
However, i must say we have problems here as well:
Prescriptions filled by doctors are often “too generous” in quantity.
The French litterally “eat” drugs.
I think Pharmacists and drug companies profit from the “sécurité sociale” at the expense of patients and the system. Hopefully, advertising for drugs is very strictly regulated. If not, we would “eat” even more pills.
Rare specialists like ophthalmologists in wealthy neigberhoods often charge “extra” (up to 60 euros for a consultation).
My experience of health care in Asian countries was also good, even in private clinics.
Being a westerner with a credit card certainly helps, and I never had serious helath problems abroad.
I know nothing about the north american system, so I’m looking forward to see michael’s movie.
I’ll try my hardest to be good and not go on and on about how incredibly sexy your mind, voice, and witt are..instead sticking to the topic at hand.
I’m a fortunate Canadian whose mom just underwent heart surgery. The time that had elasped from when we found out she needed the surgery, had it, recovered in the hospital, came home, took only a month. It was during this time that it struck me how immensely blessed we are to live where we do, to not have this added burden on our shoulders. We were worried for her life yet all I could think of was the people who were going through this same thing but who had the added worry of possibly having to sell their home/belonings.. things they have obtained throughout their life, just to keep their life. Even if they were to make it out alive, this “life” would be changed.
The US “has” the money to invade various countries… to speak of freedoms and rights that should be theirs, yet they don’t allot what they preach of to their own people. Health care is only one form of this hypocrisy obviously, but a huge one. It’s beyond me how other “less fortunate” countries have afforded their people this basic right, yet a country that brags of it’s riches denies it’s citizen of the most basic of needs. Gosh, it’s not even a want..it’s a NEED. People get sick, that’s reality.
It’s just deplorable that some people would opt not to have a life saving surgery because of the finacial component… or further still, how some insurance companies would with hold certain treatments, thereby causing death, in order to save money. Apparently there is a price on a person’s life and it varies depending on which insurance company you happen to be with, if any, at the time.
I really do thank you for having the courage to speak up against that which isn’t right (even if it requires going to ridiculous means in order to elicit a response). Thank you too for giving voice to others. All of your work has been empowering to watch. Keep up the great work, you’re an inspiration!
May 26th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Hi, Mike:
Like the Canadians (kinder, gentler Americans) I was not entirely enchanted by the Dutch system, even before it began to be commoditised. I still benefit from the ‘collective insurance’ of my former employer. In other words, even under the old system I was a privileged person, not dependent on the basic health insurance available to and required of those below a certain income level.
I had a very mixed experience when I got cancer of the spleen in 2004. In the first place, this was not recognised - despite my suggestion to the specialist that my symptoms might indicate something other than a kidney proble - until I turned up in an ambulance and in agony. In the second place, once an operation was prescribed, I was offered a compilation of information that looked like something that might have accompanied the T-Model Ford (I had to find something better, from the US, on the web). I was sent home, after the operation, with no information or advice. I had to work out for myself that I should refer to my family doctor, and how I should work the hospital system when I suffered post-operational problems (= agony). Being an (ex-)academic, if a foreigner, I eventually found the relevant hospital phone numbers, email, etc. A return trip to hospital found me in a cancer ward in which the staff were unwilling or unable to provide me pain-killers, and in which the toilet (rest room?) literally stank of cigarettes. Whilst taking advantage, once mobile, of the ground-floor public toilets, I made my protest vocal. Whilst sympathetic to lung-cancer victims who wanted their literal last cigarettes, I wanted at least a no smoking sign on the cancer ward’s toilet door.
Three years later, I am alive, reduced to six-monthly check-ups, and active in the global justice and solidarity movement. Thank you, God, for being in the Netherlands rather than the USA!
However, the point is that whilst there is a world of difference here between the USA and civilised countries, national(ised) health services are not the same as democratic, humane, effective health services. In the surviving welfare capitalist societies of Western Europe, there is still a class difference, and still a need for democratisation and organised community and patient action.
A kinder, gentler America is not and will not be good enough!
Peter Waterman
May 26th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
When I was much younger family we traveled to Singapore. Singapore is a tiny island close to Hong Kong (where we also went).
Somewhere along in Hong Kong I got food poisoned (yeah, maybe it’s not the best idea to eat EVERY thing offered to you — that’s another lesson).
Finally when we got to Singapore I went to a small clinic within the airport. I was given a full exam within a few minutes and two or three different prescriptions and medicines that those prescriptions were filled out for. This cost maybe 20 or 30 bucks. I can’t imagine how long this would take or how much money it would cost within the United States — and this was a foreign country being generous to someone who’s not even a foreign national of theirs.
America has some work to do — that’s for sure.
May 27th, 2007 at 10:01 am
In my home country of New Zealand, we have a pretty good health care system. If you have to go to a public hospital for treatment or to see a specialist, it is all free, with subsidized visits to your local gp (cheaper gp costs for those with large families or lower/fixed incomes). Private healthcare and insurance is pretty much for the wealthier people, and the care that you get is no different to what you recieve in the public health system. I know, because I nursed in both for over 30 years. The only difference for private is that you do not have long waiting lists, and you get charged for every single thing or pill you are given.
I am currently living in North Carolina. We do not have a health insurance for my daughter and I, my husband is a teacher in a small private school, which only covers him. In order for us all to be covered, it would cost just over $1000.00 per month! What a rip-off! That is way out of our financial reach. SO we go without.
I badly hurt my back 3 days ago, and I know I have some nerve involvement as I am getting sciatic pains down my right leg. However, I cannot seek medical assistance, as the cost of a doctor’s visit and probable x-rays, ct scans would bankrupt us. So I am self-treating with over the counter anti-inflammatories, analgesics and ice packs. Fortunately I have my 30 year nursing background to fall back on. Others here are not so fortunate, and I really feel for them.
The healthcare system here totally sucks! I believe it is the government’s responsibility to look after the health of it’s citizens.
I realise the New Zealand system has it’s flaws, as does every healthcare system in the world.. however, were I home I would have been able to visit a doctor for free for my injury, as it would have been covered by an Accident Compensation Commission. A program set up by the government especially to cover almost all the costs of any injury a person in NZ gets. If they are not totally covered, dependant on what you are having done IE: x-ray, then it is very heavily subsidised, where you would pay $25.00 at the most.
This country totally sucks in it’s care for the everyday American… and don’t even get me started on the Vets… Grrrrr.. or the Elderly..
Thanks for letting me rant Mike.
May 27th, 2007 at 10:17 am
I am an american, but after i finished my university I moved to the Czech Republic for a year. For some of my time there I lived in a small town called Cheb. While there I got sick, I was in the country on a work visa so I had paid my work visa fee and received a small card saying so. I went to the doctor, showed him my card he looked me over. They even got someone to come in and speak English to me (my Czech wasn’t very good). I was told to take some medicine so I went to the pharmacist, showed them my card, and I got my pills. No money. Nothing more than just saying I was legally there. I have since moved back to the states and I’m a freelance editor. I don’t have insurance and I’m terrified to get sick or hurt.
I did recently buy insurance but since I don’t have a corporation it cost almost $400 a month. I don’t know if I can keep it long. Luckily, I’m moving back to Europe.
May 27th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
As an American graduate student at McGill University in Montreal, I was covered by Canada’s health care system. My first year there, I came down with a serious condition (forgive me for not divulging it, I don’t want to compromise my ability to get health care in America).
I walked into the emergency room at Victoria Hospital and went to triage. In a moment’s notice, I was whisked away to the emergency room and treated by a doctor immediately. It was then determined that I needed further treatment. Three days and copious tests later (including a stint in the cardio-ward), I left the hospital treated. I offered to pay, but they laughed at me.
Now, I’m a Doctoral student in the United States; my only health care is a plan where I have to pay up front, where I have to visit the school clinic and not a hospital, and where every procedure must be pre-approved. And, I get to pay up to 100% if the condition is pre-existing.
My fellow graduates have an innovative health plan: get a credit card; if they ever get sick, they will max out the credit card and then declare bankruptcy. We only get paid $12,000 a year, so we can’t afford “normal” plans–and even if we did, the pre-existing condition clause would invalidate the care we do need. How can one be older than 30 and not have a medical history to contend with? I am shamed by my country and its approach to health-care. I dream of a day when every one of America’s citizens is treated freely with the expert care I received in Canada.
May 27th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
My mother, two years ago, was unfortunately diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was scheduled for her surgey within a week of discovery - in Toronto, Canada. Then came radiotherapy, and then chemo - all paid for by the Canadian government. Based on my research couple of years ago (as I was looking for options and wanted the best care for her possible), I found it would have cost me in excess of $150,000 USD if we happened to reside in the US and elected to do the surgery (alone) in the US. Never mind the after care.
Having said this, we don’t have a perfect system, it may take hours in the hospital emergecy sometimes to see a doctor (if determined by triage that your problems are not serious). FIFO gets thrown out the window, people who need the care most get attention immediately!
The US needs a Canadian equivalent of Tommy Douglas.
May 28th, 2007 at 4:00 am
I think we need a movie like this in Brazil to know where our politicians put the f*** money we pay as taxes, because they are not in the hospitals.
May 28th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I am a Canadian. While I know that our system is not perfect, I am very grateful for our system. I never have to worry if I can afford to see a doctor, I just simply make an appointment and go. Recently, both my grandmother and uncle were terminally ill (both have since passed). My uncle was in the hospital for three months, getting top care. My grandmother was in the hospital for about a month. She also was treated with the best of care. At the end we paid nothing. The dAY THEY DIED WE SIMPLY WALKED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL WITH NO CONCERN OR BILLS. Had we been not been living in Canada the cost of taking care of both family members would have wiped us out. With our system we were able to concentrate on taking care of our family members without worrying about money and our ability to pay for the treatement and pallitive care they deserved.
Medical care is a basic human right. I am glad that my country recognises this fact. I hope the Americans will some day gather the political courage to take back their health care system from corporations who always care more about the bottom line than the people they claim to serve. Also, I pray that all countries with modern, socialised health care systems (ie. Canada, UK, Austrialia, etc). realise the great gift that they have and that they continue to fight for its existence.
May 28th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Being a teacher, I receive excellent health coverage thanks to my strong union. However, I can’t say the same for health care as a whole, much less all of my friends’ health care systems.
Just after I finished graduate school, I decided that I would obtain a work visa from the UK. This was my first main experience with socialized medicine. I was blown away by the care given to me, even though I wasn’t a citizen of the UK. It was a very nice feeling knowing that I would be taken care of and not have to worry about “how good my insurance is.” After living abroad in a country with socialized medicine and seeing, first hand, what a wonderful society it is when medicine is a right, rather than a privilege, I became a believer in health care for all. This does not mean medicare for some, medicaid for others, and insurance for the ones with good jobs.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:55 am
Hi, Mike. Glad you’re doing this film. I am only 16, but hey, I have feelings, too.
You see, my friends and I used to sit on these large concrete steps. I was chasing one of my friends (silly, I know), but knocked my face down on one of the edges, splitting my lip. However, I thought that I hadn’t just split my lip, i thought I had broken a few teeth, and my parents were called, and met me at a local hospital. We waited THREE HOURS for help (did I mention we waited in the EMERGENCY WARD? THREE HOURS IN THE EMERGENCY WARD!!), and this help is help which we never got from the hospital. We then travelled to our family doctor’s and got it done within at most 20 minutes. I am appalled that a hospital would treat patients like that, especially patients which are waiting in the emergency ward. I’m also appalled that we are number 32 on the health list featured in the trailer (whether or not it’s true, I agree our health system is shithouse), and it’s not surprising that our health system would be that close to the US with someone like John Howard running this country into the ground head-first.
Thanks Michael Moore - you’re asking the questions everyone else it too afraid to ask.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:56 am
I forgot to mention that I just split my lip which got stitched within 20 minutes at our family doctors, with the large concrete steps and the incident happening at school during lunch, just to clear some stuff up.
Cal
May 29th, 2007 at 5:26 am
From Japan:
In honor of the movie that’s getting tremendous attention everywhere, I thought I’d share a personal experience of my own. I just got home from the most amazing experience, it’s called….. (drumroll)… SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!!! It was so exciting.
About 2 weeks ago I slammed my knee running for the train (late as usual). The concrete step crashed into the middle of my kneecap, and I could barely bend it for 2 days. Although it improved, I was worried cuz it was still hurting sometimes. I didn’t want it to heal weird, and start throbbing every time there was a rainstorm, or something like that. So I asked the lady at my foreign-students dormitory where I could get it checked out. She gave me a list of doctors in our neighborhood (about 15, all covering different specialties). We agreed I should go to the orthopedic surgeon; “no appointment is necessary, just show up” she said. I went at about 5 p.m. today on my bike.
Oh my goodness!!!!!! It was about the most divine customer-service experience of my LIFE! Dr. Maeda’s office was a little drab, but functional and clean. Not luxurious-looking like hospitals in the U.S., with lots of fake plants and plaques with donors names. Just wood-panel walls and old magazines. I gave a written description of my problem to ease the language barrier, and after filling out one short form (basically contact info only) and handing over my government health insurance card, I took a seat.
SIDENOTE: Did you catch that part? GOVERNMENT HEALTH INSURANCE CARD!!! It is a cute blue affair that comes with a free plastic cover. I got it the week I arrived in Japan. Fresh off the boat, new immigrant, terrible Japanese. Still, I qualified for inclusion and was so happy to finally be fully insured I hugged and kissed the dude in the City Office, jumping up and down and yelling as he sweated in his polyester shirt. It was the best experience of my first month in Japan. But I hadn’t had a chance to use the card until today…
So Dr. Maeda called for me from behind a door. Only wack thing about the office: the walls don’t touch the ceiling! So I guess they don’t care about patient privacy. Everyone can hear everything, so if you have something embarrassing I guess you write it down and slip the paper across the table, like a bank robber.
Anyways, I sat down and put my purse in the basket conveniently provided for this purpose. Dr. Maeda is a cheerful, tanned Japanese Santa Claus type. I wish I took a picture of him. He was laughing and practicing his English on me: “You run for train! Haha! Is dangerous! Don’t you listen to warning in station? Haha!” After a few minutes of poking and prodding my knee, he said “We do x-ray now.”
He took 2 x-rays and I waited another 5 minutes. Then he called me back into his office. “No break! Just contusion! Haha!! No jogging please!” He thoughtfully looked the word “contusion” up in his ancient dictionary while I was waiting. There was no interpreter but we got along ok with my so-so Japanese and his enthusiastic English.
He called the nurse to put a medicated stretchy patch thing over my whole knee, and cover it with a short white netting thing. Wrote a prescription for more of the disposable patches and sent me on my way with a laugh, saying in Japanese “If you were younger it would have healed faster! Haha, just kidding! Stop running for the train, ok? Haha!” I was glad to provide him with a source of hilarity for the afternoon, and stepped out of the office smiling. I sat back down on the bench to wait for the bill. I had been reassured “it won’t be too much!” but I had no idea what to expect.
Soon the secretary called me up. She returned my health insurance card, and gave me a new laminated one to use if I return to Dr. Maeda’s. Then the bill: $13.24 (JY 1,610). That’s it!! I’m on the “30% plan,” which means the government pays the other 70% of the office visit. That includes 2 x-rays, meeting with the doctor, and getting one patch applied. No appointment, no waiting, excellent service, an immediate diagnosis, everyone’s friendly. The whole affair took 30 minutes, out the door.
As for the prescription for the patches, those of us in from the medical hinterlands called the United States know that getting a prescription filled can be the most painful part of being sick. I remember as a kid waiting for hours in the Kaiser pharmacy, in a packed waiting room with screaming kids, dope fiends in rehab, people with rashes, and lots of coughing. As I started to leave Dr. Maeda’s, I was grateful I could put off filling the non-emergency prescription for the knee patches. But the secretary told me: “There’s a pharmacy just around the corner. Across from the 7-11. Take this there.” I hopped on my bike. “Feel better!” she waved as I pulled away.
At said pharmacy, I walked in and handed the paper to dude. He took it in the back. 4 minutes later, emerged with my stuff. Grand total? $2.80 (JY 340). 2 weeks of treatment, silver plastic bag, my receipt. I’m dumbfounded, but the pharmacist is looking at me like I stole something. “Uhh, do you need anything else?” “Uh, I guess not…” Nutrition posters and bottles of Shiseido shampoo lined the walls as I walk out.
Riding my bike home, I felt re-energized. Enthusiastic!! Healthy!! When did I last feel that way leaving the doctor’s office… Maybe it was the warm reception I received (despite being a grammar-mangling foreigner) or maybe it was the unknown drugs in the stretchy patch thing. Or maybe it was the fact that my life wasn’t interrupted by this minor injury, and society seems to agree that pro-active care for my knee is a pretty good idea. That’s calming. I pedalled down the hill to do some grocery shopping. I’m not worried about my knee, or any other part of my health, and can focus on my work and life.
May 29th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
I am a Canadian and I am so proud of our country’s medical system. For small pains… I can get a doctor to look at a boil on my bum. As for more serious emergencies, my friend just did 6 weeks in hospital with a broken pelvis and he has no medical bills…
Also, I lived in Japan and got quite sick and was treated to their wonderful system! Some major tests were all completely covered under the national health system.
Thant’s the ticket my American Brethren - Socialized Medicine !!!!
Sure, there are pros and cons to Socialized Medicine, but at least the people are healthy and out of bankruptcy!
But for some reason the U.S.A government prefers to spend its money on defending your American Freedoms in the Middle East…
Hmmmm
N1MM - thx
May 30th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
I’m spanish and got to say our health care rules.. yes you have to queue and wait… and the ER is full of old people waiting (but is there fault they go to the ER instead to the GP when they just have a cold) but our Social Security(health care in Spain) is great. 12 fractures on my right arm, broken left arm, a dislocated knee and appendicitis are the proof… And by they way, I didn’t have a car accident, I just play rugby
May 30th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
I’m 20 year old Belgian woman, and currently reside in the USA. I have a rare heart condition (I’d rather not specify which) since my birth. In my homecountry, my parents never paid for ANY operation, x-ray, scan, prescription drug. NEVER. They only had to pay 50% for my stays a the hospital (which is $10 per day). Now, as I grow older my condition is getting worse. My doctors in the US concluded that I needed heart surgery, and request I visit the hospital monthly for a standard check-up. These are doctors that have been treating me for 2 years now, while my doctors in Belgium have been treating since the day I was born. My American insurance makes my parents pay for close to everything because of the rarity of my condition. I do not know how much my parents pay monthly, and they wish to keep this so. Luckily for my parents, my brother, and I, we are wealthy thus are able to cover these bills without making compromises.
Back to my heart surgery. My Belgian doctors have checked up on my and told me that there was no need for surgery yet. It’ll just complicate my health conditon. My US doctors told my parents that I was going to DIE in a couple of month without the surgery. Complete BS. I found this so sad. Just recalling the agony my family went through when this news was brought upon us… UGHHHH….
I believe that the US health system is just in itself a violation on human rights.
May 31st, 2007 at 9:01 am
I’m an American who has lived in France for 25 years, and visit family and friends every year or so. When (inevitably), notes are compared concerning health care, ie. cost, quality, etc.., I’m shocked at how bad things have become in the U.S.. Here, I have approximately five percent of my salary withheld for health care coverage, which generally covers seventy percent of all medical costs, icluding medication. When you realise that simple doctor visits average about twenty five dollars, and medication is about ten times cheaper than in the U.S., you begin to get the picture. More importantly, the quality of care you get in France never ceases to amaze me; whether for trauma, (I’ve had more than my share, since I ski and manage to fall more often than I’d like!),or more general health concerns, the professionalism and human contact is top notch. And they still do house calls! Anecdote; I had a complicated thumb injury a few years back, (titanium screws and other hoopla stuff), was operated the same day, spent the night in the clinic being extrodinarily well taken care of, checked out, went home, and waited for the bill. You guessed it; Total to pay ZERO! (Actually, I had a couple of phone calls to pay…). The pain killers prescribed cost a whopping 8 dollars! Not only that, I’ve had two American orthopedic surgeons look at the job done on me, both of whom oohed and aahed the work, asking what specialist had done such a nifty job! Sure, just like in the U.S. demographics present big problems for future costs, but the essential difference is attitude; health care is considered part of the society’s obligation to its members in the name of solidarity, not a service in the market that one shops for to better “consume”.
May 31st, 2007 at 12:50 pm
well the uk system isn’t all its cracked up to be as mentioned in the brief trailer i’ve seen so far. the NHS has its problems, just like any organisation. not everything is free, for example it cost me £225 ($550) for a few injections last year to go travelling, but thats one of the exceptions.
far too many people complain about the limitations the NHS has to offer cancer drugs that come at extortionate prices that they complain people get in the USA. what they don’t mention is that in the US, you’d be paying for everything from the bed you sleep in to being taken to the toilet or washed or that cancer drugs only prevent and often unreliable.
fair play for raising this issue of health care, its about time the US took some of the 42% of its tax money from the military and started investing it in the people of the country!
May 31st, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I am a 32 year old Canadian. I am currently 7 months pregnant with our second child. I work and travel frequently in the United States. In fact, I found out I was pregnant while I was in the US, and booked my first prenatal appointment for the day I arrived home. I remember very well the palpable feeling of relief when I went through customs and was back home on Canadian soil.
I remember going to a spa in New York, and the woman telling me that she didnt have insurance through her work, and her little boy was a hemopheliac. I was horrified, and as a mother - near tears.
I went back to the office and told some of the staff about this poor woman. I was stunned to find out that the company I work for does not provide health insurance to its employees either.
While they struggle to pay high insurance premiums, I am recieving the very best health care available. My doctor is wonderful, the hospital I will deliver in is a world leader in labour analgesics. I have the option to be fully supported in a natural birthing experience if I so choose, including a water labour. My partner and I will bring our new daughter home, and we will only have to worry about sleepless nights and changing diapers. There will be no bills, no insurance forms, no claims to make and no worrying about our finances.
As much as I enjoyed the US, and the many wonderful people I have met there, I am now even more appreciative that I am Canadian. After my maternity leave (in Canada it is one year) I will not be returning to work in the US.
May 31st, 2007 at 5:13 pm
hey if u want a sh#ty social security come to Mexico and learn about our services…just a few days ago on mi hometown (Cd Juarez)a women die becouse the hospital refuese to attend her, so she wento to a bench outside the hospital and a couple of minutes later died
June 1st, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I went to college in the UK where there were a few American students in my dorm. One guy broke his leg (too much to drink) one Friday night (nothing out of
the ordinary for students in the US and UK).
It was quickly treated at a local hospital.
His parents were very concerned obviously but he called them and I overheard him say “Don’t worry, it really is free”. It was as if he and his parents could not believe the care was free. It was if they just could not grasp that fact.
June 1st, 2007 at 6:20 pm
As an American father living in Spain with my wife and 2 small children (1 and 3 y-old) I cannot but pity my fellow citizens back in the old regime. When I need a pediatrician’s appointment I call a toll free number, I provide my son or daughter’s health care card number (the one with the smart chip containing all their medical history) and I get a suggested appointment time (the dr’s schedule is online) in less than a minute flat. I take it and do all sorts of things: regular checkups, scheduled vaccinations, emergency visits. All within walking distance since each person has a center assigned to them based on where they live (closest one to you is yours).
Once I get there, I encounter a clean, well-equipped, flawlessly run facility that requires not a 30-minute sit down to write down all the stupid medical history questions that I have to answer over and over and over and over and over and over again in the states. , but just a swipe of the card right before we see the doctor. They call us in at the time we were scheduled to be called (this NEVER happens in the states) and our problem/issue is addressed.
Information Technology and knowledge sharing has made this system one of the most efficient processes I have ever encountered (I am a systems analyst and I do this for a living). I can only be ashamed when I have to receive treatment in the states and I am subjected to the most bloated, senseless, and possibly expensive health care system in the world. We put a man in the moon, how come these people are beating us at running a better hospital?
Forgot to mention it: it is all FREE. Well, not free, but paid with your tax dollars. And the medicines? I used to shell out $90/month for stress and sleeping aids. That was after the copay. The exact same medicines are costing me here $7/month, that is before the 2/3 government subsidy. Who’s getting ripped off here? Why aren’t all Americans up in arms about being nickled and dimed just because they can?
June 1st, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I’m a dual-citizen of both America and France. I wish people would stop slamming the French for being snobs when they at least would never leave a homeless person to freeze in the streets, and never expect a victim of a car accident, for example, to pay for her ermergency medical care (a friend of mine in Florida is in debt for the rest of her life and lost her job because she can barely walk - she was hit by someone with no insurance). Most doctors in France answer their own phones, perform their patients exams themselves (they don’t leave it to the nurse and simply talk to you for five seconds while reading your “chart”), and only get paid $30 per visit. They don’t go to med school for the money. They have an ethics charter (like French lawyers) which bans them from any type of advertising (even seen those ads with pictures of babies and the phrase “Does your child have trouble in school, ADD or ADHD? Maybe it was the fault of your OBGYN - call me and let’s see if we can sue him!”). Medicine is a service, not an industry. Do you know that presciption medicines are more expensive in the US than anywhere else on the planet? All the big pharma companies are prevented by foreign governments from charging outrageous prices - but not in the freedom-loving USA! I can’t wait to see sicko and I hope it wakes up America!
June 2nd, 2007 at 4:30 pm
My wife and I went to Peru about 3 years ago, she got sick up in the Andes, we rush her to the hopital at 4 o’clock in the morning , the dr. take care of her, give some medications,that we pick it up from the hospital pharmacy,I didn’t care how much the bill was going to be,since we didn’t have an insurance,and were traveling with American passaports,and Peru is one of the poorest country in the Americas.
Well, the bill was O, nothing, nada.
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:42 am
Currently the Canadian Medicare system covers all medical bills by 100% (yes that is 100, not ten). Anyhow I would have to rate the Canadian system of health care pretty good.
The only problem I see in the health care system in Canada is that it does not cover prescription drugs, dentistry and optometry. Although admittingly things are improving.
Currently Ontario (a Canadian Province) is pushing the Canadian government to include dentistry in the Medicare plan. Also, even though the persciption drugs are not free, they are extremely cheap (I think their subsidized although I’m not sure). Hence, The Simpsons dedicating an episode of how cheap most of the drugs in Canada are.
June 3rd, 2007 at 2:42 am
Dear Mike,
I am writing to you about health care in Finland.
I must say that I have very little to complain about in the Finnish system. My normal experience goes like this:
1) I make my appointment by phone call
2) I go see my Doctor at his office
NOTE: I could go to the local health clinic as well
3) My Doctor treats me.
3a) My Doctor has a computer in his office and simply types in and prints out my perscription
4) I pay the bill at the cashier.
NOTE: The cost is 35 Euros for a 20 minute visit
5) I go to the pharmacy and but my medicine for the next three months
6) That’s all folks!!
I think anyone would find it hard to find anything wrong with that. One time I did go to the hospital. I waited a little over one hour to see a Doctor. The cost was 15 Euros. I must say that if i needed knee surgery I would have two choices: 1) go the normal route and wait to have my surgery or 2) go to the Private Doctor and set up a date for surgery and (of course) paying a lot more money.
Finland can have Single Payer Health Care because there is 1) Progressive Taxation and 2) 22.5% Value Added Tax
ADVANTAGE FINLAND!
I hope “SiCKO” will be available for purchase on iTunes ASAP!
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:28 am
Hello:
I am a Canadian who has been blessed with good health care all my life. Each province requires its citizens to sign up for health coverage, and if you earn below a certain amount, basic services (doctor visits, recovery in hospital, operations, etc) are paid for. We have to pay for glasses, pills, dental and some other services if we don’t have added employee benefits, but even then you can apply for additional coverage through the province. Although the system is not perfect (long waits for certain things, overworked doctors and nurses) most of the time it is something that can be dealt with, without destroying the family budget. I feel extremely blessed to live in a country that cares enough to make sure there is health care for everyone. And I object to the statement that Canadians are just kinder, gentler Americans. We are a seperate culture with a seperate but linked history, and we are as complex as Americans.
Thanks for listening
Susan
June 3rd, 2007 at 4:20 am
I get my prescription drugs cheap in Honduras. The drugs come from the USA - to bad I can’t afford them in the USA. I will get basic health care free or cheap in Honduras. I am conservative, but I believe basic universal health care needs to be installed. Of course most Americans will complain that the health care isn’t perfect. It doesn’t have to be perfect - just be something to take care of us for basic needs like broken arms, pregnancy, gunshot wounds, etc.
If we have an universal health care system I think patients should have the power to influence health policy -like get rid of incompetent doctors, etc but not the ability to sue for millions of $$. If a person is awarded millions for malpractice those millions of dollars are being taken away from the health care budget. It’s alright to sue private hospitals since suing holds them responsible, but not the government universal health care system. Liberals don’t believe in compromise so they would never go for that. Liberals wants perfect health care (the kind Senators get) free for everybody and want to sue for millions of $$ if anything goes wrong. Let’s just get basic universal health care and work from there.
June 3rd, 2007 at 1:04 pm
I visited Peru with my wife in 2004, and within the first week I came down with a bad stomach illness that left me severely dehydrated to the point where I was passing out. We checked into a nice hospital in Lima, the capitol city, and I stayed there for 2 nights while I recovered. I had an IV, medication, and many tests run.
The total bill for my uninsured time in the hospital? $340! It was a very nice, modern hospital too!
The debate on healthcare costs in the US too often centers on how government, individuals, and employers should split the bill. Meanwhile, the media debate NEVER goes to the fact that our healthcare is so much more costly than other countries’, while we consistently have worse health outcomes. It’s time that we take a look at why it is so expensive. Once we bring the costs down, then we can argue over who should pay for it.
June 3rd, 2007 at 2:16 pm
A native Californian, I traveled to Italy in 2003, when the SARS scare was running full steam, not to mention the beginning of our “involvement” in Iraq. While, in Rome, I had to visit the emergency room for what turned out to be the flu. The entire visit took no more than 45 minutes. There were no forms to fill out, no red tape. I was seen promptly by a doctor and given a complete examination, including chest x-rays.The total cost for this efficient, thorough, and rather pleasant experience- $0. The relief knowing I didn’t have SARS- priceless. When it came time to get the medications the doctor suggested, I was a little taken aback by the price of throat lozenges, but was happy to pay because eveything else had gone so smoothly.
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I have a friend in Canada who was very sick and couldn’t work. The doctors couldn’t diagnose him but, through his own research, learned of a condition called POTS. The only way to confirm this condition is through a test using a “tilt table”. Well, the wait in his home province of Alberta was 18 months. Rather than wait for a year and a half, he came to have the test performed in the US within a couple of weeks. Of course, he had to pay for this out of his own pocket, but it was worth it to him.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:02 am
I’ve lived in Canada and Saudi Arabia as a boy. Candian health care was wonderful. I hurt my knee when I was twelve, and had some internal bleeding, just walkd into a clinic in Ontario they fixed it up very quickly and professionally. Only had to see one doc.
I am sure that if a similar thing happened back home I am sure I would’ve had to see my PCP get a refferal to see a specialist before getting treatment.
In Saudi Arabia, health care is different, again I was younger then I don’t recall seeing doctors but I do remember they used their pharmacists to keep simple medical cases away from doctors. If you had a simple ailment requiring prescription strength medicine you went to the pharmacist and they gave you medicine.
To get these medicines in the USA you’d have to schedule a Dr. Appt and have them diagnose you.
There the pharmacist would listen to your ailments and dispense medicine, keeping simple problems away from doctors so they could focus on more serious problems.
I liked this better because if I had a simple problem like athlete’s foot or something and the OTC medicine did not work, you could just get the pharmacist to dispense the stronger meds and not waste my time or a doctor’s time getting a diagnosis for simple ailments.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:59 am
As a Canadian having lived in India and having seen the ravages of private healthcare, I can say that what I have learned is that ethical and humane healthcare do not follow the same principles as the market economy. There is NO ROOM for supply and demand where people’s health and lives are at stake.
June 4th, 2007 at 8:56 am
I work in a pharmacy and am disgusted with so-called prescription coverage. Everyday I see people who have to pay outrageous prices for medications they can’t live without. For example, a man who had an organ transplant needed a certain anti-rejection medication. His insurance would not cover it. His doctor and our pharmacy went back and forth with the insurance company to try and get it approved. Finally after almost a week waiting he had to pay OUT OF POCKET almost $4000!! Thats what makes me sick. And worse yet, it happens everyday.
June 4th, 2007 at 10:30 am
I have been staying in Bombay , India for past 3 months for business purposes and once I felt really sick and went to a local clinic without any appointment, since it was a emergency.
The other patients (who were in long before me) let me in seeing my condition and it turned out that I had diabetes.
The doctor suggested me a complete physical and gave me a prescription and charged me $2!!
I went for the complete physical at his recommended hospital and they charged me just $25 for a 5 hours effort which involved some of the best equipments I have ever seen!!
The prescription drugs cost me another $6 for a month’s dosage!!
Total expense: just about $35
No overheads..no extensive paperwork..correct diagnosis and a extremely efficient medical system.
Even in a “developing” nation like India ,an average poor person can still walk in a clinic and get possibly the best treatment for his money’s worth and walk out satisfied.
They even have something called local municipal hospitals run by state governments which give free treatment and drugs.
No wonder India is turning out a hub for “Medical Vacations”
June 4th, 2007 at 10:42 am
I have one comment to add to Alain Brouillaud’s message about Finnish healthcare system: if you’re very poor you DON’T even have to pay the 35 Euro free for the 20 minute visit.
June 4th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Hi,
Healthcare in Belgium is fairly easy to describe: excellent!
Depending on your income etc.. you pay your Health Service on a monthly or yearly base (for me that’s about 100€/year); and the service you get covers almost all health-care expenses that you can imagine.
When you visit the doctor, you pay he’s fee (typically about 20€), When you go to the pharmasist you get the medication with reduced prices (because of our ‘SIS’ chip card that’s read at every visit), and all expenses you make you send back to your Health service, who will, within 3 weeks, pay you back up to 100% of the costs you make…)
Having lived in Belgium for 29 years (well, my whole life…) I havn’t really experienced another type of healthcare, and reading about this movie, I’m expecting to see some strange things about the American system… Very curious!
June 4th, 2007 at 11:47 am
I am an Austrian citizen who lived in the US for about 9 years before returning to Vienna. Although I was lucky enough to be able to afford excellent medical care while I was in the US I was shocked at the fees which hospitals and doctors charge. Anywhere between 90 and 300 dollars for a 10 minute consultation!!! I had a private insurance which covered 80% but I still had to come up with the cash for whatever treatment, consultations, x-rays etc…and then wait for the reimbusement. I paid almost 250 dollars a month for this insurance which is a lot on a student budget.
In Austria, about 5% of one’s monthly income is deducted for medical insurance. That comes out to about 140 Euros a month. Insurance for couples is even cheaper, around 200 Euros for a married couple.
If you want to take the option of paying around 35 or so Euros more, you can have more benefits which include alternative medicine (shiatsu, homeopathy, acupuncture.) You just need to present your insurance card for consultations, xrays, mammograms, lab tests, etc…. No bills to be paid. Prescriptions cost 4,20 Euros. I opted to pay the extra 35 Euros a month and get my prescriptions for free. It so much more civilized.
June 4th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
I was in Paris France 2 years ago, when I had some internal bleeding due to a GI disorder. In went to a Public Hospital ER, and was treated in just a few mins. I had several test done and some scope GI surgery (that day). Next day I was out of the hospital (with meds) feeling fine. What is wrong with America???
June 6th, 2007 at 1:06 am
The British National Health System (NHS) is pretty darn good. Result of Socialist government that no-one got rid of. The thing is, it works for everyone. If you get hurt, you get treated. Little fuss. It may take awhile, but the baseline is pretty good. You pay only to speed up the process. It’s not slow to begin with but there are people who need speed. Better than America where it’s the “pay up or your screwed” model. The NHS is there. No question.
June 6th, 2007 at 1:14 am
I am so excited that I can’t even wait to see the movie until it comes out. But, I already know whats the movie about. I am from Bangladesh ( south Asia ). To be honest, the cost of medical support here in US simply ridiculous. and even the people here can’t afford it.
But, if you look at the Asian Developing countries like India and Bangladesh, the cost of medical treatment is affordable. For example, a minor operation in your eye, it could be no more than 130$-150$ in these countries. And, in US you can guess! Although, there is still shortage of higher medical equipments and Doctors. But, The US has the most powerful equipments and technology to serve this nation, but the cost are always high for some reason. America will be fine within a couple of years and I keep my beliefs on this country.
And whatever the story is… ” This Might hurt some people ”
hehehe
June 6th, 2007 at 2:11 am
I was born and raised in America but am also a Swedish citizen. I went to boarding school there for two years. It was wonderful because not only was I given an allowance by the government for studying every month but my dentist and doctor visits were completely free. However there are pros and cons to the swedish system. My 80-year old grandfather recently had some dental work done where the dentist ruined a part of his front teeth. He is now forced to wear dentures and there are not ways to compensate for the mistake. This is a special case though. Overall it is better to have basic decent health care for all than to have corporations deciding how to handle a nation’s health.
June 6th, 2007 at 3:24 am
Hi Michael, here’s Michele
I’m writing from Italy, and i’m waiting to see your last movie to compare our realty to yours.
But i really can say, i doubt health care in Usa can be worse than the south italy’s one.
Here, you go to the emergency for a heart attack, and you die in the waiting room, because they don’t have enough staff or beds, and we have thousands of italian doctors which go abroad to find a job.
What a Shame!
Here’s not convenient to feel any bad.
Ciao
June 6th, 2007 at 3:28 am
Born and raised in Chicago, I moved with my wife and kids to New Zealand when I was 32. Some companies I’ve worked for here gave me comprehensive health insurance, but I’ve never had any health insurance that I paid for. That’s why it’s so confusing to hear everyone in The States talking about universal “coverage” instead of simply free health care. Why do insurance companies have to be in the equation at all (except as “extra” coverage for elective procedures). Doesn’t it make sense to REDUCE health costs - even if that means a few insurance companies go under?
June 6th, 2007 at 3:44 am
I currently live is Spain with my wife and child. After I came back from vacacion in Costa Rica this january and came down with a rare infection, I had to be in the Hospital for a month and it cost me absolutely nothing, I am an american citizen, that did not matter. Had I gone back to the US and gotten sick I would be ruined.
June 6th, 2007 at 5:56 am
I am an American. I have lived in Australia for more than thirty years. We have an pretty good system in Australia. It’s a hell of a lot better than the American Medical System. I am horrified everytime I return to the US at how American politicians are bought out by the AMA and Insurance Companies. You seriously need to do someting about your lobbiest and that system. It’s outrageous that it takes so much money to run for public office, that when your politicians are elected they are already owned by big business. When I visit and explain the Australian system, some dunce usually says something like “yeah…well that’s socialism.” I say, “so what? So’s the army!” Wake up, it’s the middle class in America who are hurting most under this sytem. Stop believing the rhetoric of conservatives and the mega-medical business lobby and demand representation. The Insurance companies are vultures feeding off your misery… Look at the hysteria they whipped up when the Clinton Administration tried to do someting years ago.
June 6th, 2007 at 6:50 am
I live in France and one thing that the health care system provides here is the ability to go to the doctor for an absolutely minimal cost (an office visit costs about $26 USD). Also, there is always a doctor on call in your neighborhood - this is posted in the newspaper and posted on all pharmacie doors in your neighborhood. There is also a number to call and you can get a call back from a doctor if you are at home sick on the weekend for example and can’t get to a doctor. Specialists cost about $70 an office visit. The problem is that the state (govt) determines which procedures are covered by the social health care system. I do have at least one friend who had colon cancer here and she said her care was outstanding… I would say in general the level of care equals that of the US - but the cost is far less and the availability orders of magnitude better than the US. The drawback here is that doctors are starting to complain about only getting 20 euros an hour whereas specialists get 60 euros an hour reimbursement by the state. Another issue that I think is becoming more and more common is that in hospitals - doctors cannot get permanent positions so they work year after year on contract - eventually they get sick of it and the good ones are being forced to move on - to where I’m not sure. I’ve just heard this about the big hospitals around Paris and that the quality of care is beginning to suffer because of it. Finally, I have one gripe and that is the Americans (of which I am one) and Brits who come to France to get care. They are rich and resourceful and they see that the French system is very good but at a fraction of the cost, so they come here (france) to get treated - because for example in the British health care service you can wait 2 years to get an MRI on your knee if you need knee surgery…. I have to admit it sorts of sticks in my throat that these folks come to france to get care … I worry about abuses will eventually overwhelm the system.
June 6th, 2007 at 7:29 am
Of course the U.S. System needs to be changed. BUT:
1. Medical technology in the U.S., in terms of quality, is still number 1.
2. Europe follows the United States in terms of ground-breaking treatments (which is why the TB guy, Andrew Speaker risked his life to fly back to that hospital in Colorado).
3. National heathcare systems in the UK, Scandinavia, and other European countries can (and often do) deny service, or make people wait for a long time - based on ad-hoc decisions of administrators.
4. Most of these countries support tax systems which would never work in the United States. Scandinavians pay between 40-70% taxes. Brits pay MUCH.
5. There are other options to NHS systems (which overall aren’t the best option). Mandatory private health insurance (required by law) is a good thing to look at. Mandatory minimal private coverage is also a good thing. That’s what Switzerland uses, and they are one of the best systems in Europe. (But even there, insurance prices have gone up 5 times in the past 10 years, and doctors complain about their lower salaries).
6. So the entire system requires examination. It isn’t just as simple as installing a NHS in America.
7. America needs universal coverage - OF COURSE. The question is how to implement it - in a way that doesn’t compromise our world-class technology, and that makes it possible for more people to afford it.
Just a note:
Cuba does indeed have good medical technology, and coverage, as the movie clip suggests - but what the movie doesn’t explain is that Cuba’s entire government funding structure has declined massively since the fall of the Soviet block - which used to prop up Cuba with financial inputs. They made a great emphasis on healthcare, which was a good example, but their entire system is struggling right now. Those guys in the movie probably got special treatment, to make a good example.
So Cuba makes a great example of how a tiny country can emphasize heathcare. They don’t make a great example of, free speech, among other things. But anyways, once Castro dies, the U.S. and Cuba will make amends. It is silly to hang onto that old grudge. Its an old Cold War relic. Like Mr. Fidel himself.
June 6th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Comming from Australia, we do pay higher rates of tax, however we have a public health care system (Medicare) which is not perfect by any means, but does NOT exclude the poor or charge the gross amounts of money that the U.S Health system does.
We also have private health care for the wealthy in Australia.
The people of American are some of the most warm, inteligent, courageous and thoughtful people I have ever met, and Michael Moore is one of them.
June 6th, 2007 at 9:09 am
I am an American who has been living in Rome, Italy for two years. Before moving here, as a healthy 34 year old female, I spent approximately $400 per month on Health Insurance. For $400 smackers a month I thought that policy should come scrub my toilets and tubs once a week! At that time, I knew that I was one of the luckier people as millions go without the safety net of insurance. I also knew that the current state of our healthcare system was in crisis.
One of the things I was looking forward to in Rome (in adiditon to my fiancee Marco, the food and the wine), was socialized medicine. When I became pregnant last fall, I wanted to pay for a fancy private clinic as part of my American mentality kept thinking, “You get what you pay for.” Marco insisted that I use the public system as he explained that if there were any complications with the baby or me, the best place would be in the public hospitals.
I trusted him, but still lacked complete trust in the system. And nine months later I can honestly say I was WRONG.
On April 29, I gave birth to my son prematurely via emergency cesarean section. Unbeknownst to me and my doctor, I had undiagnosed preeclampsia which was assymptomatic. This condition causes the mother’s blood pressure to soar, while cutting off that of the fetus. It can be fatal to both mother and child especially when gone undiagnosed (I had been through every test known to modern medicine and this condition never showed up).
During a check up on April 27, the doctor noted that my blood pressure was high. Thenext morning, the hospital began to monitor me… the fetal monitor showed no signs of distress. Not thinking it could be eclampsia, I wanted to go home. But when my blood pressure continued to rise, I was admitted. After 12 hours I woke with a headache and saw a nurse checking the fetal monitor. The average fetal heart rate is 125 BPM. My son’s was 57. Then I began to seize and lost my vision. We were both in grave danger.
Within minutes, I was in the operating room and they were delivering the baby.
Delivery is the only cure for eclampsia.
My son was immediately whisked off to the neo-natal unit, He stayed in the neonatal ICU for 17 days. He was given top notch care by excellent doctors and nurses who utilized state of the art technology.
AND I NEVER SAW A BILL!
There was no 80-20 split, no co-pay, no pre-approved nonsense.
Not only was his care excellent, but the hospital also supplied other services for parents with children in recovery. There were psychologists on hand, a room for the mothers to relax (or pump milk) in, and hot and nutritious meals were provided for pennies.
A sick child is like a great equalizer; it can happen to anyone- rich or poor. In the US, wealthier people can get excellent care because they can pay for it. But working class or lower income families do not get the same treatment. This is disgusting. Not only was I thankful for the care that we were receiving, but I was also happy to see that EVERY family in the neonatal unit received the same standard of excellence no matter what their income.
In the US, it is our right to be provided with an attorney if we break the law and cannot afford one. But what about a doctor? Shouldn’t health care be looked upon with more precedence than say petty theft or B&E? The system is broken and must be fixed.
Today me and my son are alive and healthy because of a system that works AND we don’t have to take out a second mortgage on our apartment!
P.S. well informed Italians ADORE Michael Moore and will be looking forward to this new film. And so will I! Thanks for causing people to think AGAIN. Keep it up.
June 6th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
I am Canadian. I think that pretty much says it all.
No, we don’t have the fastest service. Its not McDonalds. Like a good restaurant, you have to wait for your food.
Hey! its free! and I would not want it any other way.
June 6th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Mike,
I got into a really bad car accident in mexico city. I was unconscious, they took me to the hospital, i woke up the next day. three days later i was out of the hospital. i had cracked ribs, brain swelling, the works. i had the best care i have ever had in a hospital and I didn’t even speak thier language.
ambulance ride, 24 hour doctor supervision for three days, meds all came to $240 - less than one month’s insurance premiums here.
oh, and the main doctor checked on me everyday for a week after i was out.
June 6th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
France: You’re sick, you call for a doctor, within an hour a competent doctor is at your door, the bill is $50, prescriptions a fraction of the U.S. price.
U.S.: Makes you sick just thinking about it.
June 6th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
My 80 year old aunt in Sweden had to have a hip replacement. It took two years before she could get the surgery because of delays due to the backlog of cases for surgeons. Two days after the surgery before she could move they sent her home. It was ten months later before she could see a doctor for a followup visit and get scheduled for physical therapy because of the continued backlog of patients. She never gets to see the same doctor twice. My cousin’s stories about the treatment his sick daughter received are just as bad.
The socialized system over there sucks as bad as the one we have here.
June 6th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
I’m an American expat living in Taiwan–and the healthcare system here is absolutely beautiful, wonderful. It is a national system in which you pay either nothing or a small copay for a doctor’s visit and drugs (maybe $15 US)–and even for the most expensive emergency surgery the copay probably wouldn’t exceed $100 US. And, contrary to the conservatives who say that “socialized medicine” always results in huge wait times, in Taiwan you can always see a doctor of any specialty you want, for any problem, the same day that you get sick–and if surgery is needed, it can be schduled for a couple weeks later. Whereas in the supposedly speedy US you have either to schedule an initial visit 3 weeks in advance and then wait several months for the surgery. The quality of the medical care here is also top-notch, with expertly trained doctors and all the state-of-the-art equipment and drugs you would get in excellent US hospitals.
June 6th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Definitely you get what you pay for, I lived in Mexico most of my life, health coverage is free but you will probably die unless you go to a private hospital (in case you got money).
June 7th, 2007 at 11:09 am
I am fortunate enough to have been born in Denmark, where healthcare is all taken care of by the government. The system is not perfect, but it is efficient, modern and most importantly, free. All my encounters with hospitals have been good. My mother was unfortunate enough to become seriously ill during a short vacation in the USA, but was taken to what she was told whas one of the best hospitals, at YALE. She got excellent care but was sent home with an insane bill. Thankfully, it was paid by the danish state, phew! I’m looking forward to seeing Sicko, hoping it will lead to americans one day joining the rest of the developed world and getting a proper health care system. Best of luck!
June 7th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
This happened to a very close relative of mine while she and her husband were traveling in Poland several years ago.
They were on a train when she became violently ill–at the first stop she was taken off the train on a stretcher and then by ambulance to the nearest hospital where she was diagnosed with kidney stones and treated. She stayed in the hospital for a couple of days–said that she received excellent and compassionate care. On being released, the physician who was in charge of her care said he was sorry she had gotten sick on her vacation and he hoped she’d enjoy the rest of it.
Even though they were Americans, they were never charged.
June 7th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
I lived in Manitoba & Saskatchewan (in Canada) for two years as a minister. While there, I found Canadian health care very good for people with routine problems. These people were quickly able to visit a physician and get a treatment… all for free. However, One of my friends required an MRI and was told he’d have to wait 6 to 18 months to get one. Also an elder woman in my congregation had a knee replaced, but had many residual problems with it. Finally, another friend of mine had constant headaches and the doctors there weren’t able to diagnose it. In short, their health care is free and good for routine problems; however, if you have serious, but not life threatening, diseases you might have to deal with long waiting lists.
June 8th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Let me start by saying I have been a huge fan of Michael Moore’s work.
As a dual citizen (US/Canadian) living in the US, (Florida) I can relate to both healthcare systems and their inherit pros/cons.
My parents used to winter here in FL and signed up for Humana to reduce their prescription costs. Little did they know they would be surrendering a large portion of their hospital coverage in the process. My father had a terrible stroke and was hospitalized. As 100 days neared I was contacted by Humana and told he would be discharged from thr hospital despite requiring constant hospitalization (tracheotomy). We were forced to mover him to a “nursing” home approved by Humana. Once there we were told they could not handle his respiratory needs and transferred him to a sister facility close to an hour away. As the magic 100 days of nursing home coverage neared we were again contacted and told he would either need to pay out of pocket or be released. My family flew back to Canada for one weekend, during that time I received a call indicationg he had suffered a heart attack (ironic) and had passed away. My mother never returned to the US despite owning a home here. As a senior she was terrified to surrender herself to the US Healthcare system.
As a result of this, I opened an outlet for Canadian medications to be sold to US seniors.(not mentioning name-not a plug). As a Canadian I knew the truth about Canadian medication (same). This industry came under tremendous pressure during the 04 election when W rewarded the Pharmaceutical industry with Medicare Part D by robbing US Seniors.
When I hear negative comments directed to socialized medicine I cringe. The lies told here in the US are ridulous. US citizens are expected to belive that socialzed medicine in Canada causes such long waits that people die waiting. This is a farce. My brother in law is a Canadian physician. Do you really think 30 million Canadians would not simply cross the border instead of expiring? Our border towns would be over run but its not happening-why? Because they have top shelf health care for FREE or close to it. They pay a little more in taxes, not near what our taxes plus health coverage totals.
Why are all the Pharmaceutical, insurance and health related companies publicly traded? They are hugely profitable thats why. Maybe we should forgo paying for our health insurance and invest in their stock, maybe then we can pay for our own well being.
June 9th, 2007 at 1:43 am
I’m a Canadian and I’ve been chronically ill for the past ten years. In that time I’ve been treated by my family doctor, an arrhythmia specialist, cardiologist and even a brief stint with a psychiatrist. The cost to me has been absolutely nothing. I’ve never had any problems obtaining appointments and have never suffered any delays in treatment. I’d hate to see what my bill would’ve been had I been a U.S. citizen receiving that care in the U.S.! Our system isn’t perfect here, but atleast EVERYONE is treated equally.
June 9th, 2007 at 6:47 am
I can see that I am fortunate enough to live in Denmark,
Our healthcare is not perfect, but almost.
At age 16(22 now) i got diagnosed with diabetes(type 1), but at local hospital they dont use that kind of insulin i use, so the government pays for doctors visit at denmarks only diabetes hospital.
I dont have to worry about the bill, it is payed for by my taxes
If a citizen in Denmark goes to another country inside europe and you get sick, you just have to bring social security card(every one in denmark has one) to the local hospital and the government will take care of the bill for you, and this also count for countries outside europe.
But we have to pay for this service, and that is like 50$ A YEAR for an travel insurance.
But unfortunately there has been cases where the bill was not refunded by the PRIVATE health care system, but there are obligated to do so in denmark.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:08 am
As a nurse from the US I have done international medical relief trips. As the majority are either religious based or government funded my everyday experience caused me to question the ethics of these programs, and eventually for me to leave this type of humanitarian work. People would be started on a medication with zero follow up…good luck if your BP crashed or you had an allergic reaction. No birth control, no discussion of preventative methods, no suggesting divorce or leaving a spouse (even in the case of extreme physical, mental, or sexual abuse which is common in some developing areas). No programs for alcohol or drug addiction -just say no, and all of the religion base groups had an associated mission policy which often lead to a feeling by the patients that they must believe in this God, in this way, to get treatment. I didn’t last long, but still am greatly haunted to know that people need basic care, can’t get it from their governments, or a corrupt medical system based on bribes (as in Romania), and have to be subjected to questions of faith or getting biased/judgmental cure not holistic/meaningful care. thank you.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
http://aramax.wordpress.com/2007/02/24/political-rant-part-1-cash-cows-smackdown/
June 9th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
I spent about three years in Canada, in Manitoba, and dealt with their health care system. (My own involvement was marginal at best, really; it was my ex-wife who faced the lion’s share of our health problems.)
Here are a few facts about the Canadian system (in Manitoba):
1) It’s hard to find a general practitioner that is currently taking on new patients. There are few general practitioners willing to work for the system, and those that are willing generally have quite a full plate. My wife’s doctor was willing to take me on as a patient, but only because I’m a male and she had very few, if any, male patients.
2) Scheduling a surgery for anything but a life-threatening illness takes far too long. My ex-wife was experiencing a great deal of pain due to knee problems, and a surgery that could have been finished within two weeks in the US took place approximately six months after her diagnosis.
3) There are few surgeons willing to work for the system and, as with any system with a high quota but a low number of volunteers, low-quality, sometimes inept applicants are approved. After a six-month wait, the surgery was less than successful, to put it kindly. My ex-wife’s knee pain continued. She also began experiencing the same condition in her other knee; understandably, she was not thrilled by the thought of going through the same process again.
4) Emergency rooms in Canada are a joke, too. The same long waits and poor service that plague our hospital systems are present in Canada’s vaunted health care system.
The only difference between our system and their system is when you pay for your health care (before service in taxes or after in an invoice), and to whom the money goes. The answer to the problem, there as here, is simple: Don’t get sick.
June 10th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Comparisons with UK and USA from a Brit!
I am English and due to poor health I had to take time off work- two years in fact. The health service here is not amazing- but it it is very good - and when you need it you get great people helping you out and it is free to everyone who needs it.
I spent 1 month in the Hospital for infectious and tropical diseases and was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune problem which is now being treated. BUT whilst I was off work I decided to visit my wealthy friends in America and I have to say I was gob-smacked!
I due to no income stayed with my poor friends at a poor man’s college campus. There were waves of people who had ailments that needed operations and I asked why they did not get it done - they said that they would wait till after college so that they could save up to pay for the operations as they could not afford health care !!!!!!
What shocked me most was a poor girl who collapsed by the side of the road and an ambulance had been called but her family were round her trying to revive her as they could not afford the ambulance ride!!! This I found to be quite offensive!
When I told them that in England they would have got it free - they were shocked and did not beleive me!
When I spoke to my rich friends they told me that it was more or less a lie - and that everyone gets health care in the USA and if you cannot afford it the state would pay - and they seemed to be in denial! What I did not like was their view that we had “socialised medicene” and tried to draw parrallels with Socialisim and communism - which just goes to show their ignorance! It seems that there is a myth in the USA which labels any global system as neo-communist!
The fact of the matter is - the Health care in the USA is probably good - and the reason is - is that they just treat the people that can afford it!
When the USA can spend enoough money on bullets guns and missiles - since the vietnam war an equivalent of £26 million dollars a day for every day since the birth of Christ - you have to wonder - infact you could be the healthiset nation on the planet! What would that do to your economy? How much wealthier would that make you?!! (George Bush are you listenning?!)
Micheal you do a great job with your movies - maybe some of my poor buddies will get good health care as a result of what you have done.
It’s just a shame that the extremists have to make you look like a villain as you have exposed them for what they are. After all they have been rumbled - what else can they do?!
We still have private healthcare here - so people have a choice - but your country is in need of a global system - for everyone - not so that just the rich can look after themselves!
You can still have a right wing government in Europe and a global healthcare system - and you do not have to be a communist - if you want private healthcare you can still have it!
Freedom of choice and a right to health welfare and education are a basic human right - it’s a shame that George Bush does not beleive that and is abusing human rights in your country!
I must add that when I was in the tropical and infectious hospital a man was brought in in the middle of the night - he was very ill with a high fever and was calling out for Jesus as he thought he was dieing. He had just got off a plane from Africa and was diagnosed with malaria. Within 3 days he was able to talk and he said that he had come to the UK for bible classes when he was taken ill. He could not beleive that he was in a hospital and that he had survived as in Africa he would to have to have bribed all the officials in the village to get him into hospital - otherwise he would have died. He called his friends on the phone and he cried out - I am in Hospital and I am alive and it is free - they saved my life -thank Jesus and he was grateful indeed.
I thought that the USA was light years ahead of Africa!
Best of luck
Yours getting better
Paul Harris UK
June 10th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
When I moved to Germany to study, part of the visa process involved providing evidence to the German gov’t that I had health insurance, which I did and so they let me in.
One night while I was there, I injured my wrist in a fall and went to the hospital. I didn’t have proof of insurance wuth me, so the hospital said they would bill me, so I can work it out with my insurance company later. After few x-rays, consultation with 2 doctors, a molded cast, a follow-up visit, and a temporary cast (total time = about 2 hours), my bill came out to be only $140. That was so negligible that my parents just paid it out-of-pocket. I was not only pleased with my service but also amazed that the bill was not several hundred dollars.
I compare this incident to when I went to the emergency room in Atlanta a few years ago due to an injured ankle. It took 4 hours for a nurse with an x-ray to tell me I was fine and send me home with an ice pack and some used crutches. No follow-up or pain medication. And it still cost me $100 for the emergency room service.
Denis Kucinich is the only Washington representative I’ve heard talk about the concept of a not-for-profit insurance agency.
June 10th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
I am a Canadian … need I say more.
June 11th, 2007 at 7:06 am
Hi Michael,
Thanks so much for making this movie. As a Canadian with some American friends and family, I’ve always been shocked when I hear stories of people being charged for life-saving operations. Don’t get me wrong, our system has many flaws, the biggest being long wait times, but I still prefer it to a system where your personal income determines your health care options.
Also, in the summer of 2005, I went on a tour of Europe and while in Germany I came down with a stomach bug. My tour guide brought me to the emergency room of the hospital in the little town of Boppard, where I was seen almost immediately by a doctor who assessed me and gave me sample packs of an anti-nauseant. When I took out my traveler’s insurance papers and credit card, I was waved off and told to go home and rest. My cabin-mate, a girl from New Jersey, couldn’t believe it, and spent the whole next day pestering me with questions about the Canadian health care system in total disbelief that such a thing existed.
To be completely honest, every time that I or one of my family members has to be hospitalized, I think about how lucky we are to have socialized health care and how we all need to be willing to fight for it if our government tries to change it. I pray for all those Americans who go bankrupt trying to pay their medical bills and especially for those who ignore medical conditions on the grounds that they are unable to afford to have them treated.
June 11th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
My father is a doctor, and his entire life he has taken the patient before his money. He has treated patients who were denied nessecary care, and been denied payment by probably every insurance company in this country. Patients AND Doctors are getting screwed here.
He is also a French-American, and all of his children, myself included, are French citizens. Last year, I went on a road trip of eastern Europe with my brother, after a few days on the trip I started getting a sore throat and had problems swallowing. It was serious, so in Vienna I went to the University of Vienna Medical Center. First off, I was in and out with prescriptions, spending a majority of my time with a Doctor, and never being asked for any form of payment, in about 45 minutes. Second, we did finally recieve a bill about 2 months later for about $10 for a “processing fee”, they even made a special note of thanks to us foriegn citizens for trusting their health system. I dont think I could breath in the emergency room here in the states for less than $100 a hour.
June 11th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Hi Michael,
I really like your work and I encourage you to continue. Here’s my opinion of Canadian ( Quebec ) health care. Although we seem privilegied by our “free system” here, let me tell you that it is far from paradise! If you could make a film about canadian “free system”, you’d probably have as much to say about it than what you’ve seen in U.S.A. Here, we have to wait months and sometimes a year of more to get an operation. While you’re waiting for the call of the hospital, you are on pain killer pills. I’m sure some people are dead before they get to see a surgeon. The day you are supposed to get your operation, it happens often that at the last minute, after a long day waiting your turn, they send you back home because they cancel…It can happen two, three times for the same person…imagine the stress and the pain.
For my personal experience, I was supposed to get an urgent operation that usually is done the same day, but I had to be hospitalised for 11 days, after a full night of wait in emergency room…, getting pain killer, drugs, not able to eat most of the time, getting injections after injections, and been victim of several errors. Finally, I got my first operation…no sorry, they cancelled me the first time. The second time, they tried to operate but failed because the doctor is not very experienced in that kind of surgeon. The third time, I had to be transfered by taxi in another hospital and waited a whole day in emergency room before getting the operation. But after that one, they had to transfer me again in my first hospital…in a truck! I was holding myself my solute bag otherwise it would bounce on the road to come back, no hook to hang it properly! I was still drugged from the last operation I had an hour or two before. When I came back to my first room at the first hospital, a doctor came to me to tell they were going to proceed for the fourth time to operate me because there was still something else to do before sending me back home to recover…They’ve operated around 9 at night and I had to stay another two days at hospital…for something that usually is considered as a one day operation and go back home.
I also met once a doctor who diagnosted me for depression while I was only having allergies…and another one told me I had a thyroid problem that needed medication but in fact, I was having the opposite and needed the opposite medication…it took me 4 visits to different doctors who all told me to take that pill but I wasn’t satisfied of their answers because I was having exactly the opposite symptoms that the first doctor told me about. Finally, I’ve met a specialist but I had to insist, so he listened and order more investigation and finally I was right all the way! If I had took that first medication I was supposed to take, It would have send me right through the hospital!
So these are only some exemples…if you thougth canadian system is better, think again…it has its defaults too…
June 11th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Dear friends,
I am French and live in France.
I will not comment more on the French health system which is good, efficient and cheap, especially in hospitals.
However, i must say we have problems here as well:
Prescriptions filled by doctors are often “too generous” in quantity.
The French litterally “eat” drugs.
I think Pharmacists and drug companies profit from the “sécurité sociale” at the expense of patients and the system. Hopefully, advertising for drugs is very strictly regulated. If not, we would “eat” even more pills.
Rare specialists like ophthalmologists in wealthy neigberhoods often charge “extra” (up to 60 euros for a consultation).
My experience of health care in Asian countries was also good, even in private clinics.
Being a westerner with a credit card certainly helps, and I never had serious helath problems abroad.
I know nothing about the north american system, so I’m looking forward to see michael’s movie.
Take care !
June 11th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
Hey there,
I’ll try my hardest to be good and not go on and on about how incredibly sexy your mind, voice, and witt are..instead sticking to the topic at hand.
I’m a fortunate Canadian whose mom just underwent heart surgery. The time that had elasped from when we found out she needed the surgery, had it, recovered in the hospital, came home, took only a month. It was during this time that it struck me how immensely blessed we are to live where we do, to not have this added burden on our shoulders. We were worried for her life yet all I could think of was the people who were going through this same thing but who had the added worry of possibly having to sell their home/belonings.. things they have obtained throughout their life, just to keep their life. Even if they were to make it out alive, this “life” would be changed.
The US “has” the money to invade various countries… to speak of freedoms and rights that should be theirs, yet they don’t allot what they preach of to their own people. Health care is only one form of this hypocrisy obviously, but a huge one. It’s beyond me how other “less fortunate” countries have afforded their people this basic right, yet a country that brags of it’s riches denies it’s citizen of the most basic of needs. Gosh, it’s not even a want..it’s a NEED. People get sick, that’s reality.
It’s just deplorable that some people would opt not to have a life saving surgery because of the finacial component… or further still, how some insurance companies would with hold certain treatments, thereby causing death, in order to save money. Apparently there is a price on a person’s life and it varies depending on which insurance company you happen to be with, if any, at the time.
I really do thank you for having the courage to speak up against that which isn’t right (even if it requires going to ridiculous means in order to elicit a response). Thank you too for giving voice to others. All of your work has been empowering to watch. Keep up the great work, you’re an inspiration!
June 11th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
My family lives in British Columbia, Canada.
Here in British Columbia, a