Tonight I decided to have "movie night" after the show on the Jesus Bus with Darrel and two good friends. I have been waiting for the Michael Moore documentary Sicko to come to me via Netflix. It was on a long wait for quite some time, and finally arrived.
**One of my friends left about half way through because she was just handed an $11,000 hospital bill yesterday that her insurance company is paying about $2,000 on., and was very upset. She had a kidney infection over Chritmas, and wound up in the hospital for six days. The doctor would not release her, for very justifiable reasons.
To preface this blog, let me explain my health insurance situation to you briefly: I have been sub-contracted out for the last 1.5 years for the Superstar tour, meaning that no one covers my benefits. I did not realize what a blessing health insurance was until it was gone. I paid out $430 a month to be on a company policy Jan-Jun, paid out $600 for the summer and fall for a terrible plan incase I wound up in the hospital (I was not employed full time) and am paying out $310 a month for this tour to be insured. I still have medical bills. I was denied insurance numerous times due to a "pre-existing health condition" that was a bunch of bull. I wound up in tears due to the frustartion of trying to find coverage when I was not employed. The only way I can have full benefits is to work for a company and be on their group policy, because you can not be denied (you can be denied as an individual), then reimburse them.
That being said, Sicko explores stories of Americans who have been devastated by the American health care system, compared to countries on universal health care/socialized medicine. Countries visited in this documentary include Canada, England, France, and Cuba. Cuba. A country we have considered an enemy, yet they provide pretty decent health care for their people. It is unreal as an American to see how easy it is for people living in these countries... no medical bills. Have a baby, walk out the door. Have a heart transplant, walk out the door. Go to an emergency room, be seen quickly, have no bill. Mind you, they pay for it via taxes, but if you have a $300,000 surgery, your paid taxes seem like nothing. Perscriptions for nothing. There was a drug that cost an American $120, and it was .05 cents to purchase in Latin America. Why??
I completely understand that this documentary is one sided. I did not watch the other Michael Moore films. But this was close to my heart, and I wanted to see what he had to say. While I know the film is non-objective, Toni, my roommate from Australia, is on a universal health care plan. No complanints. She also has college paid for by the government, which is a whole other ball game.
No wonder so many Americans are in debt- medical bills, college loans, child care... Unless you hate the idea of all of the above, I suggest watching the movie. Even if it's just to learn a bit about what we do not have. One sided as it might be, it makes you think.
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