Sicko - Michael Moore Essay

In The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care (2009), the author of the book, T.R. Reid travels to industrialized democracies to discuss the different methods of health care delivery system used in these developed countries and compare them to the health care system of the United States. According to T.R. Reid (2009), “the thesis of this book is that we can find cost-effective ways to cover every American by borrowing ideas from foreign models of health care” (Reid, 2009, p. 11). This thesis illustrates that the American health care system can manage health care costs effectively and provide care to all by using some of the successful health care delivery models of foreign nations. The purpose of this book analysis is to discuss the four different health care models presented in this book and provide my prioritization or ranking of these models. This analysis also aims to investigate a case known as the Nikki White case described in this book and discuss the lessons learned from it. Furthermore, this analysis is going to provide my remarks on the, “An Apple a Day” comment relative to the Public Health Model. Lastly, in this book analysis, I will share my conclusion on the basic premise of the book along with my take away messages that I will remember into my future as a Public Health professional.

However, this system has been a part of a never ending healthcare debate. Many argue that this system underperforms habitually as the deliverables are in no match to the amount of spending. The discussion has largely been based on government-mandate of universal health coverage plan and the costs of the healthcare in the country. This structure has repeatedly been questioned on it access, efficiency and quality. Several feel that the beneficiary is not the average American but insurance companies and health care lobbyists. Like everywhere else, where there is refute; there is reform. In the year 2004, the First Lady of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s attempt to reform the healthcare scene by criticizing its basis and offering remedies was defeated by the Congress. In 2007, filmmaker Michael Moore’s, Sicko; denunciated the American healthcare system and how it affects its people.

This movie went around the world to different countries to show the comparisons and differences in healthcare compared to each other and the U.S. The first country that was visited was the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom spends 8.3% of their GDP on healthcare. The citizens pay nothing for premiums, all of it is paid trough taxation. Some services require co-pay, but all young people and all elderly are exempt from drug co-pays. The United Kingdom calls their healthcare system “socialized medicine”; the government provides for and pays for all healthcare. The taxes that Britons pay gets distributed up to different healthcare providers. Since the United Kingdoms’ system is taxed,

Health care spending in the United States of America as a percentage of the economy has reached astonishing heights, equating to 17.7 percent. This number is shocking when compared to other counties; in Australia health care is 8.9 percent, in United Kingdom 9.4 percent, in Canada 11.2 percent. If the American health care system were to hypothetically become its own economy, it would be the fifth-largest in the world. While these statistics sound troubling, they lead us to look for answers about the problems surrounding our system. The first health insurance company was created in the 1930s to give all American families an equal opportunity for hospital care and eventually led to a nationwide economic and social controversy that erupted in the 1990s and continued to be shaped by the government, insurance companies, doctors, and American citizens. In this paper, I will go in to detail about the various opinions regarding the controversy, the history behind health insurance companies, and the main dilemmas brought out by the health care crisis. Greedy insurance companies combined with high costs of doctor visits and pharmaceutical drugs or the inefficient hospitals all over America can only describe the beginning to this in depth crisis. Recently, the United States health care industry has become know for the outrageous costs of insurance models, developments of various social and health services programs, and the frequent changes in medicinal technology.

In The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care, T.R. Reid, a Washington Post reporter and NPR commentator, compares the United States’ health care system to the systems of other industrialized democracies. In this journey, he analyzes costs, quality, and overall functioning of the different systems. Through his first hand experiences around the globe, Reid illustrates a variety of systems, emphasizing the changes America needs.

“Sicko” is a documentary produced by Michael Moore that focuses on health care in America.The documentary provides an in depth understanding and analysis of the unceasing health care problems in America. Most of these problems result from the corruption present in the American health insurance industry. The message that Michael Moore is trying to get across to his audience is that of the immortality within the American health care system. Michael Moore is able to get his message across to the public by incorporating the three rhetoric techniques of logos, pathos, and ethos. He uses logos by comparing America’s health insurance to those of other countries,

Sicko" is a narrative created by Michael Moore that puts an spotlights on medical insurance in America.The narrative gives an inside and out comprehension and examination of the endless human services issues in America. A large part of these issues result from the defilement show in the American medical coverage industry. The message that Michael Moore is attempting to get crosswise over to his crowd is that of the everlasting status inside the American healthcare insurance framework. Mr. Moore Sicko documentary was compelling because he incorporates two rhetorical techniques which are pathos and logos. He thinks about and differentiate, questions American's ethics, and offers meetings to get the watcher to agree with the contention with these techniques.

While Cuba has endured the embargo by the United States, it has not had the access to the rapid development of medical progress. Therefore, Cuba has had to rely on internal development programs to ensure the overall health to its people. Not only could Cuba benefit from access to medical research and trade, the United States could benefit as well. William Keck wrote the following in the New England Journal of Medicine:

Personally, the points made within the movie were not a surprise and have been problematic in United States healthcare system for over ten years. Without a doubt, healthcare has turned into a business driven model that focuses on the finances

The documentary of Ed Edelman brought forth a politicians successful career, with numerous achievements helping the community, especially the impoverished, and help setting the foundations for numerous public entities. On the other hand, Dr. Williams, in the Sierra Health Foundation’s Speaker Series, had shown the shortcomings of the American health system, despite the United States being one of the biggest spenders of healthcare in the world. I’ve known that the American healthcare system is an expensive system and not everyone can afford healthcare, but the variance in quality of healthcare in a single city is outrageous. Dr. Williams had stated that the life expectancy in Washington D.C can differ by a few years as you traverse the metro stations.

Throughout the documentary we see many things wrong with the resources people receive, we see this primarily with money. There are two types of currency in Cuba, peso and cuc, even having certain money makes you more privileged than others. Peso was described as being worth almost nothing that can buy basic necessities such as rice and coffee, while cuc on the other hand is described as more privileged. People with access to this money are able to buy things like shampoo, strollers and handbags; things that everyone should be able to have access to. Having special rights because of money seems to be very common in Cuba, there was a moment in the documentary when the narrator was denied access to one of the best hospitals located in Cuba because he didn’t have enough money, this comes to

Sicko, a documentary film by Michael Moore, describes the medical issue in which many people who live in the United States have to suffer their sickness due to the high treatment costs. Many people in the U.S. do not have health insurance because they can afford for that. However, not only people that do not have health insurance but also the people who have health insurance struggle for health care coverage when they have an illness. Moreover, compared to other countries such as Canada, England, France and Cuba, American health care system is extreme complicated and extremely expensive. To receive the treatment, patients in the United States have to go through multiple questions and processes, but there is no assurance that they will have the most effective treatment.

The topic I will present is on Cuba’s efficient health care system. A number of sources – The World Health Organization, Huffington Post, and CNN – have recently claimed that, contrary to popular belief, Cuba’s health care system and doctors are among the greatest in the world. Although, it is known that Cuban doctors have incredibly limited resources, they are still able to care for the majority of the population of Cuba. Cuba uses a preventative method, where they work towards preventing the outbreak of a disease rather than treating their patients once they do contract the virus. The Cuban health care system is also explained to be an example for what the perfect health care model should be like in all developing country.

The Cuban medical care at this moment is the best in the world the way they show success is by, at least every single family has one physician to take care of the family this is possible since more than half the country are doctors who have experience in every medical practice out there. The structure of Cuba's medical care is strictly organized from health risk level one through four the higher the risk the more care needed for the patient and at least the patients are called if any question are needed or just for a follow up. Even though the Cuban medical care structure is strict it negatively impacts the people and physician since the people are getting some of the health care for free but for other Cuban medical benefits the consumer are

All around the globe, in places including Britain, Canada, Cuba, France and many other countries the mere thought of pulling out a credit card and paying for health services in hospital seems ludicrous. This is because these countries all have free universal health care, meaning that the majority of health care cost are covered by the government. In other words it is free! However, this is not the case the United States of America, where healthcare is privately funded and covered by insurance companies. Michael Moore, in his documentary Sicko explores the flawed US health care system comparing it to countries with universal health care and resolves the current system is corrupt and full of injustices. Throughout the film interviews that the audience can empathize with are conducted making the viewer feel certain emotions leading them to believe that the American health insurance companies are full of is corruption. In addition, images of past events that viewers can resonate with stir up strong emotions and plant the seed of how flawed the health industry is. Furthermore, Moore literally casts himself as the lead character and is able to manipulate certain scenes in order to convey his message because he is able to guide the flow of the scene. By using several cinematic techniques such as good casting, relatable images and personable interviews Moore is able to construct his version of the American health industry, leading the viewer to believe