Sicko and Gay Insurance

I recently saw the movie Sicko. It's another great entry in Michael Moore's filmography. It worked on so many levels, I just have to rave about it. Before I do, though, I'm going to remind you that is was a few years ago that I took my own shots at the health insurance industry, in fact at the entire concept of insurance.

I'm referring to the final and best entry of eXtreme Conformity zine: Gay Insurance (XC #7). You can get a free copy of the 1 meg PDF here: http://www.larrynocella.com/files/xc07_new.pdf. The thrust of the story was that insurance is a racket from start to finish. If you need it, they won't let you buy it because you're a risk. If you don't need it, they'll let you buy it because they probably won't have to pay out. So bottom line is, it's useless: you can only have it (in theory) when you don't need it.

As you recall from reading eXtreme Conformity #7: Gay Insurance, the insurance salesman sings this little jingle:

Before you insure,
Check to be sure,
You’ll never have to pay!

But if the mark be ill,
Run to the hills!
This fool will surely cause bills!

That about sums it up.

Anyway, back to Sicko. Here's the thoughts that were spinning through my head after the movie:

What has become of the culture in the USA? Why do we crap on people who need help, or let them fend for themselves? If someone needs help, lend a helping hand. That's not too hard, especially in a country with so much wealth.

What is the reason that we are continually instructed to hate The French? Why is it that the people who constantly whine about The French have clearly never been outside their own ass?

Why this constant hatred toward Cuba? Yes, I understand they were helping the Soviet Union about 40 years ago, but the Soviet Union went broke about 20 years ago. Japan, Germany and Russia made much more serious runs at destroying the USA and they're buds now.

Why are so many people hung up on labels? We can't have healthcare for everyone! That's socialized medicine! Please no more label-think! I don't care if you call your system The Poopy Doo-Doo Healthcare plan. If it works, who cares? Besides, no one ever seems to clearly define what socialism is. It's often just used as a scare label. Regardless, who cares? Let's worry about what works, not what bucket to put it in.

A lot of complaining idiots try to have it both ways about the government. If the government is doing something they don't want, like administering health care, they say "Oh man, can you IMAGINE the government administering healthcare? Hoo-boy! Bureaucracy central!" But if the government is doing something they support, like say, fighting a war in Iraq to get oil for rich people and their Saudi dictator friends, then it's something like, "The war is going great! Our army is the best!"

Okay, so those stuck with me, but what REALLY hit home was the British guy (I forget his name) who broke it down and explained why we Americans put up with this crap system. He said we are demoralized and afraid, and that's how you control people. Holy crap! Americans. Us. Me. Controlled! But we're supposed to be number one!

Finally, there was one last thing that kicked my ass about the movie.

The woman who went with her husband and child before the committee to beg for coverage so the guy could get a bone marrow transplant to save his life. The committee denied her. OMFG! I understand denying someone when they're just paper, but when a man and his wife and child are before you, begging for his life, what kind of heartless piece of crap can say no? BREAK THE FUCKING RULES, PEOPLE! Resign from the committee! DO SOMETHING!!!!! That one example shows that the healthcare system in place now is no different, possibly even worse, than a government-run entity could ever be.

Michael Moore kicks ass again: moving and thought-provoking, and even a little bit of humor sprinkled in. See Sicko. Now, please. Let's all speak up: Free healthcare for all. If other countries can do it, so can we. We are number one... right?

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Larry Nocella is the award-winning author of the novel Where Did This Come From? available at Amazon and Xlibris and other fine online book stores. Where Did This Come From? is also available as an eBook. For more info, visit Larry Nocella's website at http://www.larrynocella.com/.