Short Summary
Michael Moore’s documentary titled Sicko dwells on the key shortcomings of the US healthcare system. The primary message communicated by Moore (2007) was that millions of Americans did not receive the services they deserved, which, in turn, affected their well-being on a long-term scale. Multiple issues were reviewed in association with health insurance and accessibility. For example, two of the crucial topics were the growing rate of neonate deaths and a steadily decreasing average life expectancy. Moore (2007) also noted that the US healthcare system is far from the top ten systems worldwide, which means that the overall financial wealth does not contribute to American healthcare quality in any way. The author also included vital insights from the World Health Organization to provide adequate coverage of care provision processes. It can be claimed that Sicko is an attempt to provide a detailed critique of the US healthcare system and pay attention to empirical data, both objective and subjective (Moore, 2007). The lack of political stability was claimed to hinder medical protection available to American citizens, which may result in an even larger number of deaths and injuries in the future.
Health Care System Differences
Comprehensive comparisons carried out by Moore allowed him to find essential differences that draw the line between the US and other countries with socialized medicine. Even though it is expected that the American healthcare system does not treat a person’s health like a privilege, the problem of having to deal with disadvantages is relevant and alive (Moore, 2007). Accordingly, privatized and universal health systems are different because the former capitalize on income levels, and the latter focus on unanimous care provision. Even the rate of infant survival is significantly higher in France, the United Kingdom, and Cuba. Accordingly, it is virtually not enough to have health insurance in the US because the overall quality of the system depends on the infrastructure and governmental attitudes toward patients. While American politicians and the government try to display solidarity, it results in biased advocacy and negative patient outcomes paired with denied coverage and enormous care costs.
Personal Reaction
It can be safe to say that Moore’s (2007) portrayal of the US healthcare system is rather accurate because the author took the time to investigate the details and find evidence to support claims. Even his country comparisons are fair and truthful because he does not show any kind of bias toward the US healthcare system. Either way, Moore (2007) did a great job because he collected empirical data and stepped away from hypotheses that could not be validated.
The most important message from Sicko is that the field of health care is a dynamic environment that requires constant change and attention. Without innovation, it can be exceptionally hard for policymakers and government actors to ensure that all citizens have access to relevant healthcare resources. This information is vital because it shows how significant changes can affect large infrastructures, with citizens having little to no effect on the outcomes of the given interventions.
Another vital insight that I would like to share is that the changes applied to the US healthcare system were minimal. Moore’s (2007) documentary pointed out numerous drawbacks associated with the cost and accessibility of American health care. Even after the deployment of regulations intended to improve the state of affairs, citizens remain deprived of adequate health services due to the bottlenecks pertaining to health insurance. At the moment, US health care cannot be described as user-friendly because the government does not provide enough support to patients who do not have the monetary resources to cover all the costs.
Currently, the US healthcare system is mostly impacted by the lack of policies that would make it more accessible to the general population. With many vulnerable individuals struggling with health insurance, it is rather unlikely that the government is going to appeal to minorities and win their support. This ultimately means that the quality of health care is going to remain unchanged despite the efforts exerted by government officials interested in making care provision processes significantly more affordable.
The ethics of care provision have to be viewed from several different angles to explain the need for approaches that highlight the value of human health. Accordingly, the right to health care cannot be synonymized with the concept of a privilege because every person should be certain they are going to receive respective services in a timely manner. If one treats care provision as a privilege, it will expand the gap between the rich and the poor even further. Therefore, it is necessary to create an environment where people recognize their value and do not settle for services that are carried out for the sole purpose of earning corporate money.
I believe that Sicko is a perfect representation of how US healthcare treats patients and expects the industry to become finance-driven on all levels. Despite the right to health care, I have encountered situations throughout my life where the American healthcare system did not let me benefit from essential services. The high cost of interventions and medications averted me from receiving necessary care on time.
Reference
Moore, M. (2007). Sicko. Vimeo. Web.