Michael Moore may not be the most objective film-maker in the world but I think that his heart is in the right place. Sicko (which I have just picked up on DVD from America) looks at health inequalities in America.
Health services in America are not free at the point of need. You only get essential health care if you can pay for it or your HMO will let you have it. Sicko is filled with examples of avoidable death that is due to insurance red tape. The worst example, for me, was the story of a young girl with sepsis who had health insurance. Her mother called 911 and an ambulance took her to a hospital that was not approved by her insurance company. The insurance company told her mother to drive the girl to an approved hospital but she died on arrival.
The NHS and other European health services are held up as a model of excellence which does seem odd to me as an NHS doctor. However we are a social medicine provider and that makes me feel good. I never have to tell a patient that we can't treat them because their insurance will not cover them and I hope this never happens in Britain.
The archive footage of the American Medical Association opposing state funded health care is rather offensive and I now have another reason to dislike Richard Nixon. This film may be propaganda but I like it.
For more see
http://www.michaelmoore.com/
If you are American and you want free health care you can always marry a Canadian
Try
http://www.hookacanuck.com/
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