To strive, to seek, to find…

 Have never had so many comments on one article… If you’re interested, have a read after the jump.

Dr. Laurent Colvin, DC: … http://www.ColvinChiropractic.com

I am glad to read that Michael Moore’s movie SICKO has been received so well in London. He does paint a rather good picture of the NHS system as compared to the for-profit-health-insurance-system we have in the U.S.A.

While it is true that the United States health care system sucks, really really badly, I feel compelled to point out that the World Health Organization has ranked the NHS 18th out of 190 countries. Certainly this is a fantastic ranking as compared to ours of 37th, but I feel that those who live under the NHS system should take note and strive to better their system as well.

There is a massive movement afoot in the U.S. by numerous parties to increase the quality of our health care system. The best proposal out there has been authored by Senator Conyers and Congressmen Kucinich, a single payer bill which has passed our house of representatives called HR-676.

Are the people of England happy that their system hasn’t even made it into the top ten? Do they care that France has the honor of being number 1? What has to happen for people to get off their duff and scream bloody murder about how they are treated by their health care system?

I suspect that the powers that exist in the United States, health insurance providers, will stop at nothing to keep their profit margins as high as possible, by reducing their services as much as possible. What’s your excuse?

1

October 29, 2007

Suchandrika: … http://suchandrika.wordpress.com

Hi Laurent,

Thanks for the comment. It’s good to know that some readers are inflamed enough by the subject to write back.

I agree with you that the NHS is far from perfect and it is a huge shame that it is so far down on the WHO’s rankings.

It must be remembered, though, that France, despite its top spot, has severe financial problems due to its healthcare system. It’s hard to win. Have a look at a BMJ article on this here: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/328/7451/1278.

Moore’s film certainly doesn’t get into the problems of the NHS, although his letter to the LFF shows that he is aware of them. One particularly memorable example of glossing over such things is when Tony Benn reads out the list of original principles of the NHS in the film. The list mentions free dental care. Now that really doesn’t exist in Britain these days; most people have to pay for dental visits. It’s an instance of creeping privatisation that isn’t explored in the film because it’s beyond the bounds of the argument.

There is no “excuse” for the NHS’s failings, but I think Sicko is less about that, and much more about getting Americans on board for Moore’s campaign against the insurance system; more of which here: http://www.democracynow.org/ar…14/1413243

My opinion is that Moore’s use of the NHS examples in the film are about giving Americans a better idea of what socialised medicine can deliver, rather than giving a warts-and-all view of it. I have to admit, Sicko made me pretty glad to have the NHS in place, despite the bad press it gets in our newspapers.

2

October 29, 2007

Comments part deux this way…

Link to review

Post on review

michael moore