Documentary Analysis Of The Documentary Sicko, By Filmmaker Michael Moore

The documentary Sicko by filmmaker Michael Moore delves into the flawed American health care system and its effects on both those insured and uninsured. I decided to examine the documentary because I found the personal stories very compelling and I was continually shocked and dismayed by the facts and testimonies throughout the film. This documentary highlights just some of the many individuals who have been left behind by the current system, and it stresses the dire need for systematic changes to U.S health care. Through an examination of personal stories and health care experiences, a study of the insurance companies and managed care system, the U.S government’s role, and a comparison of the U.S system to other developed countries, Sicko

Countries like Canada, Great Britain, and France have universal health care coverage. Individuals can see a doctor without having to worry about costs, and doctors can provide the best care possible without having to worry about receiving payment for services. In Great Britain, regardless of the type or quantity of pills, the cost is always 6.65 pounds. In France, they make house calls and do not charge individuals more for preexisting conditions. Even with no job and having lived in the U.S since he was 18 years old, when Alexi moved back to France for treatment after being diagnosed with a tumor, he was completely covered by the national insurance. With very limited knowledge of the health care systems in other countries, these benefits astounded me and made me start to think a similar system should exist in the

Moore describes how drug and health organizations constantly lobby the government to pass bills in their favor. In one instance, drug companies lobbied for a bill that would cover medication benefits for insurance recipients. Moore then went on to show how these organizations bought out Congress and even President Bush to get the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act passed. However, this in turn allowed drug companies to set prices as they saw fit, causing the elderly to pay even more for their prescriptions. Later, we learn about the 9-11 first responders who were praised by politicians as heroes. Yet as health complications emerged in direct relation to their service on 9-11, they were denied coverage from the government because they were not already on the government