Sicko, directed by Michael Moore

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Sicko, directed by Michael Moore

Postby admin » Mon Aug 23, 2021 1:25 am

Sicko
written, directed and produced by Michael Moore
© 2007 Dog Eat Dog Films, Inc.

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Re: Sicko, directed by Michael Moore

Postby admin » Mon Aug 23, 2021 1:26 am

Part 1 of 4

SICKO-- SCREENPLAY
written, directed and produced by Michael Moore
© 2007 Dog Eat Dog Films, Inc.

Sicko, directed by Michael Moore -- Illustrated Screenplay & Screencap Gallery
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Fahrenheit 9/11, directed by Michael More -- Illustrated Screenplay & Screencap Gallery
Will They Ever Trust Us Again? -- Letters from The War Zone, by Michael Moore
An UnReasonable Man, directed by Henriette Mantel, starring Ralph Nader -- Illustrated Screenplay & Screencap Gallery

[Transcribed from the movie by Tara Carreon]

THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

["President" George W. Bush] We got issue in America. Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many ob-gyns aren't able to practice their love with women across this country.

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[Adam] I don't have a job. I don't want to have any more debt out to anybody else. I'm flushing the wound.

[Michael Moore] This is Adam.

THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY PRESENTS

He had an accident.

A DOG EAT DOG FILMS PRODUCTION

He's one of the nearly 50 million Americans with no health insurance.

SICKO

But this film isn't about Adam.

[Rick] So this is the table saw. It was spinning that way ...

[Michael Moore] This is Rick.

Associate Producer: REHYA YOUNG

[Rick] I was gripping a piece of wood and I grabbed it here and it hit a knot.

[Michael Moore] He sawed off the tops of two of his fingers.

[Rick] ... and it was that quick.

Line Producer: JENNIFER LATHAM

[Michael Moore] His first thought?

[Rick] I don't have insurance. Am I gonna have to pay cash for this? $2,000, $3,000 or more? Does that mean we're not gonna get a car?

Editors: DAN SWIETLIK, GEOFFREY RICHMAN, CHRISTOPHER SEWARD

[Michael Moore] Rick also doesn't have health coverage. So the hospital gave him a choice. Reattach the middle finger for $60,000. Or do the ring finger for $12,000.

[Mrs. Rick] It's an awful feeling to just try to put a value on your body.

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Co-Producer: ANNE MOORE

[Michael Moore] Being a hopeless romantic, Rick chose the ring finger, for the bargain price of 12 grand.

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The top of his middle finger now enjoys its new home in an Oregon landfill.

Executive Producers: KATHLEEN GLYNN, HARVEY WEINSTEIN, BOB WEINSTEIN

[Rick] I can do that thing where, you know, the old man used to pull the finger off.

Producer: MEGHAN O'HARA

[Michael Moore] This movie isn't about Rick either. Yes, there are nearly 50 million Americans with no health insurance. They pray every day they don't get sick, because 18,000 of them will die this year, simply because they're uninsured. But this movie isn't about them. It's about the 250 million of you who have health insurance. Those of you who are living the American Dream.

Written, Produced, and Directed by MICHAEL MOORE

***

It's moving day for Larry and Donna Smith. They've packed everything they own in these two cars. And are driving to Denver, Colorado, to their new home ...

[Larry Smith] Hi.

[Donna Smith] Hello.

[Michael Moore] in their daughter's storage room.

[Daughter Smith] This is home, sweet home.

[Donna Smith] Look at all that stuff.

[Daughter Smith] We'll get everything organized.

[Donna Smith] We will.

[Larry Smith] What do we do with the computer?

[Donna Smith] It stays.

[Daughter Smith] It stays there.

[Donna Smith] So this is where Heather talked about we might have to put bunk beds.

[Larry Smith] I see what she's talking about.

[Michael Moore] It wasn't supposed to end up like this for Larry and Donna. They both had good jobs.

Opinion: Taking a Breather, Farewell for Now: Donna Smith, News Noise

She was a newspaper editor. And he was a union machinist. They raised six kids who all went to fine schools like the University of Chicago. But Larry had a heart attack. And then another one. And then another one. And then Donna got cancer. And even though they had health insurance, the copays and deductibles soon added up to the point where they could no longer afford to keep their home.

[Donna Smith] If somebody told me ten years ago this was gonna happen to us because of healthcare, I would have said, "It's not possible. Not in the United States. We wouldn't let that happen to people."

[Larry Smith] Are we gonna quit?

[Donna Smith] No. It's just hard.

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[Michael Moore] They were bankrupt, so they moved in with their daughter.

[Donna Smith] We'll get it all figured out.

[Daughter Smith] We emptied the dresser so you have a spot.

[Donna Smith] Nice, very nice.

[Michael Moore] Even their son Danny popped in from across town to welcome them to Denver.

[Danny Smith] What do we do about people like you?

[Donna Smith] I don't know, that's a good question.

[Danny Smith] You're supposed to pay a deductible for $9,000, I understand. That's healthcare. What about people like Kathy and I that have to come up there and move you every five years, every two years, ever year 'cause you don't have enough money?

[Larry Smith] That's what Russell says too.

[Donna Smith] I'm sorry. It's not what we wanted to have happen in life. And we're doing what we can to make the change. You don't know what that feels like inside at 50-some years old to have to reach out to my 20-something-year-old for help.

[Danny Smith] It's gonna be hard for four, five, six, seven months, it's gonna be hard.

[Larry Smith] I have a feeling of you bring your problems with you no matter where you go.

[Donna Smith] Yeah.

[Larry Smith] But I don't know what to do about that.

[Michael Moore] By sheer coincidence, their daughter's husband, Paul, was leaving on a job the very same day they arrived. Paul was a contractor, but there weren't many jobs lately, so he found work out of town.

[Larry Smith] I'm sure you'll keep a telephone conversation.

[Paul] Email you.

[Donna Smith] You're gonna be just fine, lovies.

[Larry Smith] Weird situation, isn't it?

[Michael Moore] Tell me where Daddy's going.

[Son] Iraq.

[Michael Moore] Why is Daddy going to Iraq?

[Son] To do some plumbing.

***

[Frank Cardile] Oh, boy. This I do early in the morning. The first thing I do is I clean here.

[Michael Moore] At age 79, Frank Cardile should be kicking back on a beach somewhere. But even though he's insured by Medicare, it doesn't cover all the cost of the drugs that he and his wife need.

[Frank Cardile] Being that I'm an employee here, my medicine is for free. So that's why I gotta keep working. Until I die. There is nothing wrong with that. OK. I always gotta keep my ears open because there's always spillages. Sometimes you get a gallon of milk. Tomato sauce -- oh, you're in trouble. It'll take a half-hour to clean that up. And I look up on every aisle so as everything is clean. If I see something I pick it up, whether it's paper or garbage. One day I had the keys in my hand and they went in there. And I had to climb in there to get the keys out. It's a sad situation. If there are golden years, I can't find 'em, I'll tell you that.

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She had a painkiller for her hip. The girl said, "Frank, this is $213." "What, for a painkiller?"

[Mrs. Cardile] I didn't take it.

[Frank Cardile] I backed off. I said, "I gotta come back."

[Mrs. Cardile] What's in them? What's in these new drugs that they distribute? I don't believe you need half of the things they tell you. I have never taken medication now, as I'm getting older. I don't even like to take an aspirin. I do like a little brandy.

***

[Laura Burnham] I don't really know how this happened, but the trunk came forward into the back seat.

[Michael Moore] Laura Burnham was in a head-on collision that knocked her out cold. Paramedics got her out of the car and into an ambulance for a trip to the hospital.

[Laura Burnham] I get a bill from my insurance company telling me that the ambulance ride was not going to be paid for because it wasn't preapproved. I don't know exactly when I was supposed to preapprove it, you know? Like after I gain consciousness in the car, before I got in the ambulance?

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I should have grabbed my cellphone off the street and called in the ambulance? I mean, it's just crazy.

***

[Woman] I applied for HealthNet insurance for Jason. They rejected him because of his height and weight. Jason is six feet tall and 130 pounds.

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"Too Thin"

***

[Woman] I applied for healthcare through BlueCross BlueShield, and they told me that my body mass index was too high. I'm 5'1", I weigh 175 pounds.

"Too fat"

***

[Michael Moore] I always thought health insurance companies were there to help us. So I posted a note on the Internet asking people if they had had any similar stories ...

Friday, February 3rd, 2006: Send Me Your Health Care Stories ... Michael Moore

about problems with their insurance company.

Inbox: 35
Inbox: 706

Within 24 hours, I had over 3,700 responses. And by the end of the week, over 25,000 people had sent me their healthcare horror stories. Some of them decided not to wait for me to get back to them. Like Doug Noe, who took matters into his own hands, without my permission. His daughter was nine months old when they discovered she was going deaf. His health insurance company, CIGNA, said they'd pay for an implant in only one of her ears. According to the letter they sent, it's experimental for her to hear in two ears.

[Doug Noe] If a cochlear implant is good for one ear, it doesn't even make any sense that it wouldn't be good for the second ear. Especially when a child is just starting to learn how to talk, she has to learn from both sides of her head.

[Michael Moore] That's when he sat down to write CIGNA a letter.

[Doug Noe] This is to CIGNA. "Noted filmmaker Michael Moore, is in the process of gathering information for his next film. I've sent information concerning CIGNA's lack of caring for its policy holders. Has your CEO ever been in a film before?"

[Michael Moore] Before he knew it, he received a call on his voice mail from CIGNA.

[Answerphone] Tuesday. 8:54 a.m.

[Edward, CIGNA HEADQUARTERS] Hi Mr. Noe, this is Edward from CIGNA Healthcare. I was giving you a call in regards to Annette. Got some good news for you: The specialist review has come back. And the decision is to overturn the previous denial. The specialist has approved the appeal for the second, um, Cochlear implant. Thank you.

[Doug Noe] Obviously all this worked because Annette is going to get her second implant in July.

***

[Woman] "Dear Mike, I work in the industry."

[Woman #2] "I work for an HMO."

[Michael Moore] I started to get hundreds of letters of a different sort, from people who work inside the healthcare industry.

"I hate HMO's"

They'd seen everything and they were fed up with it.

[Man #2] "Health insurance companies suck. Flat suck."

[Michael Moore] Like Becky Malke, who was in charge of keeping sick people away from one of America's top insurance companies.

[Becky Malke] I work in a call center, so people call in and ask for insurance quotes. There are certain preexisting conditions, basically industry-wide, that will not be covered: diabetes, heart disease, certain forms of cancer. If you have these conditions, you are likely not going to get your health insurance.

[Michael Moore] How long is this list of conditions that make you ineligible?

[Becky Malke] It would be a really long list. It would be a long list. It could wrap around this house.

IF YOU HAVE THESE CONDITIONS, YOU CAN'T GET INSURANCE.

"Star Wars" theme plays

A
Addison's disease
Adrenal disorder
Adult respiratory distress syndrome
AIDS, ARC, or HIV
Alcohol dependence
Alport's syndrome
Alzheimer's disease
Amyloidosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Anemia
Anencephaly
Aneurysm
Angina
Angioplasty
Ankylosing spondylitis
Anticoagulant therapy
Aortic arch arteritis
Aortic insufficiency/stenosis/regurgitation
Aortitis
Arnold-Chiari malformation
Arterial embolism (clot)
Arterial occlusion
Arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO)
Arteriovenus malformation
Arterities
Artificial heart valve
Asperger's syndrome
Ascites
Ataxia telangiectasia
Atherosclerosis obliterans
Atherosclerosis thrombotic disease
Atrial fibrillation
Atrial septal defect
Autism

B
Banti's syndromeBerger's disease
Biliary cirrhosis
Bipolar disorder
Bladder entropy - symptomatic
Blastomycosos
Brachial plexus disorder
Brain attack
Bright's disease
Bronchiectasis
Bronchiolectasis
Burger's disease
Burkitt's lymphoma
Bypass surgery

C
Cachexia
Cancer
Cardiac decompensation
Cardiac defibrillator (implantable)
Cardiomegaly
Cardiomyopathy
Central serous retinopathy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebrovascular accident
Cerebrovascular disease
Charoct-Marie-Tooth disease
Chediak-Higashi syndrome
Childhood and adolescent emotional disorders
Christmas disease
Chromosomal abnormalities
Chronic graulomatous disease
Chronic hepatitis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Cirrhosis of the liver
Coarctation of the aorta
Cocaine abuse
Colitis (ulcerative)
Collagen disease
Congenital heart anomalies
Congenital lymphedema
Congestive heart failure (CF)
Connective tissue disorder
Cor pulmonale
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Corononary artery disease (CAD)
Coronoary heart disease (CHD)
CREST syndrome
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Crohn's disease
Curvature of the spine
Cushing syndrome
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic kidney disease
Dystic medial necrosis

D
Dejerine type sclerosis
Delirium
Delusions
Dementia
Demyelinating disease
Depressant addiction
Dermatitis herpetiformis
Dermatomyositis
Depression-major
DiGeorge syndrome
Diabetes insipidus
Diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2)
Disorders of autonomic nervous system
Down dependence or abuse
Drug psychosis

E
Eaton-Lambert syndrome
Ebstein's malformation
Edward's syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Eisenmenger's complex
Electroconvulsive therapy
Embolism
Encephalocele
Encephalocystocele
EncephalopathyEosinophilic granuloma
Esophageal varices

F
Fabry's disease
Factor VIII or XI deficiency
Familial polyposis
Fatty liver
Fragile X syndrome
Fragilitas ossium

G
Galactorrhea
Gargoylism
Gastric banding/bypass/stapling
Gaucher's disease
Gender identity disorder
General paresis
Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome
Glycogen storage disease

H
Hallucinations
Hand-Schueller-Christian disease
Heart attack or disease
Heart enlargement/hypertrophy
Heart-lung transplants
Heavy chain disease

[Becky Malke] Sometimes you know they're gonna be declined at the end of the application, and they're like ... God, like one time I had a couple, and they were so happy to get ... I'm gonna cry. They were so happy that they were ... I took them through this application. And the husband was late for work. And the wife said to him, "Don't worry, baby, it's gonna be OK. We have health insurance now." And when I looked, I could tell they were gonna get declined because of their health conditions. And they were so happy. I thought, "God, they're gonna get that call in a couple of weeks telling them that they're not eligible for insurance."

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I just felt so bad 'cause I just really thought, and I knew and I couldn't say anything to them. I just felt like crap. That's why I'm such a bitch on the phone to people because I don't wanna get to know them. I don't wanna know about their lives. I just wanna get in and out, and get done with it, 'cause I can't take the stress of it.

[Michael Moore] In spite of Becky being a bit of a pain on the phone ...

KAISER PERMANENTE THRIVE

a quarter billion Americans are still able to get health insurance.

UNITED HEALTHCARE -- IT JUST MAKES SENSE.

PS FAMILY HEALTHCARE -- EVERY AMERICAN DESERVES AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE: 1-800-291-5292

Let's meet some of these happy insured customers. Maria has BlueShield. And Diane, Horizon Blue Cross. BCS insures Laurel. And Caroline has CIGNA. And it's a good thing that they're all fully covered.

[Laurel] I ended up being diagnosed with retroperitoneal cancer.

[Maria Watanabe] Brain tumor.

[Caroline] Breast cancer.

[Diane] Brain tumor on the right temporal lobe.

[Michael Moore] As they were insured, they got the red-carpet treatment at the doctor's office.

[Maria Watanabe] She requested for me to see a neurologist.

[Diane] The way they would treat it was to remove it.

[Laurel] Surgery was scheduled for December 9.

[Caroline] There is a test that you can take that will show whether or not you would benefit from chemo.

[Michael Moore] They got their treatment, but not before battling their insurance companies.

[Laurel] Investigated whether or not this was a preexisting condition.

[Maria Watanabe] "It's not medically necessary."

[Caroline] They claim that it's experimental.

[Diane] "We don't consider that life-threatening."

[Michael Moore] Diane died from her non life-threatening tumor.

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Laurel's cancer is now spread throughout her body. Her "experimental test" proved that Caroline needed chemo. While vacationing in Japan, Maria became ill, and got the MRI that BlueShield of California had refused to approve. The doctors in Japan told her she had a brain tumor. BlueShield had said repeatedly she didn't have a tumor. That's when she said: "Well, I'm pretty sure I have a lawyer."

Maria Watanabe vs. Blue Shield, CA, et al.

[Lawyer] March 13, 2003. I'm gonna direct your attention to exhibit one. Please describe for me what it is.

[Glen L. Hollinger, M.D., Medical Director for GSMPA, Contracted medical group for Blue Shield of California] It is a denial for referral to an opthalmologist.

[Lawyer] Is it your signature on this?

[Glen L. Hollinger, M.D., Medical Director for GSMPA, Contracted medical group for Blue Shield of California] Yes.

[Lawyer] I'd like to direct your attention to exhibit two.

[Glen L. Hollinger, M.D., Medical Director for GSMPA, Contracted medical group for Blue Shield of California] This is a denial of a request for referral for a magnetic resonance imaging test of the brain.

[Lawyer] It has your signature?

[Glen L. Hollinger, M.D., Medical Director for GSMPA, Contracted medical group for Blue Shield of California] Yes.

[Lawyer] Directing your attention to exhibit three. Please read this document.

[Glen L. Hollinger, M.D., Medical Director for GSMPA, Contracted medical group for Blue Shield of California] This is a denial of a referral to a neurosurgeon.

[Lawyer] Can you explain for me how you came to sign the denial letter?

[Glen L. Hollinger, M.D., Medical Director for GSMPA, Contracted medical group for Blue Shield of California] This is a standard signature put on all denial letters.

[Lawyer] Is it your signature or a stamp?

[Glen L. Hollinger, M.D., Medical Director for GSMPA, Contracted medical group for Blue Shield of California] This is a stamp.

[Lawyer] Did you ever see a denial letter before your signature was stamped on it?

[Glen L. Hollinger, M.D., Medical Director for GSMPA, Contracted medical group for Blue Shield of California] No, but the denial letters are fundamentally the same. The denial letters that are sent out ...

[Dr. Hollinger's Lawyer] The answer is no.

[Glen L. Hollinger, M.D., Medical Director for GSMPA, Contracted medical group for Blue Shield of California] No. All right.

***

[Linda Peeno, M.D.] The definition of a good director was somebody who saves the company money.

[Michael Moore] Dr. Linda Peeno was a medical reviewer for Humana. She left her job because she didn't like their way of doing business.

[Linda Peeno, M.D.] I was told when I started that I had to keep a 10% denial. Then they were giving us reports weekly that would have all the cases we reviewed, the percent approved and the percent denied. And our actual percentage denial rate. Then there would be another report that compared me to all the other reviewers. The doctor with the highest percent of denials was gonna get a bonus.

[Michael Moore] Really? So you, as a doctor, working for the HMO, if you denied more people healthcare, you got a bonus?

[Linda Peeno, M.D.] That was how they set it up. Any payment for a claim is referred to as a medical loss. That's the terminology the industry uses. I mean, when you don't spend money on somebody, you deny their care, or you make a decision that brings money in and you don't have to spend it, it's a savings to the company.

***

[Michael Moore] This is Tarsha Harris. BlueCross didn't deny her treatment, and actually approved her operation. But then they discovered that in the distant past she had had a yeast infection.

[Tarsha Harris] Apparently it's common. Men, women can get a yeast infection. So I was prescribed the yeast infection cream, general cream, and it went away.

[Heather McKeon, Attorney for Tarsha Harris] She later applied for health insurance, and that's what you're supposed to be disclosing -- serious ailments. The yeast infection is not a serious ailment. There was nothing she could have done. It wasn't until they were gonna have to spend money that they looked. If they'd taken five minutes and wanted to clear up the yeast infection, they could've looked at her records or talked to her doctor.

[Michael Moore] Because of the undisclosed yeast infection, Blue Cross dropped Tarsha Harris.

[Heather McKeon, Attorney for Tarsha Harris] She thinks she's put this behind her. And then BlueCross changes their mind, tells the doctors, "We're taking the money back, go get the money from Tarsha."

[Tarsha Harris] The fact of the matter is it was a yeast infection, that's all it was. I'm still a little bitter because I don't trust insurance companies now. To me, it seems they're always gonna be looking for a way out.

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What happened to helping the person that's sick? Don't make their problems worse.

***

[Michael Moore] This is Lee Einer. If they weren't able to weed you out in the application process, or deny you the care your doctor said you needed, and somehow ended up paying for the operation, they send in Lee, their hitman. His job is to get the company's money back any way he can. All he has to do is find one slip-up on your application, or a preexisting condition you didn't know you had.

[Lee Einer] We're gonna go after this like it's a murder case. And I mean the whole unit dedicated to going through your health history for the last five years, looking for anything that would indicate that you concealed something, you misrepresented something, so that they can cancel the policy, or jack the rates so high that you can't pay them. And if we couldn't find anything you didn't disclose on the application, you can still get hit with a preexisting denial, because you don't even have to have sought medical treatment for it.

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In some states, it's legal to have a prudent person preexisting condition. And that's a mouthful, I know, but what that says is if prior to your insurance kicking in you had any symptom which would incline a normally prudent person to have sought medical care, then the condition of which that symptom was a symptom is excluded. I know! It's labyrinthine, isn't it? But that's how it works. They're supposed to be even-handed, but with an insurance company, it's their frigging money! So it's not unintentional, it's not a mistake, it's not an oversight, you're not slipping through the cracks. Somebody made that crack and swept you towards it.

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And the intent is to maximize profits. Looking back, I don't know that I killed anybody. Did I do harm in people's lives? Yeah. Hell, yeah. I haven't worked for insurance companies for a long time, and I don't think that really serves to atone for my participation in that mess. I am glad I'm out of it, though.

***

[Michael Moore] Julie Pierce was struggling to get care for her husband Tracy, who was suffering from kidney cancer. Julie works in the intensive care unit at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, which provided her family with health insurance.

[Julie Pierce] Every month, there was a new drug that the doctor wanted to try. My insurance denied it. One letter might say, "not a medical necessity," one letter might say, "it's not for this particular type of cancer," and they denied it. Then we came up with the bone marrow. It has showed to stop it, sometimes to completely get rid of it.

[Michael Moore] Tracy's doctors said this treatment had been successfully tried on many other patients. If one of Tracy's brothers turned out to be a suitable donor, there were promising bone marrow treatments for beating Tracy's cancer.

[Julie Pierce] Two weeks later, the bone marrow nurse at KU called me and she goes: "We've got the results back. His youngest brother is a perfect donor match." We were ecstatic. You know, I think that's the happiest I had seen him in a while. So we submitted it and they denied it. Said it was "experimental." So I found out that there is a board of trustees over our medical plan that actually work at my hospital. And they are the final decision-makers on what gets approved and what doesn't.

[Michael Moore] Julie and her husband and their son, Tracy Junior, demanded a meeting with the health plan's board of trustees, the very people who had the power to approve their claim. They told Julie that they were sympathetic to her situation.

[Julie Pierce] I said, "Your sympathy does me no good when I'm burying him next year." And I told them, I said if I was -- Bruce van Cleve was our CEO -- I said, "I bet if it was Bruce van Cleve's wife, it would get approved." "No, it's nothing like that." I said, "Or maybe if my husband was white." And I got up and walked out of the room. When we got home, I found him up in the bathroom. And I knocked on the door and said, "What are you doing in there?" "Nothing." I opened the door 'cause usually he'll say: "What do you think I'm doing in here?" And he was sitting in there and he was crying. And he said, "Why me? I'm a good person." And I said, "But we're not done fighting this. We're strong, yeah." And then he said, you know, he goes, "I can see now that I'm gonna die." He said, "I can leave everything, but I don't want to leave you and Tracy." The doctor told me he would die in three weeks. And on January 13th, which was my birthday, he went to sleep. And he died five days later, here at home.

Image

He was my best friend. He was my soul mate. He was my son's father. I mean, we were to grow old together. They took away everything that matters. I wanna know why, why my husband? Why wasn't he given the chance to live? You preach these vision and values that we care for the sick, the dying, the poor. That we're a healthcare that leaves no one behind. You left him behind. You didn't even give him a start. It was as if he was nothing. And I want them to have a conscience about it. And I don't think they do. I don't think it has fazed them one bit. At all.

***

[Michael Moore] There was one person in the healthcare industry who did have a conscience. Dr. Linda Peeno, a former medical reviewer at Humana.

May 30, 1996, Testimony before U.S. Congress, MANAGED HEALTH CARE QUALITY STANDARDS

[Linda Peeno, M.D.] My name is Linda Peeno. I am here today to make a public confession. In the spring of 1987, as a physician, I denied a man a necessary operation that would have saved his life, and thus caused his death. No person and no group has held me accountable for this because, in fact, what I did was I saved the company a half a million dollars for this. And, furthermore, this particular act secured my reputation as a good medical doctor, and it insured my continued advancement in the healthcare field. I went from making a few hundred dollars a week as a medical reviewer, to an escalating six-figure income as a physician executive. In all my work, I had one primary duty, and that was to use my medical expertise for the financial benefit of the organization for which I worked. And I was told repeatedly that I was not denying care, I was simply denying payment. I know how managed care maims and kills patients. So I'm here to tell you about the dirty work of managed care. And I'm haunted by the thousands of pieces of paper on which I have written that deadly word -- "denied." Thank you.

***
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Re: Sicko, directed by Michael Moore

Postby admin » Mon Aug 23, 2021 1:27 am

Part 2 of 4

[Michael Moore] How did we get to the point of doctors at health insurance companies actually being responsible for the deaths of patients? Who invented this system?

HOUSE COMMERCE SUBCMTE. ON HEALTH

How did this all begin? Where did the HMO start? Thanks to the wonders of magnetic tape, we know.

February 17, 1971, 5:23 p.m.

[John Ehrlichman] We have now narrowed down the Vice President's problems on this thing to one issue, and that is whether we should include these Health Maintenance Organizations, like Edgar Kaiser's Permanente thing.

[President Richard Nixon] Now let me ask you, you know I'm not too keen on any of these damn medical programs.

[John Ehrlichman] This is a private enterprise one.

[President Richard Nixon] Well, that appeals to me.

[John Ehrlichman] Edgar Kaiser is running his Permanente deal for profit. And the reason he can do it, I had Edgar Kaiser come in and talk to me about this. And I went into it in some depth. All the incentives are toward less medical care, because the less care they give them, the more money they make.

[President Richard Nixon] Fine.

[John Ehrlichman] And the incentives run the right way.

[President Richard Nixon] Not bad.

Image

THE NEXT DAY, February 18, 1971

[President Richard Nixon] I am proposing today a new national health strategy. The purpose of this program is simply this -- I want America to have the finest healthcare in the world, and I want every American to be able to have that care when he needs it.

[Michael Moore] The plan hatched between Nixon and Edgar Kaiser worked. In the ensuing years, patients were given less and less care ...

[Reporter] Bigger logjams at the nearby hospital and less quality medical care.

[Man-Patient] Been here about 18 hours, since 7:00 this morning.

[Reporter] What looks cramped and unsightly can also be dangerous.

[Michael Moore] ... while health insurance companies became wealthy. The system was broken.

[Reporter] 37 million Americans are without protection against catastrophic illness.

[Reporter] The losers are the poor, who may now postpone urgent healthcare until it's too late.

[Michael Moore] This went on for years, until this man rode into town ...

Bill Clinton

bringing with him his little lady.

"Ill Take You There," by the Staple Singers

Hillary Clinton

Sassy. Smart. Sexy. Some men couldn't handle it.

Newt Gingrich

[President Bill Clinton] Today I am announcing the formation of the President's Task Force on National Health Reform chaired by the First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

[Michael Moore] Hillary Clinton decided to make healthcare for everyone her top priority.

[Hillary Clinton] Universal coverage now. It will not depend upon where you work, whether you work, or if you have a preexisting condition. Healthcare that can never be taken away.

[Reporter] Some Republicans complain Mrs. Clinton is getting a free ride.

[Corporate Robot] It's fairly risky business what President Clinton did to put his wife in charge of some big policy program.

[Rep. Dick Armey, R-Texas] And while I don't share the chairman's joy at our holding hearings on a government-run healthcare system, I do share his intention to make the debate and the legislative process as exciting as possible.

[Hillary Clinton] I'm sure you will do that, Mr. Armey.

[Rep. Dick Armey, R-Texas] We'll do the best we can.

[Hillary Clinton] You and Dr. Kevorkian, I think.

[Rep. Dick Armey, R-Texas] I have been told about your charm and wit, and let me say, reports on your charm are overstated, and reports on your wit are understated.

[Hillary Clinton] Thank you. Thank you very much.

[Michael Moore] She drove Washington insane.

[Corporate Robot] Do you want the government to control your healthcare?

[Corporate Robot] You don't have the choice of your own doctors.

[Rep. Dick Armey, R-Texas] You won't have the choice of your own doctors.

[Corporate Robot] Less government.

[Corporate Robot] More control.

[Corporate Robot] More government.

[Corporate Robot] Less control for you and your family.

[Corporate Robot] When your mama gets sick, she might talk to a bureaucrat instead of a doctor.

[Newt Gingrich] This is a total mess, and it's about to get messier.

[Corporate Robot] Not this bureaucratic, socialistic plan that they have.

[Corporate Robot] Socialist takeover ...

[Corporate Robot] Socialized medicine.

[Corporate Robot] What really amounts to a giant social experiment.

RED NIGHTMARE

[Michael Moore] Ooh! Socialized medicine.

SOCIALIZED MEDICINE

Nothing put more fear in us than the thought of that. And the chief fearmongers against socialized medicine ...

CAMP 33 FOR POLITICAL OFFENDERS

Image

have always been the good doctors of the American Medical Association.

AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION PRESENTS

[Dr. Edward Annis, President-elect, A.M.A., 1962] This would put the government smack into your hospital ...

YOUR DOCTOR REPORTS

defining services, setting standards, establishing committees, calling for reports, deciding who gets in and who gets out. After all, the government has to treat everyone fair and equal, don't you know? Take us all the way down the road to a new system of medicine for everybody.

Image

[Michael Moore] Yes, medicine for everyone. The AMA didn't want that. And to drive the point home further, they held thousands of coffeeklatsches all over the country where they invited their neighbors to come and listen to a record made by a well-known actor on the evils of socialized medicine.

[Ronald Reagan] My name is Ronald Reagan.

RONALD REAGAN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST SOCIALIZED MEDICINE

One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people, has been by way of medicine. The doctor begins to lose freedoms. It's like telling a lie, and one leads to another. A doctor decides he wants to practice in one town.

THOMAS W. GIBSON, M.D.

The government says to him, "You can't live in that town, they already have enough doctors, you have to go someplace else." All of us can see what happens once you establish the precedent that the government can determine a man's working place and his methods. And behind it will come other federal programs that will invade every area of freedom as we have known it in this country. Until one day, we will awake to find that we have socialism.

[Reporter] The White House said to tone down the rhetoric reacting to burning an effigy of Hillary Clinton.

Hi! I'm Hillary. My goal is to ...

[Michael Moore] The times may have changed, but the scare tactics hadn't. The healthcare industries spent over a hundred million dollars to defeat Hillary's healthcare plan, and they succeeded.

Health Insurance Association of America: $15 Million
American Medical Association: $3 Million
Citizens for a Sound Economy: $2 Million
Christian Coalition: $1.4 Million
National Restaurant Association: $850,000
Republican National Committee: $600,000

[Hillary Clinton] And I want now to introduce to you the president, because he loves the Easter egg roll.

Image

[Michael Moore] For the next seven years in the White House, she wasn't allowed to bring it up again.

[Hillary Clinton] Is anybody here older than two?

[Michael Moore] A decade and a half went by, and still America had no universal health plan. The United States slipped to number 37 in healthcare around the world, just slightly ahead of Slovenia.

Men speaking Slovenian

But that's understandable, because Congress was busy with other matters.

[Corporate Robot] Mr. Speaker, today I rise to offer congratulations to the confectioners at Just Born Incorporated as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of their most recognized and celebrated products, not to mention my daughter's favorite, Marshmallow Peeps.

Image

[Michael Moore] And thus, the healthcare industry went unchecked into the 21st century.

[Reporter] Humana more than doubles its fourth quarter profit, lifts its earning for the year ...

POWER LUNCH -- HUMANA: HEALTHY QUARTER
Humana, 57.75, 0.43, [+0.75%], Volume: 2,204,800

[Reporter] United Health has tripled its share prices.

POWER LUNCH -- HOT TOPIC: BILLION DOLLAR CEO
United Health, 50.30, 1.37, [-2.65%]

[Michael Moore] Making obscene profits ...

SQUAWK ON THE STREET -- BRINKER RAISES ESTIMATES, BUYBACKS HELPING

[Reporter] better-than-expected earnings.

Aetna, 4PM Price 96.12, Bid 98.75, Ask 99.00

[Reporter] There's a lot of wealthy shareholders out there.

Mike McAllister, CEO Humana $3.3 million in compensation

Are they willing to share some of that wealth?

Image

John W. Rowe, CEO Aetna, $22.2 million in compensation

[Michael Moore] turning their CEOs into billionaires.

Bill McGuire, CEO UnitedHealth, $1.6 billion in compensation

And skirting the law whenever they wanted.

Aetna, $120 Million settlement, Accused of cutting reimbursements to doctors

Blue Cross/Blue Shield, $117 Million settlement, Sixty-seven companies accused of wrongdoing involving Medicare.

CIGNA, $85 Million settlement, Accused of not paying doctors.

But their biggest accomplishment was buying our United States Congress.

HCA, $1.7 Billion settlement, Accused of false claims to Medicare and other wrongdoing.

[Reporter] This is Washington at work. Lobbying has become so brazen ...

[Michael Moore] With four times as many healthcare lobbyists than there are members of Congress, they even managed to buy off old foes. For her silence, Hillary was rewarded, and she became the second largest recipient in the Senate ...

Rick Santorum, $97,354, Republican
Hillary Rodham Clinton, $854,462, Democrat

of healthcare industry contributions.

Once an Enemy, Health Industry Warms to Clinton, by Raymond Hernandez and Robert Pear: When she tried to overhaul the nation's health care system as first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton alienated some people and institutions in ...

[Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Georgia] We've given the entire healthcare system over to the insurance industry. And they have total control.

[Michael Moore] Well, not total control. Drug companies like to buy their members of Congress too. Here's what it costs to buy these men.

$59,150; $433,324; $145,372, $217,921; $123,957; $194,700

And this woman.

$336,908

This guy.

$322,514

And this guy.

$78,250

And him too.

$211,249

[Corporate Robot] Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

[Michael Moore] And the biggest check was saved for last. Why did they hand out all this cash?

President George W. Bush: $891.208

They wanted a bill passed -- a bill to help seniors with their prescriptions.

RX, KEEPING OUR PROMISE TO SENIORS

[Congressman Billy Tauzin] Let there be no mistake about it. Republicans love their mothers, their fathers and their grandparents as much as anybody else on this hill, and we're gonna take care of them.

[Michael Moore] Of course, it was really a bill to hand over $ 800 billion of our tax dollars to the drug and health insurance industry by letting the drug companies charge whatever they wanted ...

Pfizer

Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center

and making the private health insurance companies the middleman.

Merck, Research Laboratories

Aetna

Everybody was going to get their cut.

Oxford Health Plans

Unitedhealthcare, 6300 Olson Memorial Hwy

The man they appointed to get the job done was congressman Billy Tauzin. He was the right man for the job because he had a secret weapon.

[Congressman Billy Tauzin] There's no one in this house loves their mother more than I love my mother. I challenge you on that, sir. Nobody in this body that loves their mother any more or any less than any one of us. I love that woman. Do you think for a second you love your moms and dads any more than we love ours? Do you think Republicans and Democrats who will vote ... Do you really believe that, Mr. Stoddard? God bless you.

[Michael Moore] Oh, they all loved their mothers. It's just that they didn't love our mothers as much.

["President" George W. Bush] Now I'm honored and pleased to sign this historic piece of legislation -- the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003.

[Michael Moore] What they didn't tell us was that the elderly could end up paying more for their prescriptions than they did before. Over two thirds of senior citizens could still pay over $2,000 a year. And when it was over, 14 congressional aids who worked on the bill quit their jobs on the Hill and went to work for the healthcare industry. As did one congressman.

'Cause I've got a golden ticket ...

[Michael Moore] Billy Tauzin left Congress to become the CEO of PhRMA, the drug industry lobby, for a salary of $2 million a year.

Image

Oh, it was a happy day in Washington. Many Americans knew they were never going to see universal healthcare. And that's why some of them decided to look elsewhere for help.

***

[Adrian Campbell] We're driving across the Detroit river. Back there is the Renaissance Center, you can see it. General Motors' headquarters, downtown Detroit, the skyline. You get a really nice view from driving over the bridge.

[Michael Moore] This is Adrian Campbell, a single mother, who at the age of 22 came down with cancer.

[Adrian Campbell] I got cervical cancer and I was denied through the insurance company. They said, "We're not paying for it because you're 22 and you don't have ... You shouldn't be having cervical cancer. You're too young."

[Michael Moore] Forced into debt, but now cancer free, Adrian was fed up with the American healthcare system. She had a new plan.

[Adrian Campbell] I have everything ready before I even hit the border. I got my passports ready, I got my money out. It's three dollars and 25 cents to get across one way. And I got everything just sitting up here on my visor just ready to go. Aurora, be very quiet.

[Border Guard] Citizenships?

[Adrian Campbell] U.S.

[Border Guard] Where do you live?

[Adrian Campbell] Michigan.

[Border Guard] That's not on, right?

[Michael Moore] No. She may live in Michigan, but ten blocks across the border, Adrian becomes a Canadian.

[Woman] How long have you been living here? Three months?

[Adrian Campbell] A couple. I haven't applied for the OHIP card yet. I still have mine.

[Woman] It takes ten minutes.

[Adrian Campbell] That's fine. I don't mind. OK, thank you.

I put down Kyle's address at the clinic, and when they ask, you know, what my relationship is, I put down that I was his common-law partner.

Kyle, Adrian's Canadian "friend"

I don't like to lie and I don't like liars. It's little white lies, but it's ... You know, I'm saving the money.

[Kyle] You don't bring a checkbook when you go to the hospital here. It's provided to us. It's something you don't have to worry about or go out of your way to get. Stress free.

[Adrian Campbell] They called the cops.

[Michael Moore] The presence of our camera alerted the clinic that something was up.

[Adrian Campbell] And I don't think I'm gonna get seen now. So I have another idea. I'm gonna go down to the other clinic. There is a clinic down ... one that we passed. The police showed up over there. Look.

[Michael Moore] Yes, what Adrian was doing was illegal. But we're Americans. We go into other countries when we need to. It's tricky, but it's allowed.

Windsor Medical Clinic, Family Health Centre, Family Health Pharmacy (West)

[Kyle] It's kind of frustrating having ... I mean ... Just get married and that'd solve everything -- she'd be covered.

[Adrian Campbell] Americans marry Canadians just for the healthcare!

[Kyle] I'm being used.

[Michael Moore] Sounds like a good idea.

[Kyle] See if it works. Start something. Start a trend.

***

[Reporter] In Canada they give everybody free healthcare. Doesn't it work up there?

[Corporate Robot] No, unfortunately it doesn't.

[Corporate Robot] We wait months to get treatment you can get in a week or a few days here.

[Reporter] In Canada you have to wait nine to ten months for bypass surgery.

[Reporter] Many Canadians believe it's the healthcare system itself that's sick.

[Reporter] They pay their doctors less.

[Reporter] A surgeon can only do a certain number of operations each year, with only so many expensive new pieces of equipment.

[John Emling, NFIB Health Care Specialist] It's easier for your cat or dog to receive an MRI here in America.

[Corporate Robot] You die of cancer waiting for chemo 'cause all of Ottawa has one chemo machine.

[George Bush] If you think socialized medicine is a good idea, ask a Canadian.

Image

***

[Michael Moore] I thought who better to ask than my Canadian relatives, Bob and Estelle. But they wouldn't cross the border into America. They wanted me to meet them at Sears, in Canada. What are you guys doing here?

[Estelle] We're buying insurance.

[Bob] We're going to the States to see you.

[Michael Moore] Right, that's just across the river.

[Bob] Yeah.

[Michael Moore] You wouldn't go over to see us in Michigan for a couple of hours without insurance?

[Bob] No, we wouldn't. We're just adamant about it. We would not do it. If somebody punches us in the mouth or something, something like that ...

[Michael Moore] You don't want to get caught in the American health system thing?

[Bob] We have nothing against Americans or America, or anything like that at all.

[Michael Moore] We're a nice and simple people.

[Bob] Not very simple, but certainly very nice.

[Michael Moore] I decided to explore their anti-American views further over some fine Canadian cuisine.

[Estelle] We have a friend who went to Hawaii. And he sustained a head injury while he was there. And before he was well enough to come home, he had chalked up a bill of over $600,000. So what middle-class Canadian could absorb that?

[Michael Moore] I guess I feel bad that you would have to worry about something like that.

[Estelle] We're not criticizing your country, we're just giving you the facts, that we could not afford to be without insurance.

[Michael Moore] Even for a day?

[Estelle] Even for a day.

***

[Michael Moore] To prove their point even further, they sent me over to a local golf course to talk to Larry Godfrey, who had a golfing accident while on vacation in Florida.

[Larry Godfrey] I could hear a noise and feel a pain, and the tendon snapped off this bone here that holds the bicep in place. So this bicep muscle was released, like on an elastic, and it ended up here on my chest.

[Michael Moore] The muscle ended up in your chest?

[Larry Godfrey] Right. Ended up here.

[Michael Moore] Like all good golfers, Larry finished his round before seeking medical attention. That's when he got the bad news.

[Larry Godfrey] I wasn't too worried as I had out-of-country insurance, but when he told me it was 23 or 24,000, then I ...

[Michael Moore] 24,000?

[Larry Godfrey] Dollars, yes.

[Michael Moore] So if you'd stayed in the United States, this would have cost you $24,000? Instead you went back to Canada, and Canada paid your total expenses?

[Larry Godfrey] Everything.

[Michael Moore] Paid for the operation. It cost you?

[Larry Godfrey] Nothing.

[Michael Moore] Zero.

[Larry Godfrey] Zero. Zero.

[Michael Moore] I'm wondering why you expect your fellow Canadians, who don't have your problem, why should they, through their tax dollars, have to pay for a problem you have?

[Larry Godfrey] Because we would do the same for them. It's just the way it's always been and it's the way we hope it'll always be.

[Michael Moore] Right, but if you just had to pay for your problem, and don't pay for everybody else's problem, just take care of yourself?

[Larry Godfrey] Well, there are a lot of people who aren't in a position to be able to do that. And somebody has to look after them.

[Michael Moore] Are you a member of the Socialist Party?

[Larry Godfrey] No. No.

[Michael Moore] Green Party?

[Larry Godfrey] No. Well, actually, I'm a member of the Conservative Party. Is that bad?

[Michael Moore] Well, it's just a little confusing.

[Larry Godfrey] Well, it shouldn't be. I think that where medical matters are concerned, it wouldn't matter in Canada what party you were affiliated with, if any.

[Michael Moore] But, to us, as we look across the river here, you know, why don't you think we don't believe that? What's wrong on this issue with us?

[Larry Godfrey] I guess the powers that be don't share our beliefs that healthcare ought to be universal. I mean, Canadians didn't until we met up with a guy named Tommy Douglas, who pretty much changed everyone's mind.

[Michael Moore] One guy?

[Larry Godfrey] One guy, yeah. One guy did it, he ...

[Michael Moore] Can he come over and visit us?

[Larry Godfrey] He's dead, unfortunately. In fact, he was, he's just most recently been revered as Canada's singular most important person. We think so much of ...

[Michael Moore] You mean in your history?

[Larry Godfrey] In our whole history.

[Michael Moore] More than your first prime minister?

[Larry Godfrey] Absolutely, yeah. Even more than Wayne Gretzky.

[Michael Moore] No way!

[Larry Godfrey] Absolutely. Yeah.

[Michael Moore] More than Celine Dion?

[Larry Godrey] Great singer. More than Celine, yeah.

[Michael Moore] More than Rocky and Bullwinkle?

[Larry Godfrey] Maybe.

***

London, Ontario, Canada

[Brad] As the blade went through, it caught the glove I was wearing, and it sliced through the entire group of fingers, completely taking them off. And I realized that I needed help immediately.

[Surgeon] Obviously, putting on amputated fingers or arms or limbs is one of the more dramatic things we can do. If you're looking at five fingers, you're looking at a 24-hour operation. There actually was four surgeons, as well as all the nurses and two different anesthetists to carry out an operation of that magnitude. When Brad came in, we didn't have to worry about whether he could afford it. He needed help and we could concentrate on the best way to bring him through it.

[Michael Moore] I met this American, he'd cut off the ends of two of his fingers with a saw. So when he arrived at the hospital, they told him one finger's gonna cost $60,000, and the other one was gonna be $12,000. He had to choose which finger he could afford.

[Surgeon] Down. Bend the long finger down. We've never told someone that they couldn't put a finger back on, because the system wouldn't allow it. I'm very glad I work within a system that allows me the freedom to look after people, and not have to make choices like that.

***

[Michael Moore] It seems nothing we were told about the Canadian system was true. Maybe I was just in the wrong part of town. So I went across the city to a crowded hospital waiting room. How long did you have to wait here to get help?

[Woman] 20 minutes.

[Woman] 45 minutes.

[Man] I got helped right away.

[Woman] You can see how crowded this is. They really do an amazing job.

[Michael Moore] Did you have to get permission to come to this hospital?

[Man] No.

[Woman] No.

[Woman] We can go anywhere we want.

[Michael Moore] You don't have to get it preapproved by your insurance company?

[Woman] Oh, heavens, no.

[Michael Moore] Can you choose your doctor?

[Woman] Oh, yes.

[Michael Moore] What's your deductible?

[Man] Nothing.

[Woman] I don't think we have any.

[Man] I don't know. I don't think there's any, as far as I know.

[Michael Moore] So what did this cost?

[Woman] Nothing.

[Woman] We know in America people pay for their healthcare, but I guess we don't understand that, 'cause we don't have to deal with that.

[Woman] And we're dealing with Parkinson's, stroke, heart attack. We're very, very lucky. Really we are. I mean, we complain. People complain about everything, right?

[Michael Moore] Right, you're Canadian.

[Woman] But on the whole, it's a fabulous system for making sure that the least of us and the best of us are taken care of.

Image

***

[Michael Moore] It turns out that Canadians live three years longer than we do. That's not hard to believe when you meet fellow Americans like Erik.

[Singing] Oh, England, here we go ...

[Michael Moore] Erik Turnbow of Olympia, Washington, saved up his whole life so that he could visit the famed Abbey Road crosswalk in London. But it wasn't enough for Erik to just walk across the road like the Beatles did. He had to do it his own special way.

[Man] Here's Erik, about to walk on his hands across Abbey Road.

[Erik Turnbow] Ready? Ugh! (crack)

[Man] Try it again.

[Erik Turnbow] Oh no, I put my shoulder out.

[Man] Are you in pain?

[Erik Turnbow] Yeah.

[Man] There's a hospital right down the road.

[Michael Moore] The British hospital didn't charge Erik anything for his stay. And only about ten bucks for all the way-cool drugs they gave him.

[Man] You're all slung up.

[Erik Turnbow] I'm gonna be OK.

***

[Michael Moore] I decided to go to Great Britain to find out how a hospital stay could be free, and drugs could cost only ten dollars.

If I come in here and I have a prescription and it requires 30 pills, how much is that?

[Pharmacist] It's 6.65 pounds. That's the standard charge.

[Michael Moore] 6.65 pounds? So that's what? Ten dollars or so?

[Pharmacist] Yes.

[Michael Moore] What if I needed 60 pills, how much is it?

[Pharmacist] Same charge.

[Michael Moore] 120 pills?

[Pharmacist] 6.65 pounds still.

[Michael Moore] It doesn't matter how many pills?

[Pharmacist] No.

[Michael Moore] What if it's an HIV drug or a cancer drug?

[Pharmacist] Still 6.65 pounds. If they are under 16 or over 60, they're automatically exempt.

[Michael Moore] So only a working adult who earns enough money pays the 6.65 pounds? Everybody else gets medication free? No money being exchanged here?

[Pharmacist] No, nothing.

[Michael Moore] There's no money being exchanged?

[Woman] I'm over 60. We don't pay.

[Michael Moore] What's the purpose of the cash register? I'm just wondering where's the bread and the milk and the candy in here? I can't pick up any laundry detergent here?

[Pharmacist] No. I haven't been trained for that many years to be selling detergents, so no.

***

[Michael Moore] I next went to a state-run hospital, operated by the National Health Service.

[Woman] I'm due in seven weeks and I get six months off, paid. And then I can have six months off unpaid as well, so I'm actually taking a year.

[Michael Moore] Well, that sounds like a luxury where I'm from.

[Woman] Oh, really, it's not like that in the US? No? Not at all, no?

[Michael Moore] So what do you pay for a stay here?

[Woman] No one pays. They were asking how do people pay. I said there isn't ... You don't, you just leave.

[Man] It's national insurance. There's no bill at the end of it, as it were.

***

[Michael Moore] Even with insurance, there's bound to be a bill somewhere. So where's the billing department?

[Woman] There isn't a billing department.

[Woman] There's no such thing.

***

[Michael Moore] What did they charge for that baby?

[Woman] Sorry?

[Michael Moore] You gotta pay before you can get out?

[Woman] No. This is NHS.

[Man] No, no. Everything is on NHS.

[Woman] You know, it's not America.

Image

***

[Michael Moore] Maybe I'd have better luck in the part where things get seriously expensive. This guy broke his ankle. How much will this cost him? The emergency room visit. He'll have some huge bill when he's done, right?

[Emergency Room Man] Here ... NHS, everything is free.

[Michael Moore] I'm asking about hospital charges and you're laughing.

[Emergency Room Man] I was never asked this question in the emergency department, that's why.

***

[Michael Moore] I was starting to fall for this "everything is free" bit. And then I discovered this.

Cashier

So this is where people come to pay their bill when they're done staying here?

[Cashier] No, this is the NHS hospital, so you don't pay the bill.

[Michael Moore] You get to just go home? Why does it say "cashier" here if people don't have to pay a bill?

[Woman] All we have is a little man who stands behind a counter, and he gives people money if they've had to pay for transport.

[Man] Those who have reduced means get their travel expenses reimbursed.

[Woman] Thank you.

[Michael Moore] So in British hospitals, instead of money going into the cashier's window, money comes out.

[Man] The criteria for letting you out are not if you've paid, the criteria are, are you fit to go and are you going somewhere safe?

***
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Re: Sicko, directed by Michael Moore

Postby admin » Mon Aug 23, 2021 1:28 am

Part 3 of 4

[Michael Moore] Clearly, I was just the butt of a joke here. What I needed was a good old-fashioned American who would have some understanding.

[Woman] I first came to London in 1992. And we just ended up staying and we had three children here. Well, I had them all on the NHS, which is the British National Health Service.

Image

I think, like a lot of Americans, I assumed that a socialized medicine was just bottom of the rung treatment, that the only way would be horrible and it would be like the Soviet Union. I mean, that's kind of how ... And it's terrible that that's what I thought.

***

[Michael Moore] That's what I thought, too. After having a baby, its right back to the wheat fields.

(singing in Russian) We have raised our wheat because work is our honor.

[Man] And if our humble efforts should bring us an award ...

[Women] We would not refuse it.

[All] We answer: we can use it. Harvest! Harvest! Keep loading, loading. The quota has been attained. This is our harvest, our rich harvest ...

[Michael Moore] And then it occurred to me that back home in America, we've socialized a lot of things.

[Russian-Americans singing] We are your firemen. We save lives, and cats from trees. We are the teachers of America where kids go to school for free. We are your postal service, where you get your mail for cheap. And here at the library, you can get your book for free.

[Michael Moore] I kind of like having a police department and fire department and the library. And I got to wondering, why don't we have more of these free, socialized things, like healthcare?

WORKERS OF ALL LANDS UNITE: KARL MARX

***

[Michael Moore] When did this whole idea that every British citizen should have a right to healthcare begin?

[Tony Benn, Former Member of Parliament] Well, if you go back, it all began with democracy. Before we had the vote, all the power was in the hands of rich people. If you had money, you could get healthcare, education, look after yourself when you were old. And what democracy did was to give the poor the vote. And it moved power from the marketplace to the polling station. From the wallet to the ballot. And what people said was very simple. They said, "In the 1930s, we had mass unemployment. But we don't have unemployment during the war. If you can have full employment by killing Germans, why can't we have it by building hospitals, schools, recruiting nurses and teachers?" If you can find money to kill people, you can find money to help people.

[Michael Moore] Right.

[Tony Benn, Former Member of Parliament] This leaflet that was issued was very, very straightforward.

[Michael Moore] What year was this?

[Tony Benn, Former Member of Parliament] This was 1948. "Your new National Health Service begins on the 5th of July. What is it? How do you get it? It will provide you with all medical, dental and nursing care. Everyone, rich or poor, man, woman or child, can use it or any part of it. There are no charges, except for a few special items. There is no insurance qualifications, but it is not a charity. You are paying for it mainly as taxpayers, and it will relieve your money worries in times of illness." Now, somehow, the few words sum the whole thing up.

[Michael Moore] I was amazed when he said this all started in 1948. The British had come out of a devastating experience through World War II. The country was destroyed and nearly bankrupt. They had nothing. In just one eight-month period, over 42,000 civilians lost their lives. What we went through in two hours on 9/11, they went through nearly every single day. Remember how we all felt after 9/11? All of us pulling together? I guess that's how they felt. And the first way that they decided to pull together after the war was to provide free medical care for everyone.

[Tony Benn, Former Member of Parliament] Even Mrs. Thatcher said, "The National Health Service is safe in our hands." It's as non-controversial as votes for women. Nobody could say, "Why should women have the vote?" now. People wouldn't have it, they wouldn't in Britain. They wouldn't accept the deterioration or destruction of the National Health Service.

[Michael Moore] If Thatcher or Blair said, "I'm going to dismantle national healthcare ..."

[Tony Benn, Former Member of Parliament] There would have been a revolution.

***

"Street Fighting Man" by the Rolling Stones

[Reporter] A report from the AMA into the health of 55-64-year-olds says Brits are far healthier than Americans.

[Man] For every illness that we looked at, Americans had more of it than English.

[Man] Cancer, heart disease, hypertension, strokes, lung disease -- all significantly higher for Americans.

[Reporter] Even the poorest people in England, with all the environmental factors that give them the worst health in the country, can expect to live longer than the wealthiest people in America.

***

[Michael Moore] I was wondering, though, what's it like for the doctors here in Britain who have to live under this kind of state control? And you're a family doctor?

[Doctor] Yeah, I suppose we'd call them GPs or general practitioners here.

[Michael Moore] Right, so you have a family practice?

[Doctor] Yeah, it's an NHS practice. We have nine doctors in that practice.

[Michael Moore] Paid for by the government?

[Doctor] Yeah.

[Michael Moore] You work for the government? You're a government-paid doctor. A patient comes to you. Before you treat them, do you have to call the government insurance company before you treat them?

[Doctor] No, I don't deal with money at all on an everyday basis.

[Michael Moore] Have you ever had to say no to someone who was sick and needed help?

[Doctor] No, never.

[Michael Moore] Have you heard of anyone being in the hospital and being removed because they couldn't pay their bill?

[Doctor] No, never. And I wouldn't want to work in that system.

[Michael Moore] So working for the government, you probably have to use public transport?

[Doctor] No. I have a car that I use and I drive to work.

[Michael Moore] An old beater?

Audi

You live in a rough part of town?

[Doctor] I live in a terrific part of town. It's called Greenwich. It's a lovely house. It's a three-story house.

[Michael Moore] How many other families have to live with you?

[Doctor] There's four bedrooms for my wife and my son. It's just the three of us there.

[Michael Moore] How much did you pay for that?

[Doctor] 550,000 pounds. Yes, almost.

[Michael Moore] So, a million dollars? You're a government-paid doctor on a national health insurance healthcare plan and you live in a million-dollar home?

[Doctor] Yes. I think my friends think we do quite well.

[Michael Moore] Really? How well do you do?

[Doctor] I earn around 85,000, including pension.

[Michael Moore] 85,000 pounds?

[Doctor] 85,000 pounds a year. And that includes pension that they would pay in to me. They probably earn just over 100,000 pounds within my practice.

[Michael Moore] 100,000 pounds? So that's almost $200,000?

[Doctor] Yes, absolutely. The money that we earn, we get paid by what we do. So the better we do for our patients, then the more we get paid.

[Michael Moore] What do you mean?

[Doctor] There's a new system. And in that new system, if the most number of your patients have low blood pressures. or you get most of your patients to stop smoking, or you get your patients to have mental health reviews if they're unwell, or low cholesterols, then you get paid more.

[Michael Moore] This year, if you get more people that are your patients to stop smoking, you'll get more money, you'll earn more?

[Doctor] Oh, yeah. Absolutely.

[Michael Moore] So doctors in America do not have to fear having a universal healthcare?

[Doctor] No. I think if you want to have two or three million-dollar homes, and four or five nice cars, and six or seven nice televisions, then maybe, yeah, you need to practice somewhere where you can earn that. But I think we live comfortably here. London is expensive, but I think we live comfortably.

[Michael Moore] You're getting by OK on the million-dollar home, the Audi, and the flat-screen TV?

Image

[Doctor] Yeah, we're coping with those.

***

[Tony Benn, Former Member of Parliament] I think democracy is the most revolutionary thing in the world. Far more revolutionary than socialist ideas, or anybody else's idea. Because if you have power, you use it to meet the needs of your community. And this idea of choice which capital talks about, "you've got to have a choice" -- choice depends on the freedom to choose. If you're shackled with debt, you don't have a freedom to choose.

[Michael Moore] It seems it benefits the system if the average person is shackled with debt.

[Tony Benn, Former Member of Parliament] People in debt become hopeless, and hopeless people don't vote. They always say everyone should vote, but I think if the poor in Britain or the United States voted for people who represented their interests, it would be a real democratic revolution. So they don't want it to happen. So keeping people hopeless and pessimistic -- See, I think there are two ways in which people are controlled. First of all, frighten people, and secondly, demoralize them. An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern. And I think there's an element in the thinking of some people: "We don't want people to be educated, healthy and confident because they would get out of control." The top 1% of the world's population own 80% of the world's wealth. It's incredible that people put up with it, but they're poor, they're demoralized, they're frightened. And therefore, they think perhaps the safest thing to do is to take orders and hope for the best.

***

Your American Life

[Michael Moore] And hope for the best is what we do right from the moment we're born. We've got the worst infant mortality rate in the western world. A baby born in El Salvador has a better chance of surviving than a baby born in Detroit. But it gets better when we go to school.

[Man] Classrooms with 40 students, schools with no labs ...

[Michael Moore] No wonder the majority of our adults can't find Britain on a map. But that's OK. There's always college. By the time we graduate, our ass is so in hock, we're in debt before our first job.

[Man] I'm at about ... we'll say about $35,000 in debt. That's for my third year in college.

[Michael Moore] You'll be the employee they're looking for -- one who needs this job.

[Man] 3,904, 3905 ...

[Michael Moore] What employer wouldn't employ someone thousands of dollars in debt, because they won't cause any trouble? In addition to paying off your college debt, you need a job with health insurance. It would be horrible to lose that job, wouldn't it?

[Man] You can always quit, you know. There's no law that says you have to work here.

[Michael Moore] If that one job doesn't pay all the bills, don't worry. You can get another one, and another one, and another one.

[Woman] I work three jobs, and I feel like I contribute.

["President" George W. Bush] You work three jobs?

[Woman] Three jobs, yes.

["President" George W. Bush] Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that. Get any sleep?

[Michael Moore] If you're not sleeping, take pharmaceuticals.

[Man] You're tired all the time. You feel sad.

[Woman] If you suffer from excessive worry ...

[Woman] Generalized anxiety disorder.

[Woman] It could be adult ADD.

[Woman] Ask your doctor.

[Man] Ask your doctor.

[Michael Moore] Yes, ask your doctor, and ask him for more drugs. That should keep you doped up until it's time to retire. Did I say retire? (laughs) If you make it to 80, your pension will still be there, unlike the new employees for these companies, who'll never see a pension.

NISSAN
UNITED AIRLINES
MOTOROLA
IBM
LOCKHEED MARTIN
CIRCUIT CITY
GM
COCA-COLA
ALCOA
NCR
MILLIKEN
DU PONT
FEDEX EXPRESS
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS
HERSHEY'S
SPRINT

[Michael Moore] But I'm sure our kids will take care of us, considering the great life we've given 'em. Remember, let's defeat the terrorists over there so we don't have to fight them here.

***

[Michael Moore] Kaiser Permanente is the largest HMO in the country. And Dawnelle Keyes was fortunate enough to be fully insured by them. It's a good thing, because one night her 18-month-old daughter, Mychelle, developed a fever of over 104. So, like any responsible mom, she called 911, and the ambulance took Mychelle to the closest hospital. The hospital checked with her HMO, and they were told that Kaiser would not cover the tests and the antibiotics necessary to treat Mychelle. She would have to take her to an in-network, Kaiser-owned hospital.

[Dawnelle Keyes] Kaiser said that I should bring her by car to the hospital, and that she shouldn't be treated at Martin Luther King. I just continued to ask them to treat her, and they refused. My daughter got worse and she had a seizure.

[Michael Moore] Dawnelle begged doctors to not listen to Kaiser and to treat her daughter.

[Dawnelle Keyes] I was escorted out of the hospital because they felt that I was a threat.

[Michael Moore] After hours of delay, she was transported to Kaiser, and got there just in time to go into cardiac arrest.

[Dawnelle Keyes] They worked on her for about 30 minutes, trying to revive her. And the doctors came in and let us know that she had expired.

Mychelle

I was in a daze, a real daze. It just didn't seem real. I just held her. I held her and I told her that Mommy tried her best to help her, to make sure that she was gonna get the treatment she needed to receive. And that I was sorry that I wasn't able to help her.

Image

***

Simon says: give the answer.

computerized tune

[Zoe] Uh-oh.

[Michael Moore] This is Karena and her daughter Zoe. Karena is a graduate of Michigan State University, and a native of my hometown of Flint, Michigan. Six months ago, Zoe, like Dawnelle's baby Mychelle, came down with a high fever.

[Karena] What happened is she stopped breathing for a little while, turned blue and passed out in my arms, which was, it was the most horrible moment in my life, I think, just because I thought that she was either dead or dying. And I had no clue what to do. At the hospital, they gave her some medicine to bring the fever down, and examined her, took some blood.

[Michael Moore] What was wrong with her?

[Karena] It was a throat infection. But we stayed at the hospital from Friday to Sunday just so they could keep an eye on her.

[Michael Moore] You stayed there that long?

[Karena] Yeah. They just basically kept an eye on her.

[Michael Moore] And how much did all this cost you, the three-plus days in the hospital?

[Karena] Nothing.

[Michael Moore] Nothing?

[Karena] Nothing. Nothing at all.

[Michael Moore] And that's because?

[Karena] I live in France.

[Michael Moore] You live in France?

[Karena] Yeah.

***

[Michael Moore] Ah. France. They enjoy their wine, their cigarettes and their fatty foods. And yet, just like the Canadians and the Brits, they live much longer than we do. Something about that seemed grossly unfair. This is Alexi Cremieux. He spent his entire adult life in the U.S. without health insurance.

[Alexi Cremieux] I lived in America for 13 years. I loved my life there. But then when I discovered that I had a tumor and I didn't have health insurance, unfortunately, I had to come back here. Even though I had never paid taxes in France 'cause I never worked here -- I left when I was 18, I had no Social Security number -- for them it was, "He needs treatment, he has no income, so we're gonna give him, you know, the treatment he needs."

[Michael Moore] How are you doing now?

[Alexi Cremieux] I'm healthy now, but I had three months of chemotherapy. So after three months, I saw my doctor and he said, "You wanna go back to work?" I said, "No, I don't feel like it." "Right now, I'm not ready." He said, "How much do you need?" I said, "Well, I don't know." He said, "Would three months be OK?" I said, "I think three months would be fine." He said, "OK, so take three months off." So he wrote me a note that I gave to my employer to make sure I got paid. So I went to the south of France ...

[Michael Moore] Wait a minute, three months off with pay?

[Alexi Cremieux] Yes. Yes. I get 65% paid by the government, and then the other 35% is paid by my employer. To make sure you get 100%. So it was April, it was spring again. So I started right away, sucking up some sun. And that really helped me a lot to recharge my batteries.

Image

I mean, it was like night and day. In three months, I went from a 95-year-old man to a 35-year-old man again. But that's because I had that time to take care of myself.

***

[Dr. Jacques Milliez, Head of Obstetrics, St. Antoine Hospital] I'm not in a position to make any judgment concerning the American system. I think the United States is a great, great country. Americans are great people. I really love them. But as a doctor first, as a citizen second, and eventually, as a patient third, I'm very glad to be in France. It's kind of a luxury here. You are sick, you step in a hospital, you get the care you need. It doesn't depend on your premiums. It depends on what you need. One of the principles is solidarity. People who are better off pay for those who are worse off. You pay according to your means and you receive according to your needs.

[Michael Moore] Do you think that will ever work in America?

[Dr. Jacques Milliez, Head of Obstetrics, St. Antoine Hospital] No.

***

[Michael Moore] He could barely contain his seething anti-Americanism. And I just didn't want to listen to any more of it. So I found a group of Americans currently living in Paris who I know would tell me the truth.

[Man] I was diagnosed five years ago with Type I diabetes. I was a bit nervous to tell them I had ...

[Michael Moore] To tell the French?

[Man] There's a place to check off if you have a chronic condition. I was nervous that they were going to charge me more. And instead, I went into a hospital, and had round-the-clock care. And they do an amazing amount of preventative care.

[Michael Moore] They asked if you have a preexisting condition not to punish you, but to give you more help?

[Man] Yes.

[Man] I was in the hospital for a year. As soon as I was in, it was, "Well, don't worry, just rest." People said "Rest."

[Michael Moore] How many sick days do you get a year?

[Woman] I think it's unlimited.

[Michael Moore] Unlimited?

[Woman] Yes. How can you limit sick days? If you're sick, you're sick.

[Woman] I've gone to emergency rooms numerous times, with four boys. And have never waited more than an hour. Never.

Image

I can call and somebody comes to the house in half an hour.

[Michael Moore] No way? Making a house call? At your place? How many of you have had a house call from a doctor? No!

[Woman] 3:00 a.m. last Friday.

[Michael Moore] And how much does this cost you?

[Man] Nothing.

[Michael Moore] What's this service called?

***

[Dispatcher] S.O.S. Medecins. Good evening.

[Dr. Philippe Leminez, House Call Doctor] I'm on my way.

[Michael Moore] Where are we going?

[Dr. Philippe Leminez, House Call Doctor] The 15th District. We are going to see a man who has abdominal pain.

[Michael Moore] Abdominal pain?

[Dr. Philippe Leminez, House Call Doctor] Yeah.

[Dr. Philippe Leminez, House Call Doctor] How many times have you vomited?

[Man] Twice.

[Dr. Philippe Leminez, House Call Doctor] May I give you an injection in your rump?

[Man] Yes.

[Man] S.O.S. Medecins was created 40 years ago by Dr. Marcel Lascar. Dr. Lascar had a plumbing problem in his house and called a 24-hour plumber, and he had a plumber at his house in less than an hour. And in a country where you can get a plumber in less than an hour, then the same should be true of a doctor.

[Dr. Philippe Leminez, House Call Doctor] So I am off. Let's go.

[Michael Moore] Where do we go next?

[Dr. Philippe Leminez, House Call Doctor] The next visit? Talk to me Bruce. 8 L'Arcade street? I'm on my way.

"L'amour est bleu" by Vicky Leandros

[Woman] About 15 minutes ago he started screaming because his wee wee is hurting.

[Dr. Philippe Leminez, House Call Doctor] Okay. We then go to 21 Turbigo St.

[Woman] I think it's the flu ...

[Dr. Philippe Leminez, House Call Doctor] If it persists for more than 24 hours, it's something else.

[Woman] Thank you! Goodnight!

***

[Woman] I say to anyone who asks me why I'm in this country is that I think it's one of the friendliest countries that I know of. And talk about family values -- I mean, childcare, healthcare ...

[Woman] The day care where I send my daughter -- and I was a teacher -- standards are high.

***

[Michael Moore] So how much does it cost you to have two children here? How much per hour?

[Woman] About one dollar an hour. It's nothing.

[Michael Moore] Are you happy with how they're cared for?

[Woman] Yes. I am very content. They are professional, well trained. The staff isn't like a second mother, but very close.

Image

I have confidence, total confidence.

***

[Woman] Here, my kids are sure that they are going to get a certain level of care, education, college, I don't have to worry about ...

[Michael Moore] What do you mean?

[Woman] It's free.

[Michael Moore] You're kidding?

[Woman] You can get a college education for free.

[Michael Moore] No way.

[Woman] Yes.

[Woman] There's not a sense of desperation.

[Woman] They rest, they enjoy life.

[Woman] They spend time with their kids, there's vacations, family time.

[Michael Moore] How many weeks of paid vacation?

[Woman] Minimum five weeks.

[Michael Moore] Five weeks? Minimum of five weeks?

[Woman] If you work for a large company, you get sometimes eight, ten weeks.

[Woman] Remember that there is a 35-hour week.

[Woman] The productivity rate is so high here.

[Michael Moore] I read it was higher than the United States.

[Woman] If they're working more than 35 hours a week, they'll get extra days off.

[Woman] That is for part-time and full-time employees.

[Michael Moore] You get five weeks paid vacation even if you're a part-time employee?

[Woman] Of course.

[Woman] Everybody.

[Woman] If you get married, you get an extra week or seven days for your honeymoon. In addition to your five weeks.

[Michael Moore] You're paid to take your honeymoon?

[Woman] Also if you move.

[Michael Moore] You mean if you move from one apartment to another?

[Woman] You get one day.

[Michael Moore] You get a day to move and they pay you?

[Woman] These are the laws here.

[Woman] When my daughter was three months old, they sent somebody to you to give you tips on what to do with your child, every single day, for free.

[Michael Moore] And they'll come to your house and do your laundry!

[Woman] They will! Sure!

[Michael Moore] No! Stop! Stop!

[Woman] When you have a baby. When you have a baby.

***

[Michael Moore] What are you doing?

[Woman] I am laundering the clothing the mother left me.

Image

[Michael Moore] You from the government?

[Woman] I am employed by the government to help the parents.

[Michael Moore] Can she do anything else?

[Mother] If I want, yes. She's, of course, taking care of the children. And I think if I ask her to prepare a meal for tonight she can do it. If I ask you to make a meal of pureed carrots this evening, would you?

[Woman] No problem.

[Mother] She's coming twice a week. Four hours a day. So I can do everything I want -- for me, for the house, for my husband, during four hours. It's very precious for me. You don't have any associations? Nothing to help like that?

Image

[Michael Moore] No. Nobody from the government comes to your home in America and does your laundry for you, if you're a new mother.

[Mother] It's difficult.

[Michael Moore] Yeah.

***

[Woman] Something that I experience a lot of with my own family is guilt. Guilt for being here almost, and seeing the advantages and the benefits I have at such a young age.

Image

Things that my parents worked their whole life for and haven't come close to touching. It's really hard to know that you're here in a very privileged position, you know, not living the highlife, but in comparison, definitely. And that seems completely unfair.

[Woman] One of the things that keeps everything running here is that the government is afraid of the people. They're afraid of protests, they're afraid of reactions from the people. In the States, people are afraid of the government. They're afraid of acting up. They're afraid of protesting, afraid of getting out. In France, that's what people do.

***

[Reporter] 160,000 students were marching today.

[Reporter] In Bordeaux, more than 2,000 people marched for employment and public services.

[Man] We're protesting our deteriorating work conditions.

[Man] Our salaries!

[People] What do we want? Housing! For who? For everyone!

[Man] Today we want the law to recognize that our work is dangerous.

[Reporter] The union has chosen as a rally cry, "Hands off my day off!"

[Man] The government making Pentecost Monday a workday, this will not be tolerated.

***

[Michael Moore] Free college education, free medical care, government-issued nannies. I began to wonder how do they pay for all this? And then I realized they're drowning in taxes! I wanted to see what effect this would have on a nice French family, so I went to find out.

[Woman] Hello. Welcome.

[Michael Moore] Hello. Thank you. It's very nice.

[Woman] This is the living room where we drink tea, take aperitif, watch TV. It's the news.

[Michael Moore] Yes. What is your combined income for the two of you together for, say one month?

[Man] Our combined monthly income is $8,000.

[Michael Moore] All right. You're an engineer and she's an assistant? Not bad.

[Woman] This is Anthony's room, he's our youngest child. This is Alexander's room. Alexander, please look this way.

[Michael Moore] How much is your mortgage?

[Man] $1,575 a month.

[Woman] This is our bedroom.

[Michael Moore] How many cars do you own?

[Woman] Two.

[Michael Moore] Do you owe money from medical bills?

[Woman] No. No, because the system pays for us.

[Michael Moore] Is there any other debt? Loans, anything?

[Man] No, there is no debt.

[Woman] Only the apartment.

[Michael Moore] What are your other expenses?

[Woman] The fish.

Image

Fish. Vegetables.

[Michael Moore] Vegetables are a big monthly expense for you.

[Woman] Yes. And fruit. Yogurt.

[Michael Moore] Yogurt. What are your other big expenses?

[Man] Holidays.

[Woman] Very important. We've a painting from the Dominican Republic. This is my personal collection of sand from our travels. Here you see sand that came from Sri Lanka. Cape Town, South Africa. Egypt. Masai Mara, Kenya.

[Michael Moore] Kenya?

[Woman] We liked.

[Michael Moore] Are you happy?

[Woman] Yes.

[Man] Can't you tell?

Image

***

Je t'aime moi non plus" by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin

[Michael Moore] After seeing all this, I began to wonder. Was there a reason our government and our media wants us to hate the French? Are they worried we might like the French? Or like their ways of doing things? It was enough to make me put away my freedom fries.

Image

Meanwhile, back at home, hospitals had found a new way to deal with patients who didn't have health insurance and couldn't pay their bill.

UNION RESCUE MISSION, Downtown, Los Angeles

[Man] I was standing against the wall and I saw a cab do a U-turn and pull up to the curb. I watched to see what was happening 'cause I had a feeling what would occur 'cause it's not a new thing.

[Man] They pulled up right here by this yellow fire hydrant and dropped Carol off and immediately pulled away. And as soon as they pulled away, she walked out into the street about up to here.

[Man] She then walked all the way down to the driveway down here, completely confused, has no shoes on whatsoever and just a hospital gown. And those gowns are thin.

[Man] That's when one of our staff members went and asked Carol if she needed assistance, and found out that she was disoriented and didn't know where she was.

[Man] Kaiser Permanente in Bellflower hospital had put her in a cab, and directed them to bring her to this drop-off point. But the names of the hospitals had been taken off both bracelets before she arrived.

[Man] I have seen others that have come through our doors who have IVs still in their arms.

[Michael Moore] They told me that, at their shelter alone, over 50 patients had been dumped there by hospitals.

[James Lott, Executive Vice President Hospital Association of Southern California] The options are few. We either open the front door and let them out -- which is not the humane thing to do -- or we try to find someplace for them to go. And right now, skid row is the best bed in town.

Image

***

[Michael Moore] The night before we were there, the county hospital run by the University of Southern California, one of the richest private schools in the country, dumped another patient off on the curb. A woman unable to pay her hospital bill.

[Gordon Turner, Deputy City Attorney] Do you know how you got here?

[Ms. Reyes] In the cab.

[Gordon Turner, Deputy City Attorney] In the cab?

[Ms. Reyes] From General Hospital. They gave him the voucher. He dropped me off there, he actually forced me out of the car.

Image

[Gordon Turner, Deputy City Attorney] Ma'am, are you in pain right now? Are you in pain?

[Ms. Reyes] Yes.

[Gordon Turner, Deputy City Attorney] Is there anything we can do? She, at this time, has broken ribs, broken collarbone, and stitches that are not completely healed across the top of her head and on the side of her head. Now let me ask you, ma'am. Before they dropped you off, did they ask you if you knew where you were going?

[Ms. Reyes] No.

[Gordon Turner, Deputy City Attorney] They didn't ask you any questions about your orientation, or whether or not you knew what was going on?

[Ms. Reyes] No, they just told me to take care of myself.

***

[Michael Moore] May I take a minute to ask a question that's been on my mind? Who are we? Is this what we've become? A nation that dumps its own citizens like so much garbage on the side of the curb because they can't pay their hospital bill?

Image

I always thought, and believe to this day, that we're a good and generous people.

[Man] This is what we do if somebody's in trouble. Anybody gets sick, we all get together and help.

[Michael Moore] People with a good heart ...

[Man] You feel like you're sacrificing, but you get a blessing from doing this.

[Michael Moore] ... and a good soul.

[Man] We've got a lot of support and we're gonna all keep working until we locate this child.

[Michael Moore] Neighbors quick to lend a helping hand to anyone in their hour of need.

[Woman] I deliver meals to them, but my life has been so blessed that this is just the least that I can do.

***
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Re: Sicko, directed by Michael Moore

Postby admin » Mon Aug 23, 2021 1:28 am

Part 4 of 4

[Michael Moore] They say that you can judge a society by how it treats those who are the worst off. But is the opposite true? That you can judge a society by how it treats its best? Its heroes?

[Vice-President Dick Cheney] The firefighters and police, rescue and recovery workers have responded with true heroism.

[Mayor Giuliani] It was their initial heroism that thwarted the objectives of the terrorists.

[John Ashcroft] Without regard, in many instances, to their own safety and security.

[Man] They truly are heroes.

[Man] We owe them everything!

[Billy Crystal] Here they are, the men and women who have been on the front lines for New York and for all of us in America! Tonight is dedicated to you!

5 years later -- Fundraiser for 9/11 rescue workers

[Man] Don't forget about the raffles going on over there -- one dollar each.

[Man] I spent two and a half years down there. I got upper and lower breathing problems.

[Man] I need a double lung transplant, but was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. I haven't slept in a bed in over five years. I sleep on a chair with a blanket, because if I lay down I can't breathe.

Image

[Michael Moore] There were hundreds of rescue workers on 9/11 who were not city employees, but rather ran down to Ground Zero on their own to help out.

[Man] We need volunteers for first aid!

***

[Michael Moore] And many developed serious respiratory illnesses. That's when the government said: "They're not our responsibility because they weren't on our payroll."

Image

John Graham is an EMT volunteer from Paramus, New Jersey. He was in Lower Manhattan when he heard the planes hit and rushed over to help. He worked in the rescue effort for the next few months, but then had trouble receiving benefits for his illness.

[John Graham, EMT Volunteer] They just deny you for any reason. It's just a terrible waiting game. I really feel like they're waiting for you to die.

Image

It's terrible. I never thought that we would do this, that the United States would do this.

***

[Michael Moore] William Maher is a volunteer member of New Jersey's fire service. He spent two months working near The Pile at Ground Zero, recovering bodies or body parts, and it deeply affected him.

[William Maher, Volunteer, New Jersey Fire Service] I'm experiencing a lot of disturbing dreams, or whatever you'd like to call them, and it affected what I was doing at night, and unaware of it because I was asleep, and I just kept grinding and grinding my teeth. The upper fronts are damaged, practically beyond repair, because of my constant grinding over the last three years. I've been before a workers' comp board already for the 9/11 volunteers' fund. I've been denied three times, and hopefully I will go on my fourth appeal soon if I can get the necessary documentation.

***

[Michael Moore] Of course, there was a $50 million fund set up, supposedly to help rescue workers.

[Man] Ladies and gentlemen, the governor of New York, George Pataki.

[Michael Moore] But the government, like the health insurance companies, made it very difficult for people to receive help.

[George Pataki, Governor of New York] You have to have spent a certain amount of time at Ground Zero, you have to be able to establish that. You do have to file an affidavit within the next year relating your work experiences at Ground Zero. And then, even with all of that, it's not automatic.

Image

There is a presumption when certain illnesses occur, but that presumption can be rebutted by other medical evidence. We think it is a very fair approach that protects our heroes.

***

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] I'm sorry.

[Michael Moore] Reggie Cervantes was a volunteer medical technician on 9/11.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] Nothing makes it go away sometimes. Not water, not cough medicine, anything. It's just burning in my throat and irritated and it just gets me to coughing. Sometimes I have trouble breathing 'cause I can't catch my breath.

[Michael Moore] Reggie spent her days at Ground Zero carrying bodies and treating other rescue workers.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] My airway was totally burnt that first week, and I had trouble breathing by then. But we wanted to see if we could dig anybody up alive, we wanted to see if we had lost anybody, if we were still missing somebody. I wanted to help. I was trained for this. You know, you see somebody who is in need, you help 'em.

[Michael Moore] Reggie had difficulty getting treatment. Too sick to work and with no income, she was forced to quit her job, and used her savings to move her and her kids out of the city.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] It's hard to figure out how you're supposed to get help. We're trying to go about it the right way. But we're ignored.

***

[Michael Moore] But not everyone after 9/11 was ignored by the government.

["President" George W. Bush] We're now approaching the five-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. So I'm announcing today that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abu Zubaydah, Ramzi Binalshibh, and 11 other terrorists in CIA custody, have been transferred to the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

[Man] On that island are some of the world's most hardened enemy combatants.

[Man] These detainees are deadly and include the 20th hijacker, as well as a number of Osama bin Laden's personal bodyguards, and others who had a direct role in the September 11 attacks.

[Donald Rumsfeld] The kind of people held at Guantanamo include terrorist trainers, bomb-makers ...

[Woman] Many of them have American blood on their hands and are the elite of al-Qaida.

[Vice-President Dick Cheney] It seems to me we have an obligation to treat these individuals as enemy combatants.

[Michael Moore] And then I learned it wasn't all bad news at Gitmo.

U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

[Man] Detainees representing a threat to our national security are given access to top-notch medical facilities.

[Man] They have acute care 24 hours a day, in which surgical procedures, everything can be performed right there in the detainee camps.

[Man] This is the dental clinic, or the health clinic.

[Man] We have a physical therapy department, x-ray capabilities with digital x-rays. We have one single operating room. Health personnel to detainee ratio is one to four, remarkably high.

[Man] They do sick call on the blocks three times per week, care for them there if they can, or bring that detainee back to the clinic to be seen there.

[Man] Screening for cancer has taken place. Colonoscopy is a procedure which is performed there on a routine basis. We have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. We monitor the weight and nutrition of the detainees so that we can track those detainees to make sure we see them frequently, monitoring their labs and their overall health.

[Soldier] Their medical attention ... They get way better medical treatment than I've ever had.

[Senator] You think it's as good as most U.S. HMOs?

[Man] Certainly very similar and as good, sir.

[Man] I leave with an impression that healthcare there is clearly better than they received at home, and as good as many people receive in the United States of America.

***

[Michael Moore] Wow! So there is actually one place on American soil that had free universal healthcare. That's all I needed to know. I went down to Miami, Florida, got myself a boat, and loaded up Bill and Reggie and John. John, welcome, sir. And anyone else I could find who needed to see a doctor and couldn't afford one. So many people showed up, I had to get a couple extra boats. And I called up Donna Smith from Denver, who is now on nine different medications, and asked her if she'd like to come along. I figured she'd like to get out of her daughter's basement for a while. All right, let's go.

[U.S. Coast Guard] Are you trying to get by?

[Michael Moore] Which way to Guantanamo Bay? Can we go? We're not going to Cuba! We're going to America! It's American soil!

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[U.S. Department of Homeland Security] Homeland Security laws of the United States of America prohibit the filmmakers from revealing how they got to their destination.

[Michael Moore] We made it.

Guantanamo

U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

[Michael Moore] There it is. There's the runway. That's the prison over there where the detainees are.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] We're very close.

[Michael Moore] Yeah, we're very close. The white building is the hospital, I think. OK, let's go. We commandeered a fishing boat and sailed into Guantanamo Bay. As we approached the line in the water between the American and Cuban side, we were told to be careful for mines. Permission to enter. I have three 9/11 rescue workers. They need some medical attention. These are 9/11 rescue workers! They just want some medical attention! The same kind that al-Qaida is getting. They don't want any more than you're giving the evildoers, just the same! Hello. No one in the guard tower was responding and then we heard a siren. We figured it was time to get out of here. But what was I supposed to do with these sick people and no one to help them? I mean, here we were stuck in some godforsaken Third World country. And communists, no less. When I was a kid, these people wanted to kill us. What was I supposed to do?

"I'll See You in C-U-B-A" by the Austin Lounge Lizards

[Michael Moore] Excuse me, we're looking for a doctor. Is there a doctor here in Cuba? Any doctors?

[Man] There's a doctor around the corner. There's a hospital over there. There's a pharmacy right here.

[Michael Moore] All in this one block?

[Man] Usually, on any block, there is a pharmacy and a hospital nearby.

[Michael Moore] All right, thank you very much. Thank you. OK. OK. I know what you're thinking. Cuba is where Lucifer lives. The worse place on Earth. The most evil nation ever created.

Image

How do we know that? 'Cause that's what we've been told for over 45 years.

[President John F. Kennedy] A series of offensive missile sites can be none other than to provide a nuclear strike capability against the western hemisphere.

["President" George W. Bush] I'm not gonna yield until Fidel Castro allows freedom on the island. That's a ... You can count on it. Put it in the bank!

Image

[Michael Moore] It seems that what really bugged us about Castro was that he overthrew the dictator that we liked and replaced him with a guy we didn't like -- himself. And so now, after all these years, one thing is clear -- the Cuban people have free universal healthcare. They've become known as having not only one of the best healthcare systems, but as being one of the most generous countries in providing doctors and medical equipment to Third World countries. In the U.S., healthcare costs run nearly $7,000 per person. But in Cuba, they spend only $251. And yet the Cubans are able to have a lower infant mortality rate than the U.S., a longer average life span than the United States.

Image

They believe in preventive medicine. And it seems like there's a doctor on every block. Their only sin when it comes to healthcare seems to be that they don't do it for a profit. Anybody need medication right now from the pharmacy? Are you the pharmacist?

[Pharmacist] Yes.

[Michael Moore] Do you have this? Is this one similar to yours?

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] Yeah. It's $120 in the U.S.

[Michael Moore] This is $120 in the U.S.?

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] Yes.

[Pharmacist] How much is that one? 3.20 pesos.

[Michael Moore] How much is that in American dollars?

[Woman] It's like five cents.

[Michael Moore] Five cents?

[Woman] Yeah. More or less.

[Pharmacist] There is a doctor -- I will give you her name -- tell her to give you at least two prescriptions.

[Michael Moore] Thank you very much. Muchas gracias.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] $120 is a lot of money when you get $1,000 in social security disability and need one or two a month. Five cents here? It's like the biggest insult. It just doesn't make any sense.

Image

It doesn't make any sense. I wanna fill a suitcase up and go back home with it.

Havana hospital

[Michael Moore] I took my group of sick Americans to a hospital to see if they could get some care. They didn't ask for money or an insurance card.

[Woman] Name?

[Michael Moore] Just their name ...

[Woman] What is your birthday?

[Michael Moore] and date of birth.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] February 22.

[Michael Moore] That was the entire intake session.

[Doctor] We are very happy to welcome you here today and, as with all of our patients, you will receive the highest quality medical care. Hopefully we will make you feel well cared for. If we can improve your medical condition, we will have achieved our objective.

[Michael Moore] Thank you very much for doing this. I asked them to give us the same exact care they give their fellow Cuban citizens. No more, no less. And that's what they did.

[Dr. Alberto Roque] I'm Dr. Roque. I'm an internal medicine specialist.

[John Grahan] John Graham.

[Dr. Alberto Roque] How are you feeling?

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] My lungs hurt. I have pain. I get pretty severe nosebleeds at times.

[Donna Smith] I get terrible headaches in the night, but I haven't been evaluated for the sleep apnea for nine years.

[John Graham] Yeah, I have ...

[Doctor] Many medications for lung problems.

[John Graham] Almost every medication for lung problems, I've got.

[William Maher, Volunteer, New Jersey Fire Service] After 9/11, things have happened, my teeth started falling out. Because of certain conditions, I was grinding.

[John Graham] There's one test that they recommended I take, it's about $5,000 to $7,000.

[William Maher, Volunteer, New Jersey Fire Service] The dentist that I talked to, it's like $15,000 or more.

[John Graham] It's two years I have no medical coverage, so I can't go for the last part of the test.

[Doctor] Well, don't worry. Everything will be studied.

[Dr. Alberto Roque] It's OK, everything's gonna be OK. Right?

[Donna Smith] Yes. I am so -- It's so hard for me to digest somebody saying it's free. Because 20 years of our lives have been spent fighting.

Image

So I am so grateful.

[Dr. Alberto Roque] No, you don't need to say that.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] Thank you. Thank you.

[Dr. Alberto Roque] OK.

[Dr. Alberto Roque] Come on, don't cry. Everything's gonna be OK, right?

[Donna Smith] Thank you.

[Dr. Alberto Roque] At least what we can do, right?

[Dr. Aleida Guevara, Pediatrician, Che Guevara's daughter] Cuba is a little island in the Caribbean with little to no resources. We can do a lot to improve the people's health. This does not happen in the United States. Why are we able to and you are not? There's something to notice there, because the more a country produces, the richer it is, the better it should take care of its people.

[Michael Moore] Reggie was diagnosed with pulmonary and bronchial problems. The Cuban doctors gave her a treatment plan to follow back home, along with some of those five cent inhalers. William Maher received a number of treatments on his neck and his back. Having ground down his teeth for three years due to post-traumatic stress, he left Cuba with a new set of teeth. After a series of tests on his heart, lungs, blood and stomach, John now knew what his ailments were. He was given a strict plan to follow, plus a number of treatments, and was feeling better than he had in years. The Cuban doctors were able to take Donna off five of her nine medications. And with a correct diagnosis, gave her a treatment plan to help her live a more normal life.

***

PATRIA ES HUMANIDAD

[Michael Moore] When firefighters and paramedics in Havana heard that 9/11 rescue workers were in town, they invited them over to one of their firehouses. And so, on our last day there, as we arrived, they stood at attention, because, they said, they wanted to honor the heroes of 9/11.

[Fire Chief] It is a great honor to have you visit our station. We all learned about this terrible moment on September 11, and it gave us a great sadness. And, from the human point of view, we would've like to have helped with the rescue operations that were underway at that moment. Firefighters around the world are family.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] Si. somos familia. Y los hermanos que perdimos en las Torres gemelas se sintio en el mundo completo. The brothers we lost on 9/11 was felt around the world. Mis hermanos.

[John Graham] Mis hermanos.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] Don't hesitate to hug a brother.

Image

[John Graham] It's very important for them to wear the SCBA so they don't end up like me.

[William Maher, Volunteer, New Jersey Fire Service] They're lungs.

[John Graham] These tanks. SCBA, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus.

[Fireman] Tenemos una reserva tambien en el carro.

[Reggie Cervantes, Volunteer Medical Technician on 9/11] Es un placer poder venir aqui.

[Man] Esto es lo unico que tenemos nosotros ...

[Man] F-F-F. Three Fs.

[Fire Chief] A sweatshirt from the fire department, and a kiss for you.

***

[Michael Moore] If this is what can happen between supposed enemies, if one enemy can hold out his hand and offer to heal, then what else is possible? That's when I heard that the man who runs the biggest anti-Michael Moore website on the Internet, was going to have it shut down.

[Michael Moore] The temperature in the atmosphere when it reaches the boiling point. [George W. Bush] Mike, fahrenheit is a temperature scale, not a temperature measurement. Sheesh, and you people call me dumb!

Watching Michael Moore's every move

He could no longer afford to keep it up because his wife was ill, and they couldn't afford to pay for her health insurance. He was faced with a choice of either keep attacking me or pay for his wife's health. Fortunately, he chose his wife. But something seemed wrong about being forced into such a decision. Why, in a free country, shouldn't he be able to have health insurance and exercise his First Amendment right to run me into the ground? So I wrote a check for the $12,000 he needed to keep his wife insured and in treatment, and sent it to him anonymously.

Jim & Donna Kenefick

To: Guardian Angel; From: Jim K; Re: Your Gift: Thank you. It took me this long to reply because I was waiting to see if it was real ... my apologies for delaying this much-deserved public thank you. What you did ... you have no idea how much we appreciate it. If you ever decide to let me know who you are, I owe you a beer, a dinner and then some.

His wife got better and his website is still going strong.

***

[Michael Moore] It was hard for me to acknowledge that in the end we truly are all in the same boat. And that, no matter what our differences, we sink or swim together. That's how it seems to be everywhere else. They take care of each other, no matter what their disagreements. You know, when we see a good idea from another country, we grab it. If they build a better car, we drive it. If they make a better wine, we drink it. So if they've come up with a better way to treat the sick, to teach their kids, to take care of their babies, to simply be good to each other, then what's our problem? Why can't we do that? They live in a world of "we," not "me." We'll never fix anything until we get that one basic thing right. And powerful forces hope that we never do.

AEtna

KAISER PERMANENTE

CIGNA

Blue Cross of California

HUMANA

And that we remain the only country in the western world without free universal healthcare. You know, if we ever did remove the chokehold of medical bills, college loans, day care, and everything else that makes us afraid to step out of line, well, watch out, 'cause it'll be a new day in America. In the meantime, I'm gonna go get the government to do my laundry.

***

A FILM BY MICHAEL MOORE

"Don't Be Shy" by Cat Stevens

SENIOR FIELD PRODUCERS: ROD BIRLESON, NICKY LAZAR

FIELD PRODUCERS: CHRIS ALDRED, AMY McCAMPBELL BALUZY, CHRISTINE FALL, CORY FISHER, AMELIA GREEN-DOVE, TERRI HARDESTY, JIM KIERTZNER

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CO-EDITOR: MARY ANNE VAN WAGNER

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Any American interested in marrying a Canadian for health care can go to: http://www.hook-a-canuck.com

ORIGINAL MUSIC: ERIN O'HARA

RESEARCHERS: STEPHANIE PALUMBO, NATALIE ROSE, JANE SELLEN EDWARDS, GEORGE ZORNICK

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MEDICAL CONSULTANT: DR. JACK STANZLER

DOCTOR FEELGOOD: ANN COHEN

WELLNESS CONSULTANT: DOUG PETERSEN

The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults -- Alexis de Tocqueville (he was French)

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT: CRAIG McKAY, A.C.E.

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VETTING: RAHUL HAMID, JAIME LOWE, COURTNEY MORROW, SMITA SARAN

CUBAN MEDICAL STAFF: HOSPITAL HERMANOS AMEIJEIRAS, DR. JAIME DAVIS WRIGHT, DR. ALBERTO ROQUE, DR. LAYS RODRIGUEZ AMADOR, DR. LOURDES SUARDIAZ MARTINEZ, ROBERTO AGUILERA QUINTANA, MEILAN PADRON CASTANEDA, LLIPSY SANTIESTEBAN-JEFA, GRACIELA LINARES ROBRE, RAIZE ELIAS ROMERO, NADIA CORIDE SALA, BENIGNO MADIEDO CORDERO, SUSAN ROJA, MARIA ELENA CORREA, ALICA GOMEZ CRUZ, JUANA DUARTE FERNANDEZ, RAIDEL TRIAY IGLESIA, YOSMARA TRIAY IGLESIA, CARMEN LANDAU, EVELYN ERICKSON

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"Alone Without You", by The Nightwatchman

SPECIAL THANKS: JOHN FEAL, GEORGE LUCAS, THOMAS NEWMAN, THE PRITIKIN CENTER, WILLIAM HSIAO, PH.D., ELIZABETH WARREN, PH.D.

THANK YOU

MARLENE ACERSTROM
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PAUL SMITH
JIM STALSBERG
MARK & SYNNOVE STELLA
JOSH STEELE
SHEA SUNDSTOEL
KEN SUNSHINE
ESTELLE SUTTON
JAN SVENNEVIG, M.D.
FRANKA TRANZA
TERRI TRECE
GORDON TURNER
ERIC TURNBOW
EDDIE VEDDER
MICHAEL VINER
THE WALLIN FAMILY
LAURIE WHITE
MODI WICZYK
GABRIELLA MILAN YOUNG
HANS ZIMMER

AFSCME COUNCIL 31
ALACHUA COUNTY LABOR PARTY
AVGEEKS
BAYSIDE MIAMI MARINA
CALIFORNIA NURSES ASSOCIATION
CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS
CENTER FOR CONSTIUTIONAL RIGHTS
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FLINT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
FEALGOOD FOUNDATION
FOUNDATION FOR TAXPAYER & CONSUMER RIGHTS
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
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HEALTHCARE -- NOW!
HIGHGATE CEMETARY, KARL MARX GRAVESITE
HOLIDAY INN GOLF CLUB, SARNIA, ONTARIO
HOTEL NACIONAL DE CUBA
JIM BOB RAY'S LONDON, ONTARIO
JOE KOOL'S, LONDON, ONTARIO
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MOTION PICTURE INFORMATION SERVICE
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THE UNCOMMON SENSE, FLINT
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THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED IN THE RESCUE EFFORT ON 9/11 AND TO THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO SHARED THEIR HEALTHCARE STORIES WITH US ...

A BETTER DAY IS COMING.

THANK YOU KURT VONNEGUT FOR EVERYTHING

ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE COURTESY OF

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THE CONUS ARCHIVE
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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF

P IMAGES
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DIGITALGLOBE
GETTY IMAGES
LANDOV
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ADMINISTRATION (NARA)
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ORIGINAL SONG
"ALONE WITHOUT YOU"
WRITTEN BY TOM MORELLO
PERFORMED BY THE NIGHTWATCHMAN
COURTESY OF EPIC RECORDS
BY ARRANGEMENT WITH SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

"BASEBALL"
FROM IN THE BEDROOM
WRITTEN BY THOMAS NEWMAN
COURTESY OF GREENESTREET FILMS

"LOVERLY SPRING"
FROM LEMONY SNICKETS A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
WRITTEN BY THOMAS NEWMAN AND BILL BERNSTEIN
COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS PICTURES

"REJECTED"
WRITTEN BY DANNY WINN
PERFORMED BY DANNY WINN AND THE EARTHLINGS
COURTESY OF EARTHLING RECORDS

"STAR WARS MAIN TITLE THEME"
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY JOHN T. WILLIAMS
COURTESY OF LUCASFILM LTD.

"Ce Monde Absurde" by Claude Francois

"ADAGIO FOR STRINGS"
COMPOSED BY SAMUEL BARBER
PERFORMED BY BRNO PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
COURTESY OF G. SCHIRMER, INC.

"I'LL TAKE YOU THERE"
WRITTEN BY ALVERTIS ISBELL
PERFORMED BY THE STAPLES SINGERS
COURTESY OF STAX RECORDS
BY ARRANGEMENT WITH CONCORD MUSIC GROUP, INC.

"SABRE DANCE"
COMPOSED BY ARAM KHACHATURIAN
PERFORMED BY BRNO PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
COURTESY OF G. SCHIRMER, INC.

"THE BAD BEGINNING"
FROM LEMONY SNICKETS A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
WRITTEN BY THOMAS NEWMAN AND BILL BERNSTEIN
COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS PICTURES

"CHEZ OLAF"
FROM LEMONY SNICKETS A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
WRITTEN BY THOMAS NEWMAN
COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS PICTURES

"(I'VE GOT A) GOLDEN TICKET"
FROM WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
WRITTEN BY LESLIE BRICUSSE AND ANTHONY NEWLEY
PERFORMED BY JACK ALBERTSON AND PETER OSTRUM
COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

"CHRISTMAS EVE MONTAGE"
FROM THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
WRITTEN BY DANNY ELFMAN
COURTESY OF BUENA VISTA PICTURES DISTRIBUTION, INC.

"STREET FIGHTING MAN"
WRITTEN BY MICK JAGGER AND KEITH RICHARDS
PERFORMED BY THE ROLLING STONES
COURTESY OF ABKCO MUSIC AND RECORDS, INC.

"LUCY"
FROM LITTLE CHILDREN
WRITTEN BY THOMAS NEWMAN
COURTESY OF NEW LINE PRODUCTIONS, INC.

"THE BAUDELAIRE ORPHANS"
FROM LEMONY SNICKETS A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
WRITTEN BY THOMAS NEWMAN
COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS PICTURES

"L'AMOUR EST BLEU"
WRITTEN BY PIERRE COUR AND ANDRE POPP
PERFORMED BY VICKY LEANDROS AND CLAUDE DENJEAN
COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL MUSIC GMBH
UNDER LICENSE FROM UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES

"LE TEMPS DES CERISES"
PERFORMED BY CHARLES TRENET
COURTESY OF ARKADIA ENTERTAINMENT CORP.
BY ARRANGEMENT WITH SOURCE/Q

"FEELIN' GROOVY (THE 59TH STREET BRIDGE SONG)"
WRITTEN BY PAUL SIMON
PERFORMED BY NANA MOUSKOURI
COURTESY OF MERCURY RECORDS FRANCE
UNDER LICENSE FROM UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES

"UNA MUSICA BRUTAL"
WRITTEN BY PHILLIPPE MAURIC COHEN SOLAL. EDUARDO ANIBAL MAKARAOFF.
CHRISTOPH HERMANN MUELLER
PERFORMED BY GOTAN PROJECT
COURTESY OF XL RECORDINGS LTD.

"JE T'AIME MOI NON PLS"
WRITTEN BY SERGE GAINSBOURG
PERFORMED BY SERGE GAINSBOURG AND JANE BIRKIN
COURTESY OF MERCURY RECORDS FRANCE
UNDER LICENSE FROM UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES

"BEAM"
WRITTEN BY JOHN POWELL
PERFORMED BY HANS ZIMMER
COURTESY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION

"KAISER-SALZER, OP. 437"
BY JOHANN STRAUSS JR.
PERFORMED BY THE CZECHO-SLOVAK RADIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
COURTESY OF NAXOS
BY ARRANGEMENT WITH SOURCE/Q

"CAN'T SLEEP #2"
FROM IN THE BEDROOM
WRITTEN BY THOMAS NEWMAN
COURTESY OF GREENESTREET FILMS

"I'LL SEE YOU IN C-U-B-A"
WRITTEN BY IRVING BERLIN
PERFORMED BY THE AUSTIN LOUNGE LIZZARDS
COURTESY OF AUSTIN LOUNGE LIZZARDS

"ICE SKATING"
FROM ABANDON
WRITTEN BY CLINT MANSELL
COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES

"RING"
FROM THE ASTRONAUT FARMER
WRITTEN BY STUART MATTHEWMAN AND ROBERT MATHES
PERFORMED BY STUART MATTHEWMAN
COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

"DON'T BE SHY"
WRITTEN BY USUF ISLAM
PERFORMED BY CAT STEVENS
COURTESY OF ISLAND RECORDS LTD.
UNDER LICENSE FROM UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES

"CE MONDE ABSURDE"
WRITTEN BY PF. SLOAN AND STEVE BARRI
PERFORMED BY CLAUDE FRANCOIS
COURTESY OF MERCURY RECORDS FRANCE
UNDER LICENSE FROM UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES

DIGITAL NEGATIVES: EFILM

PRINTS: BY DELUXE

PROJECT MANAGER: AARON DORN

COLOR TIMER: CHRIS REGAN

NEGATIVE CUTTER: MO HENRY

Eat your fruits and vegetables. And go for a walk.

DO SOMETHING!
http://WWW.MICHAELMOORE.COM

© 2007 DOG EAT DOG FILMS, INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

THIS MOTION PICTURE IS PROTECTED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AND OTHER COUNTRIES AND ANY UNAUTHORIZED EXHIBITION, DISTRIBUTION, ADAPTATION, TRANSMISSION OR REPRODUCTION OF THIS MOTION PICTURE OR ANY PART THEREOF INCLUDING THE SOUNDTRACK MAY RESULT IN SEVERE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES

For my mother

SiCKO

Dog Eat Dog Films

RELEASED BY LIONSGATE
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