It's human nature to want to care for the sick, and to fix what's broken. After all, both desires are what set us apart from most every other animal in nature. The ironic thing is that it's more important than ever -- at least in the United States -- since so many people are ailing in one way or the other, and the medical system designed to care for them is pretty much broken.
That is, for the nearly 50 million Americans who don't have adequate or even any health care coverage, resulting in unnecessary illness, suffering and even death. All of that and more is covered in "Sicko," the latest biased, but entertaining, eye-opening, and even moving documentary from director Michael Moore, the agent provocateur responsible for such hot button films such as "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Bowling for Columbine."
Aware of the American medical care crisis, Moore posted a query on the Internet for health care horror stories and, according to him in the film, received 25,000 or so such tales, from both the patients as well as some who worked inside the industry. There are stories of insured parents having to move in with their adult child after severe illness (and hefty co-pays and deductibles) left them bankrupt, as well as one man who had to choose between having the tip of his middle or ring finger re-attached after they were severed (he choose the cheaper of the two).
A 79-year-old janitor must work for the rest of his life to have insurance to cover his medication, while a woman is amazed her emergency ambulance ride to the hospital wasn't covered because it wasn't pre-approved. It's worse, though, for those who lost loved ones (husbands, daughters, etc.) because of limits in their health care coverage. Interviews with those formerly employed by such coverers show how they were instructed (and even rewarded) to keep as many claims from being filed and/or approved.
It's enough to make you wonder how and why things have turned out so badly in the richest country in the world, yet one that only came in 37th when ranked by the World Health Organization for quality of health care.
Never one to turn down the opportunity to point a finger or two at the wrongdoers, Moore examines the origins of "less is more" coverage in the U.S. That stems, he states, from fear of universal health care leading to socialism in the 1950s, as well as President Nixon's briefing on such matters -- heard on the infamous Oval Office tape recordings -- the day before announcing the birth of the HMO system.
With his trademark sense of ironic humor, as well as sound effects, manipulative music (the theme from "Platoon" nearly overrides a reformed industry "villain" testifying before Congress), and clips from relevant and/or just funny archival footage, the director then compares medical coverage in the U.S. to that of other countries such as Canada, Great Britain, and France.
Requiring the grain of salt often needed in his films, we learn that others elsewhere have it better than here, and that reports of long-delayed coverage are just more fear tactics employed by the powers that be to keep the masses in check (a common theme in his films). That leads to the burning question that if they can do it better, why can't we (stating that we buy cars and wine from foreign countries since we think they're better, but don't do the same with health care).
To drive home his observation (and tie in elements from his last film), Moore (who moves his analysis along throughout the film from one point to another without much strain) focuses on some 9/11 rescue who suffered health issues from their efforts, but were denied coverage since they weren't employed by the city during their rescue work.
Having learned (through press briefings, etc.) that detainees (read: enemies to the U.S.) at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba receive the equivalent of free universal health care, Moore takes a number of such rescuers down there. Denied entry to the base (no surprise), he then takes advantage of the essentially free coverage offered by the Cubans, moments in the film that offer some surprisingly strong emotional pull, including when the local firefighters there pay tribute to their professional comrades.
There will obviously be those who object to Moore's politics, motives, and the classification of this film as a true documentary (there really needs to be a new sub genre labeling for such polished and carefully calculated offerings posing as unbiased examinations of the truth).
Yet, there's no denying this is an eye-opening, entertaining and occasionally moving look at a flawed system that will likely affect, directly or indirectly, most everyone in this country. If it simply jumpstarts a conversation about what does and doesn't work in the American health care system, and how to continue the successes and fix the failures, then "Sicko" might be just what the doctor ordered. It rates as a 7 out of 10.
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