Sicko – The movie opens the debate on alternative medical treatment

Michael Moore's new movie Sicko is not just a call for medical reform in the U.S., it is a cold, sobering reminder to Canadians just how valuable our public sponsored healthcare system truly is.

Specifically addressed to the American public, Sicko poses the same question over and over again, “what kind of society allows its most vulnerable citizens to be ravaged during their time of greatest need?” The movie goes on to imply that the US health insurance industry, with programs such as HMOs, are literally in charge of that country's healthcare system. Moore spotlights the US government's phobia of socialized programs and the inferred consequences that a universal healthcare system would have on Americans.
This is an ironic position considering that one of largest publicly paid, government directed social program in the world is the U.S. military.
The stark reality is that a comprehensive healthcare system for Americans could save more American lives than US military does and for a fraction of the cost.

To be fair, Sicko does not present a balanced view of healthcare in the United States, nor does it focus on any benefits or successes that the private system provides. As well, in his comparison to the Canadian, British and French systems, Moore fails to illustrate issues such as the extended wait times Canadians have to face for some surgical procedures. While it touches on the taxation factor as the source of support for universal healthcare, the over riding message from the movie is “healthcare is free”, which clearly is not the case.

What Sicko does successfully point out, is that healthcare is less affected by a country's economic position and more determined by the political will to provide for its people. Cuba, as an example, with all its imposed political and economic pressures, has one of the most effective healthcare systems in the world. While not perfect, the Cuban system does show that healthcare and life expectancy is not germane to the exclusion of high risk individuals or the amount of economic recourses available.

In the final analysis, Sicko may not immediately change views or the political will of its intended market. However like his other social commentaries such as Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 911, Michael Moore has once again raised the public conciseness as he turns the focus on healthcare issues, and that is a good thing.