Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by mollyjade on June 27, 2007 at 12:10pm

I'm excited to see the movie and to hear people discuss our healthcare system. I get really angry when I think about the quality of healthcare for chronic illnesses in our country. How many times have we all heard from someone with diabetes who had a GP say, "Looks like your A1c is 8.5. Here are your prescriptions. I'll see you in a year"? Or someone newly diagnosed who is given a monitor and a prescription and sent on home? I had diabetes for 20 years before a doctor ever checked my feet. Whenever I asked about it, I was told, "Oh, you're too young to have problems with your feet."

The US is a great place to be if you need an organ transplant or if you have a heart atack or any immediate emergency, but under the current system chronic illnesses require a high level of education, organization, and committment.

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Permalink Reply by Kendra on June 27, 2007 at 2:15pm

I won't go into a long diatribe on the health care system as it is (others can do so more eloquently than I ever could) - but I will say that I am glad to get any attention, even if it's via Mr. Moore. He may not be our best or most accurate advocate, but he'll get folks talking about it. That is something, anyway.

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Permalink Reply by Mama Belle, aka Heidi on June 27, 2007 at 10:19pm

Can't wait to see the movie. Whether one is a fan of Michael Moore or not, it is bound to raise some interesting points. I , too, feel very blessed to live here, but I also get so frustrated with the way our medical system is set up. I don't blame the caregivers, the doctors, the nurses and researchers who work endless hours to make our lives better. But I do think something is inherently wrong with our system when people who could manage their diabetes and live long, healthy productive lives are forced into a situation where they are choosing between putting food on the table or medication into their bodies.

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Permalink Reply by Travis Grubbs on June 28, 2007 at 2:58pm

I am a private home inspector and I am code certified. I have seen how local governments have succeeded and failed in enforcing the International Residential Bulding Code, which the State of Georgia (United States) adopted into State Law. Last year I got so mad that I notified the State of Georgia about a house that had numerous serious code defects. The response was one of helplessness, but I was informed that the homeowner could sue the builder (if they had the money to afford such an endeavor).

While I see the conflicts, and short falls, of having our health care system ran as a for profit enterprise, I am deeply concerned about having the US Government manage our health care. How are they going to be held accountable? I think that steps are desperatley needed to expand affordable health care coverage, but hasn't the States and Federal Government tried to do that through the respective Medicaid and Medicare Systems? How has that worked?

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Permalink Reply by Next Dimensions on June 28, 2007 at 3:23pm

The only way we can gain our collective health back, is to to take FULL responsibility for OUR health. I agree with Travis, giving control to the Government is a horrible shot in the foot; look at what they have done over the years. Everything in the government is a huge bureaucratic ball of red tape that is so sealed and confusing, you would spend your life fighting through it to find your health.

Unless we are speaking of a trauma event, there is no reason to go to a traditional doctor or hospital. Why would you? Look at where we are: 100 years into advanced medicine and we have 90% of sick people with chronic disease that has 'no cure'. When this cycle first started, it was only 10%

Please read about how to cleanse your filter organs (liver & kidneys) and how to cleanse your colon. Please read about how Psychosomatics are involved in your health. Please stop eating like the 10 year old kid on the videos page (the soccer kid).

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Permalink Reply by Kristofer Ruiz on June 29, 2007 at 7:56am

I think it's unfortunate that Michael Moore made this film. Yes, it's a subject that needs serious addressing, but just the fact that it's Michael Moore, along with the way he goes about saying what he wants to say (which he has every right to do), will turn people away from it. It ticks me off that he just had to choose Cuba. Yes, I'm Cuban, and I have my feelings about it's government, etc. etc., but that's not my point. There are other countries with excellent healthcare. However, seeing as no one can remember the last time Denmark pissed anyone off, it just doesn't do it for him. He has every right to say what he wants and how he wants to, but Moore should realize that it's his way of saying things that get people mad, rather than what he's saying. I sat down once to watch his 9/11 film, just to see what it was all about. Fifteen minutes in I was tired of his narration. It sounded like he was talking to a bunch of slow minded kindergarten kids.

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Permalink Reply by Manny Hernandez on July 1, 2007 at 11:59am

I can understand your point, Kristofer (my mom is Cuban-born and fled Cuba in 1959 and my uncle was a political prisoner of the Castro regime, so I grew up listening to Alvarez Guedez anti-Castro stories).

I haven't seen SICKO yet (here's a post about SICKO from Caro, another member who saw it), but everyone I've talked to about it so far seems to be on the same page in terms of it being good that this is being brought to the forefront.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on July 1, 2007 at 1:47pm

I'm not a big fan of his, but the movie was very well done. I left feeling quite disturbed- anxious about the future and saddened by how some people are presently living.

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Permalink Reply by Susan Anderson on July 5, 2007 at 11:51pm

I just finished watching SICKO about 5 minutes ago and I can say, it left me feeling very sad. I think the problem with America today is that we still really, truely think we're the greatest nation in the world. We're not. There are many countries out there taking much better care of their citizens than America. That's so sad for us Amercians. I always believed growing up that we were the greatest nation in the world but now, with some perspective, I realize that we are not. The last 15 minutes of the movie -where he takes the workers of 911 to Cuba and they receive all the medical care they need for free in Cuba is so moving and distrubing at the same time. How utterly pathetic that these brave individuals have to leave the US to be treated. It really makes you wonder. All of those with Diabetes should be screaming to their Congress & Senators about this film and demanding Universal Healthcare. Nothing changes without action.

My son is 17 months old and was diagnosed with D1 in April of this year. I realize now that any dreams we had of starting our own business are gone because we could never, ever get health insurance for him. In fact, after 4 days in the Stanford PICU when he was diangosed, I got home and got a letter from our insurance company saying they were going to deny his coverage because of a pre-existing condition!! Really, that's what I needed to be dealing with emotionally after finding out his diagnosis. I really needed to hear from the *ucking insurance company that they weren't going to cover this diagnosis. It's bad enough that I had to give my baby 4 shots a day and 10 BG prick and that these bastards wanted to know if this baby had a pre-existing condition!!! Thank God we had a group plan or we really would have been in the weeds. The 4 days in the hospital was over $75,000 and that doesn't include all the medicine we had to get. Within a month we had reached our out of pocket max of $2500. I think that folks who see this movie who are in good health and never had to deal with illness will think Michael Moore is crazy. Those of us who have had to battle the insurance company and deal with the endless letters, etc. will know that he hit the bulls eye with this one.

I remember back in the 80s when Hillary Clinton was working on Univeral Healthcare coverage for American's while her hubby was the president. I worked in Human Resourses at a Biotech company at the time and let me tell you, most of my job was working the Health Care system for my employees. I would tell them to be a consumer and work the system in order to get the best coverage. I thought at the time that Hillary was doing a great job but everyone HATED her. I was very active in the grassroots lobbying for Universal Coverage at that time so I felt I really knew what was at stake. Here was this extremely bright woman, working for free for the American people, trying to get the goverment to cover something that should be every person's right. I knew they would vilify her and you know what, I was right. America wasn't ready for someone like her. My prediction is, they still aren't. That's America's loss.

Until you are without coverage or someone in your family is - it's not real to you. When you become the story, then you will feel it, live and and hopefully, not die from it.

I'm really hoping that our country will change soon. No one should have to chose between food and medicine, coverage for their child or rent , etc...

Ok, my rant is done. Manny, I love your site. Go see the movie and prepare yourself for many surprises. At a minimum, the discussion around the table with the expats that live in France is amazing!! Makes you want to pack your bags and leave on the next plane....

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Permalink Reply by Manny Hernandez on July 7, 2007 at 7:50pm

So, what would you ask the candidates for US President, in regards to diabetes, insurance, etc. if you were in front of them?

There are things that are just wrong, and it seems to me that until the vicious circle of the conflict of interests at so many levels (government, insurance companies, pharma, etc.) is broken, the prospects of the US are not too good.

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Permalink Reply by Andreina Davila on July 5, 2007 at 12:30pm

In response to Kerri's blog post:

Yesterday, we went to see SICKO. I expected the film was going to make me feel angry and courageous and ready to take action... however, it was different this time...I felt many things, but mostly I felt deeply touched , concerned and sad.

During the film, I cried many times… I did not cry for any political agenda, or because there are or not countries with better systems...

For me, it is more about universal values, people should not be denied health care if needed. I just cannot get it. It is not fair, it is not human, and mostly, I don’t think it is necessary in a country like this, so great, with so many resources.

This film did make me think too! And I am really glad it is out there, available, opening channels of communication and debate. I think it is a good thing that Michael Moore knows how to touch our buttons… and I truly I believe that with time, openness and communication only good things come off of exposing a situation that touches ALL of us so deeply.

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