“Sicko” and a Conversation to Start Health Care Reform

“Who are we?”

Michael Moore asks this question in “Sicko” which premiered in 2007.

Two years later, the subject of the movie, the current health care system of the US is being discussed in Washington, D.C.

Moore’s pointed documentary highlights, through stories of people back in 2007, perceived problems with the insurance-based health care system.

The movie was attacked and defended by numerous critics.

Roger Ebert said in a movie review, “This one is likely to strike home with anyone, left or right, who has had serious illness in the family.”

Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I think we can agree on two things: The American health-care system is busted and Michael Moore is not the guy to fix it.”

The movie told tearful stories of men, women and children that were unable to get proper medical treatment because of their insurance company. The reasons for the lack of treatment ranged from high deductibles, being moved from out-of-network hospitals and denials of coverage from the insurance companies.

The universal health care systems of other countries like Canada and France were also shown and explained in the movie. Members of those countries were genuinely surprised that America wouldn’t adopt a universal health care system, one were everyone pays for one persons health care. To them, it just didn’t make sense.

There was no fight-plan at the end of the film for a universal health care system in the vein of “An Inconvenient Truth.” Though, maybe that wasn’t the point. Perhaps the point was to finally get people to talk about the broke, sick and dying elephant in the room.

At least “Sicko” did seem to start that conversation. A conversation that many people could agree upon: Our health care system did not work.

If only things had changed since then.

Two years later, our health care system still does not work, but at least there is another conversation going on in Washington D.C.

The message of “Sicko” is still seen as an example of our current situation.

“Sicko” was screened for free to Lihu’e, Hawaii by Organizing for America, in an effort to support President Barack Obama’s health care proposal in Aug.

The sad truth of “Sicko” is the stories of those people back in 2007 are being replayed two years later. The cast has changed, but the tears are still real.

Our government has replaced the film critics, and while we as a country can’t seem to decide on how to fix our health care system, we at least fully realize that there is a problem.

But, the question remains.

“Who are we?”