This week we will be watching the movie Sicko by Michael Moore. The movie discusses the health care systems in the United States, Canada, England, France, and Cuba.
What do you know about the health care system in the U.S.? What stories do you know personally or have you heard that relate to the health care system?
Use this space to share those stories. Also, how would you propose we "fix" the system here in the U.S.? Or, do you even think it needs "fixed"? Either way, explain your answer.
A couple more weeks to go!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
48 comments:
blog
I know that the health care system in the United States is obscenely over priced. Last year, I had to pay my own health insurance and it cost almost 900 dollars. The healthcare system also seems to be very corrupt, and have the power to reject people needed care for countless reasons. I have several friends who do not have health insurance, and therefor cannot go to the doctor if they are sick. I think we need to move towards a socialist form of health care in the US. The health care system definitely needs to be re-vamped so that everyone can have health care.
Charlie Krabbe
The health care in the U.S. is a good health care sytem. What they are saying about having trouble getting health insurance is very true. Insurance is one of the most difficult things to receive in the U.S. I know from personal experience that health insurance companies will do anything to deny you. I have diabetes,and it took my mother the longest time to make her health insurance cover me. It's a bunch of crapn what happened to wanting to be there to help people. All they care about is the money that they can save. I'm not completely for universal health care, but I'm not completely against it either.
The only thing that I know about the health care system in the United States is that we have insurance that is cheap but it doesn't always protect us. I beleive that what needs to be changed is that if people have insurance, they should be able to use it. They shouldn't be denied of treatment for any reason. Second, health insurance should be affordable for anyone. I like the movie, yay!
Chris Gaskill
I don't really know a lot about the healthcare system. I'm under my parents' care for now. As far as I know, we haven't had a lot of problems. My dad had been diagnosed with cancer a few years back. The bills are pretty expensive as far as I know, but they haven't had to go bankrupt for it yet, nor do I think they ever will. They're still paying off some of the bills now but most of them are just for checkups to make sure that the cancer doesn't come back. My mom has Lyme Disease and is also on a lot of medication, but she doesn't have to pay an arm or a leg to get the medications she needs. I also don't really know what there can be done about it. I think that we need a better leader in the white house, but who knows when that will happen.
-abshafer
At this current time my husband and I do not have health care. He is offered it through work but it costs way to much for us to have it. My son gets health care through Title 19. When husband or I get sick we try not to go see a doctor. But if we have to it is usually at the ER because we have too many bills with the doctors offices. They won't see us unless we pay right then and there. So we always hope to not get sick enough to go seek help. I believe we should all get health care for a cheap price and have it include most if not all situations. Let's come together as a nation and fight for our health. If we don't no one will.
being a young male still in college my parents take care of all my health care needs. I have heard good and bad things about health care in America. Some good things are that we have the best doctors money can buy, but the bad things are much more serious. Health care cost to much and only the rich or the dirt poor people benefit from it. It cost $100 just to see a doctor at a normaldoctors office and think that is very unfair to the normal American. Maybe our new president will help us greatly, because God knows we need it. Cy wynn
I was born with a disorder called Turner syndrome. I have had three heart sureries, and a back surgery to have a steel rod put in to hold my spine together, due to my scoliosis. My last heart surgery was 10 years ago, and my parents are still fighting with the insurance companies. Eventhough, I had been pre approved by them and covered twice before. Health care is one of, if not the biggest problems in the U.S. For it to be fixed, I think we should adapt Canadas way of health care. Our first step would be to get Hillary in office.
I have been without healthcare in the past. It is difficult, but I would make payment to the doctors to pay for the service. It was hard but we just did what we had to do to make it. My son had a surgery and we completely paid for it by doing this. We are fortunate enough to have health care now. I have run into problems with our insurance company trying to deny coverage, but eventually they get sick of me calling them and they approve everything. One time I had to get my doctor to gather information on the treatment not being experimental. He said if he didn’t get it approved he would absorb the cost. It did get approved.
A National Health Care sounds good on the surface; I just don’t believe that it will ever happy in the USA. Too much insurance money, too many lobbyists, too many doctors making too much money and too many drug companies with too high of profits for it to ever work. I think the best option would be is to better regulate what our present system. Amy Hampton
After watching the first part of this movie and seeing how our healthcare compares to other countries it kind of makes you mad. I no there are probably some exceptions or they just made the other countries look good in the movie but its pretty pathedic that other healthcare systems work so much better and everyone has coverage. I have heard people complain before about our healthcare not covering something that has happened, a guy I work with had back problems after a car accident and went to a doctor and a chiropractor and they denied him for some reason which is a bunch of crap. After watching this movie and seeing how they try to save a buck anywhere they can it's pretty obvious why he didn't recieve money, because they wanted to save money.
Tyler W
The question that I was pondering was why people feel they are entitled to these services in the first place. For example if you cut off your fingers who says that you need them put back. Sure, it would be nice but I know two people that have lost parts of there fingers didn't get them reattached and are fine. So, why is it that people feel they are need these operations that they are getting. As far as the drug industry goes the same thing applies. Why do people feel they are entitled to these drugs? Must of which cost outrageous prices to extend someone’s life for say 15 years. But now this extra 15 years is filled with worries as to where you will get your drugs to keep you alive. Seems to me we have a new population of drug dependent people. And know where does it say that you are entitled to be able to put this pressure on this system.
ChrisBrown
I am fortunate enough to have avoided serious problems with the United States health care system. (As a side note, I do have insurance- I'm sure that this affects my perception of this issue.)However, I do have a friend whose father was denied health insurance through many companies because of his diabetes. For a time he was unemployed, and even independent companies refused to cover him. Thankfully, he recently found a job that offered health insurance; his story has a happy ending. It troubles me that so many people do not "live happily ever after" when it comes to health insurance, and I'm not sure what the solution is to this problem. While it sounds wonderful to give everyone health coverage, it makes me very uneasy. I keep coming back to my Swedish neighbors. Sweden has a "cradle-to-grave" government health care system (in fact, I think the government essentially operates everything), and my neighbors were not at all reluctant to leave that behind. To my knowledge, they don't want that kind of total government control here in the States. To make a really long story short, I don't know what to make of this issue. The system certainly needs major reform, but I don't know how we should go about it. Abolishing medical care seems extremely risky, but so does universal health care. I have, however, heard of independent groups of people who agree to help each other with their medical bills. They must just split the costs, or something. I don't know how this mini-system works, but it sounds more appealing than the alternatives I mentioned above.
Good questions!
-Adrian Elliott
I happened to call a clinic here in Boone to have a doctor's appointment as soon as possible. As a new patient, I had to answer all the questions that the lady asked, on the phone. She then asked me about my health insurance.
Because I'm an International student, I have to have a health insurance that the school provides. But, when I was about to answer the lady's question, I forgot the name of my health insurance.
She then asked me about my health issues. I told her everything and the reply was ,"So you want a doctor's appointment, and you don't care which doctor you'll get. I'll try to get you an appointment as soon as possible".
After I watched SICKO, it made me realize that the clinic people have to go through and decide if I'm elligible to be their patient.
I think that it's weird how they do that. In my country, we can get a doctor's appointment anytime, even though you're a new patient.
I think this country needs to fix its health system.
Why would they declined any health issues?
I have a health insurance to stay in America and I want to used its benefits when I need it.
-continued-
I'm feeling much better though now!
I know the health care system in the U.S.is bad. It doesnt have a system for those people who fall in the gray area of affordable or non-affordable health care. Alot of people today are not getting the medical treatment needed because they dont have health insurance. I personally have not gone to the doctor even tho I knew I really needed to get medical help with a very bad cold. I didnt go due to no health insurance. I think the government needs to come up with some way for everyone to have health insurance.The young adults to the elderly. There are alot of elderly that dont go to the doctor because of the cost of coverage and end up dieing because the health problem is soo bad. LeeAnn
I belive that the government in US is totaly unfair, because they don't care about citizens, they just care about of how to obtain more money, then other wrong issue is that, they are waisting all our money in stupidity wars in different countries by spending our last economy, but at the same time whom are suffering all this changes are us includent our children, elders,and minority people, is very sad what is happening so far for the bad control of hte governmets when in other countries they take care about their own citizens being a succesful nation and how the people respond positively of the situation, making people decided to move some how to different good country and different enviromental for a good treatment for free, that means to me a powerful nation.
Well I have asthma and I am not convered under are insurance anymore because are old insurance comapny decided they didnt want to do health care. So now i pay close to $300 a month for my asthma meds. I believe we need to have some type of social health care system up until a certain age. So you should be able to get health care all the way until done with school then you have to change to a insurance company but they will have to except you no matter what.
Joel Kramer
The health care system in the U.S in my opinion is a joke. I have many health related issues such as ulcers and acid reflex. I have had surgery on my knee and also a scope for my stomach. Although I am covered on my dad's insurance we have paid a ton of money that the insurance will not cover. In fact, I have gone to the doctor just recently for sinus infection and just for the visit its self, was over one hundred dollars and the insurance paid a total of $4.00 which clearly does not even put a dent in it. There are many things the states need to do to improve this though in all reality nothing will change to benefit us.
Brittany Hagge
I haven't encountered any problems with the United State's health care system. I always get the pills I need and I've never been denied help. My Dad had a heart attack this year and ran up a 60,000 dollar bill and it was completely paid for by our insurance. We didn't like have to fight or anything for the money, they just sent the hospital a check for the amount. We even got to keep the cups the hospital let us use, so that was cool. I'm sure there are problems with the health care system, but I've never dealt with them so I think it works just fine.
I think that the health care system is way to expensive and makes it extrememly difficult for people who need care to recieve it. I don't know what solution we need, but something needs to happen soon. I know from experience that health insurance companies can be a huge hassle to deal with when you need something. I have a number of family members avoid treatments or medical attention because of insurance costs or denials. I think something needs to change and all people need to be able to recieve affordable treatment.
I feel that healh care does need to be fixed. The health care system is way over priced, and I find some fot the things stupid. My mom is a sigle parent, and she has tried to apply for health insureance more than once, and they always tell her she makes too much money. I want to know how she makes too much money when she has all the bills to play, plus taking care of two kids. I just think that the health care system needs help. They need to make it so EVERYONE can have health care. They are always saying, people are dying so young, well if they would of been able to pay for there medicine then maybe they would of lived longer.
I know that the health care system only cares about money. it needs serious rebuilding. i've only been to the hospital on few times. mostly from falling on ice. the time i spent their was not worth it and neither was the care i got. i propose that americans should stop bitching about taxes and understand that if your not going pay for taxes your going to pay for it somewhere else.
-Greg Call-
I know that the health care system only cares about money. it needs serious rebuilding. i've only been to the hospital on few times. mostly from falling on ice. the time i spent their was not worth it and neither was the care i got. i propose that americans should stop bitching about taxes and understand that if your not going pay for taxes your going to pay for it somewhere else.
-Greg Call-
I do know that the importance of health insurance can be directly correlated with the ability to live or die. A year or so ago, the company Visa made a commercial that portrayed the reality of insurance companys. There was a man on the operating table whos surgery had stopped due to his credit card waiting to be approved for the surgery to go on. I think that it is inhumane for hospitals to deny patients due to their finacial standings. Obivously poor people that have no footing in the workforce of society will be last in priority, but in the movie "Sicko", people with health insurance are out of luck.
Mike Ross
I have never had a problem that I can think of with the health care system because I have always had health insurance through my father's work company. That is the way it's always been for me and I've never had to pay my own health insurance. If I'm not a full-time college student my dad's insurance company will take me off his insurance and then I would have to pay for it myself. I'd say I have it pretty easy right now, although I know that when I live on my own it will be a lot more difficult because of the other bills that I will have to pay, plus insurance.
Niki C
I really don’t know a lot about the healthcare system in America. I know we have our own insurances we pay for ourselves and that some people are on Title 19 insurance. I know personally I have not had problems with my insurance. My doctor said I needed and MRI; my insurance sent me a questioner to fill out wondering if I was getting the MRI do to trauma or injury. My insurance company still paid for the MRI even though my pain was not do to injury. The only thing I really feel we could fix is the use of Title 19 insurance. I work in an ER and see Title 19 misused quite often, and I just think how much tax money that is wasting.
I don't believe the U. S Health care system can maintain it's current path. Whether we like it or not socialized health care is comming. I always try and keep the government out of my life as much as possible but I wonder if we should change course now while we have the time to adjust rather than wait until the problems are just to overwhelming. My husband and I pay an unreal amount for health insurance and still when my infant son spent ten days in the hosptial we still paid $4,000 in copays on a $50,000 bill. Maybe I will move to Canada also :) Louann Philpott
One of my own personell stories happend a few years back when I kinda was stabbed in the pelvis by a jagged peice of metel. I was forced to call an ambulance because I was applying pressure ($570 out of my own pocket). I got to the hospital where they glanced at my wound (it had just stopped bleeding at this point), game me a catskan, then pumped me full of antibiotics and made me stay overnight. A few weeks later I started recieving bills for all my services. Despite my $120 a month Blue Cross Blue Sheild I got the privilage of a $7,800 bill plus the ambulance. It took every bit of savings I had plus I had to pay on it for 2 more years to get it fully paid off. My insurance did pay about $2,000 of my bill, although I had paid the insurance company a total of around $4,000 since I had started my job.
Yet I am still insured for a family plan now that costs me about $215 a month.
Tadd Kingsbury
I do think there are things we could do to improve our health care system. I think things are way over priced and I do not believe that insurance companies should be able to deny claims as often or for as many menial reasons as they do. I believe that if medical treatment is needed especially to save a life it should not be denied. Denying medical care to someone who will die without it is the same as killing them yourself. I think that our medical system needs a good evaluation and correction done on it.
I went without health and dental insurance for about 2 years and I was dropped from dental the day I went in for surgery. When I had gotten pregnant I had no insurance so I started to look around but in order for most to cover a pregnancy you had to of had coverage a year or two before you even got pregnant. I went to DHS where they said my parents’ income had to be figured in even though I was 20 years old. What is wrong with that picture I was paying my own bills and pay rent to live at my parents but their income had to be figured. I move out and got on title 19 through DHS immediately. There's my little spiel about the way health insurance is. I hate it and there is something that needs to change. But who is going to change it, when and how!
I think the health care system in the U.S. is much better than the far left portray it to be. I can't get health care when I turn 21 next month, because I suffered a TBI a few years ago. However, I could file Title 19 and get my previous medical bills covered. Though, I feel it unethical, to take my fellow American's tax dollars, to cover my medical bills; that were caused by an assault. I think innocent people who can't afford medical care, can file Title 19 and that would be fine. That's part of the reason why we pay taxes in America! I think Americans can be more responsible by saving a little more cash and going to the hospital when needed. I also got hurt by the hospital, due to false medical records. So, I would recommend people to review their records once they get them, to make sure the hospital has everything documented honestly. It comes down to people being responsible and taking care of themselves. The health care system isn't as bad as it looks here. Furthermore, Mr. Moore only portrayed negative views on the American health system and positive views for the Candadian and British systems. So, I think it would even out if we had fair dialogue from both angles.
brokaw
The U.S. health care system is not set up very well. In previous years my parents were denied insurance for conditions that they did not have. Because of this they had to pay insanely high prices for care and as a result probably won't be able to retire.
As far as fixing the system, I'm not sure what we could do. Would a socialist health care system be better? I'm not sure, but one thing is for sure and that is that we need something changed.
Josh C.
Caleb Avery
I do not personally have any problems with health care systems. I also do not have my own, i am still on my parents. The place my dad works is known for its great insurance. I have had many reasons for going, whether from 2 snowmobile crashes a motorctycle crash or just being ill, and i have not had any problems with the insurance companies covering them. I do know, however that there are many people who can not afford insurance, but i do not know any good solutions.
I personally don't know a whole lot about the United States health care system. I am and always have been on my parents health insurance plan, and have been fortunate enough to never had to worry about health insurance or medical bills. To my knowledge, no one in my family has ever had a huge problem with our health insurance plan. However, I do know that the currently in a "health care crisis." There are a large number of American citizens that don't have health insurance, and even people that are insured aren't always covered how they should be. Millions of Americans are spending large amounts of money on health related issues that should be covered by their insurance companies.
Caitlin Weaver
The movie is very very well put together. He uses rhetoric very well. When I got pushed into a lake and feel and bust my knee I went to the E.R. When I got there they accepted my insurance and sent me back in to get all fixed up. A couple months later I get a bill in the mail saying that my insurance wouldn't pay this cause it didn't cover when I was out having fun pretty much. So we didn't want to pay this 1500 dollars. We went out and got a lawyer and it was an easy win. The lawyer automatically picked out where in the policy it said that unless it was previously injured then we were covered. So we won and got a little extra cause if the time. It’s a shady system and it needs to be fixed.
Brad Carlson
Honestly i have never really had to deal with health insurance. But from what I've heard from my parents and what they've had to go through, well it hasn't been easy. My mom had thyroid cancer back in 2001, but she was covered through my dad's insurance from work. And now my mom's on all these different drugs and she is constantly calling the insurance company to see if all the new drugs that she's taking are covered. I also know that my parents are happy that my boyfriend's insurance covered all of the expenses from the car crash that we were both in, because the ambulance ride and hospital stay alone wouldn't have been covered for me.
I believe that the United States would benefit from having National Healthcare System. We just have to stop listening to the lobbyist and actually get something done and we'll be a lot better off.
Aryn
Honestly i have never really had to deal with health insurance. But from what I've heard from my parents and what they've had to go through, well it hasn't been easy. My mom had thyroid cancer back in 2001, but she was covered through my dad's insurance from work. And now my mom's on all these different drugs and she is constantly calling the insurance company to see if all the new drugs that she's taking are covered. I also know that my parents are happy that my boyfriend's insurance covered all of the expenses from the car crash that we were both in, because the ambulance ride and hospital stay alone wouldn't have been covered for me.
I believe that the United States would benefit from having National Healthcare System. We just have to stop listening to the lobbyist and actually get something done and we'll be a lot better off.
Aryn
I've never had health insurance. However, I am a veteran, so most of my health services reside with the VA Hospital. It is similar to what socialized healthcare would be. There is the headache of having to work with a large hospital to get paperwork taken care of, and waiting to get an appointment. I’ve no experiences with hospitals not helping people because of the bill. I think The English version of healthcare appears to be a well working system.
I personal don't have a problem with my healthcare plan right now. I am back under my parents plan. I can only remember once where I was denined a surgery. I can not remember what their reasoning was and obviously it was not a life or death surgery but it would of helped in saving me a lot of pain! When I was working at a school and was paying for my own insurance for a single plan it was costing me over $300 a month and when I would go to the doctor, the insurance company would not pay most of it. I don't really know alot about our healthcare plan and I don't have an answer to fix it but from the stories I have heard from people, there does need to be a change. Even though I'm sure there are horror stories in Canada and England where they have "free heatlthcare", their national healthcare plan does seem to be much better than what we have here in America.
Andrea Bollenbaugh
I don't everything about American health care, however, I do know that most Americans feel that socialized medicine is not hte answer simply because of the tax hike it would cause. They don't want to pay the extra taxes to help someone else if they aren's sick. I dont feel that it is the answer. I do agree we need better health care, more readily available to the public, but not socialized. I don't know how this can be fixed, I'm not a politician, but I know it needs to be fixed.
matt chasteen
Moore’s movie shows the negative effects of US healthcare; not being able to get the treatments needed, or getting the treatment and then being drop and struck with the bill. I know of a handful of people that have had cancer and have no problem in getting the care they needed. I feel that the main problem is that the people involved in health insurance are in it for money. The problem with the movie is that Moore finds the worse cases that he can find. When he goes to other countries that have free health care he shows that it is free but he does not go into how much the government taxes the people or what other government run programs suffer. Jake Boden
The health care system in the United States is grossly overpriced and corrupt. When compaired to the health care plans seen so far in Sicko, I can't help but wonder how we managed not to fall lower in the Health Care Rankings. Its horrible! Socialist health care seems like the best choice anymore. Yes, it will make a persons taxes raise, but in this way you will be able to rest easy, knowing that your loved ones will get the help they need if they were to get sick or injured. Even if you have health care yourself, how can you be sure something won't happen to have your plan rejected. A treatment that could save your life might be denied because it will cost your insurance company to much money. The U.K.s method of paying 6 pounds and 65 pence for any and all medication would be a God send for many Americans. Medication prices here are ridiculus.
If we had a Socialist Health Care, we would probably be better off. People that couldn't afford the care they needed wouldn't have to worry. Like the elderly Canadian, the man with the golf injury, said "Someone has to take care of them." ~Amanda Hall
Jinny
The healthcare system in the United States is really shitty. I'v always thought we should have nation wide health care for all Americans. I can't get insurance because I have asthma. It would cost me approx. 1000 up front to get regular health care. I also got sick recently and had to get bloodwork done. It cost me 500 dollars! I know I wouldn't mind paying more tax dollars for health care. Everyone would gain from this. Think about going in for a major surgery, and not having to pay for it. Instead you would pay a few extra dollars a month towards everyones healthcare. I think that sounds a lot better then this "fair" system we got going on right now.
The U.S. healthcare system is rediculous. I had insurance through working at a hospital and went to the doctor for a constant cough. My doctor assumed it was asthma, which I thought was false, she sent me to get a breathing treatment, she prescribed me a inhaler, and meds that were supposed to help. Just recently I recieved a letter from a company saying I had to respnd about a bill by a certain time or it would be bad on my credit. After giving me the run-around for about two weeks I find out that the insurance didn't cover it. The bill was about $450.00 and I am now paying on it, but with no job and going to school, as well as paying my insurance now that is $100.00/month....Bullshit!!! It really is crap. After watching the first part of the movie, I want to move to Britain or Cananda!! Would help relieve a TON of stress.
alreed1
I have a few personal stories involving the good old American healthcare system. But I'll start this blog with a story about someone that I knew from a placed I worked at in the late 1990's. She moved here from Russia to get away from oppression and to live the "American Dream". We worked at Telemarketing Company. She worked full time so she had the company "health insurance". I know I worked there for almost three years and I'm sure she started working there before I did. I had worked in her section a few times and we had talked in between (I forget what we called our victims on the other end of our telephone solicitations but I’ll call them) clients. So I knew her some before she got sick but just basic stuff, I didn't her enough to have known that she was really sick until the day that my work place had a sort of party for her. The bosses all said they were behind all the way, gave her flowers, some fellow TSR's (Telephone Sales Reprehensive) give her a hug and there were a few tears. I had to ask what was going on and was informed that she had breast cancer. She worked there awhile longer, but soon there after gone from the work force. I eventually step out of my own comfort zone and went to visit her at her home, where I got the privilege of getting to know this strong individual more. It was then that I found out that she was from Russia. She loved cats, she took in strayed and injured cats nursed them back to health some she adapted out and some she kept. I know your thinking her house must have been a mess but it really wasn’t. She was very thankful for what she had and the opportunities she was given to be here. This is also when my eyes where first opened to "Americas new population reduction plan". Her health insurance denied her claim to receive treatment, saying that it was pre-existing. While she did know that something was wrong, and she did go to doctors trying to find an explanation for the pain, “it must be stress”, was what she was told and sent on her way. SSI turned her down which they usually do at least three times when apply before they finally approving a person. The last time I saw her was three days before she died I prayed with her, her said she wanted me to come back but I didn’t make it back before she died. So I guess I’ll leave this blog with some of her story.
I myself have had a very personal run-in with the american healthcare system. I spent 9 months in a hospital every other week and received a costly amount of medical care. After insurance covered their share my family was left with about 12,000 in hospital bills. For me the system worked out in my favor but for many others... it doesn't. the American healthcare system does need a little work but it might not be as bad as everyone says. I know I can't say that it is because I have not experienced it but neither have most of those that talk about how bad it is.
Brandon Harrison
I think that the U.S. should have the medical price as the other countries. I believe the U.S. should change it because look at the way other people live in other countries. They live with less stress to worry about paying their hospital bill. A couple years ago I had to go to the hospital because I was very sick. My mom has medical insurance, but she is still paying payment on it.
Post a Comment