Anyone Going To See "Sicko"?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Jun 29 2007, 02:44 AM) [snapback]469898[/snapback]</div>

My wife and I plan on seeing it tonight. It will actually be our first Michael Moore film. I saw him on the Daily Show too, he was quite funny. If I remember, I will post my review of it.

 

nope.... can't stand michael moore!

 

I'll wait to rent it when it hits DVD, I reserve my limited going to the movies budget for well acted stories with good plots and overpriced blow everything up action films with over the top special effects.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(morpheusx @ Jun 29 2007, 02:35 PM) [snapback]470282[/snapback]</div>

What like "Live Free or Die Hard"?

I already saw Sicko on google a couple weekends ago. I've seen all of Moore's films in the theater and I will see Sicko in the theater either tonight or Sunday.

It's important that everyone see this film, in the theater or on DVD, doesn't matter. We need to fix this broken system now.

 

I was surprised to see it got 5 out of 5 stars in our newspaper review this morning. Rarely do any movies get that rating - but Ratatouille was a close second with 4 1/2 stars!

If you go into the movie with the understanding that MM is framing the facts to fit his opinion, his movies can be very interesting - and entertaining.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pyccku @ Jun 29 2007, 02:58 PM) [snapback]470291[/snapback]</div>

Yeah but watching this film, you'll be agreeing with him. It's not just "his opinion" it's most American's opinions he is expressing. It's a great film.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wiiprii @ Jun 29 2007, 03:07 PM) [snapback]470297[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, he does take creative license with his story line. For example, he did meet with Roger Smith during the filming of Roger and Me, but you wouldn't know that after watching his movie.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wiiprii @ Jun 29 2007, 05:47 PM) [snapback]470286[/snapback]</div>

Yeah like Live free or die hard. You just can't beat a Die Hard movie. Yipee cai yea mother ...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Jun 29 2007, 08:02 PM) [snapback]470453[/snapback]</div>

According to these guys, he actually met him twice, once was a 20 minute interview according to a union activist.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/dissent.html

But they are Canadians and it could be some sort of delusion caused by a by-product of their health care system.

 

Yep, Boulder - you've got the French figured out! They love to strike. Almost every day there is SOME group on strike. Sometimes you find out why, sometimes now. I've seen farmer strikes, railroad strikes, metro worker strikes, and Eiffel tower elevator operator strikes in my travels there. And I narrowly missed an airport worker strike by leaving the day before it started.

French people in general have opinions on political matters because they know if enough of them get p!ssed off, something will change. Here, it doesn't matter how big the demonstration, the gov't keeps running things as usual. How many millions were in the immigration demonstrations? And yet nothing happens.

No wonder Americans watch AI or Paris Hilton. They know it doesn't really matter how they feel about the other issues, so why bother?

 

This film is a "must see" for anyone in any country without national health care. It's incredulous. As an aside I saw the film last night and my neighbor today who just returned from Cuba. While there his daughter took ill and they had to go to a hospital. Although my neighbor hasn't been home long enough to see 'Sicko', everything Moore told us about Cuban healthcare my neighbor substantiated. Michael Moore is the preeminent film maker of our times, with a conscience. Vacillating whether to go or not? GO!!!

 

DISCLAIMER: I have nothing but good things to say about Blue Cross. When I moved to Massachusetts, when my COBRA insurance was running out, I was desperately trying to find someone who would sell health insurance to an individual. The ONLY one who would was Blue Cross. Before I filled out a single form, I said, "Can I still get it for my wife even though she has diabetes?" They said, "Of course!" - I question I double-checked every step of the way, and always got the same answer no matter who I asked.

When she was in the hospital, the doctors never denied her a single operation or medication she needed. They even flew her from our local hospital to Massachusetts General Hospital (with insurance picking up the tab minus a $50 "ambulance deductible") without batting an eye. Yes, in the end I had to pay maybe about $1000 in deductibles, but considering the bill for her entire stay was over $400,000, I'm not complaining.
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Given that, anyone who doesn't think our health care system is a really bad joke falls into one of four categories: HMO CEO, Pharmaceutical Company CEO, Insurance CEO, or member of Congress being paid huge sums by one of the above. Unfortunately, this wake-up call won't wake anyone up that needs to be (ie, every American citizen), but you have to give Michael Moore full credit for trying.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Jul 6 2007, 07:31 PM) [snapback]474348[/snapback]</div>

My parents have Blue Cross and get excellent service by their medical care professionals.

Their premiums have doubled.

Blue Cross is presently being investigated by the State. They sold to some company that now owns them. They promised rates wouldn't go up and money wouldn't be shipped out of state to the parent company or something like that.

Well, their rates doubled and surprise, they shipped millions in "profit" to the parent company.

So, they're being investigated. And my parents, who are on a fixed income, are now paying through the nose.

Sure, they're getting treatment. But they're paying dearly for it. And Blue Cross is in violation of some securities thing.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Jul 6 2007, 05:31 PM) [snapback]474348[/snapback]</div>

You are lucky that you are not insured by Blue Cross of California which has a history of retroactively canceling numerous members' private, as opposed to group, policies after they got sick and ran up high medical bills.

 

Insurance in CA is a different beast than insurance in MA. When I lived in CA, I had Aetna through my employer. I have no complaints with them, either. When I quit my job, I had 18 months health insurance with them through COBRA. When I switched to Blue Cross MA, paying by myself (as opposed to my employer kicking in a generous percentage), I actually paid LESS per month than I did for my insurance in CA, and I had just as good coverage. Recently Blue Cross MA raised their rates, too, but I'm still paying less per month than I was five years ago in CA (and not even paying the whole thing).

On a totally unrelated note, Income tax in CA is also a lot higher than MA, and you pay taxes on more things (eg, clothes).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Jul 6 2007, 11:37 PM) [snapback]474529[/snapback]</div>

If I understand it correctly, Blue Cross is an entirely different company in each state. The common name makes you think it's one company nationwide. But it is not. When I moved from North Dakota to Washington State, everything changed except the fact that I pay a bucketload of money in premiums and deductibles and coinsurance amounts, and I can go to whatever doctor I like. And apparently they have an agreement between them which waived any waiting period for pre-existing conditions, but I don't know if that agreement is bilateral between ND and WA, or if all the Blue Cross companies respect a similar agreement among them.

I'm happy with the health care I get. But I don't think I've ever collected more in care than I've paid in premiums, except maybe this year, with both a heart operation and a prostate operation in the same year; but even this year I think I'm paying in more than I'm getting out from Blue Cross. In other words, I'm essentially paying cash for all my health care. I'm very lucky to be one of the few who can afford it.