SiCKO

Rent this. Seriously.

I'm not a Michael Moore fan boy, nor would I suggest you watch this and take it as absolute truth. With any documentary there are biases that will creep in, and surely this one isn't the exception. That said, Mr. Moore isn't really center stage here. He asks some big questions, and we're treated to answers from various practitioners of various medical systems around the world, including the likes of the U.S., Canada, England, France, and Cuba.

Much of what I saw was shocking, and as a U.S. citizen, often disappointing. Medical conglomerates that, in addition to fleecing the everyday citizen, also screw their own employees (well, the lower minions anyway, the top shelf bunch get superior care), medications costing hundreds of dollars for U.S. citizens (many who can't afford to buy them, but also can't afford not to) sold for, literally, dollars in poverty stricken countries like Cuba. Yes yes, I'm sure there are some behind-the-scenes accounting practices, subsidies, and the like that may be able to explain away a portion of these huge cost discrepancies (a SMALL portion), but the bulk of it is outright corporate greed.

The lengths insurance companies will go to shirk their duties is absurdity at its highest level. This is of course, stuff most of us already knew to some extent, and this flick does a nice job of bringing it together and presenting it. It also brings into serious question the myriad excuses presented as to just why socialized health care "just can't work", and leads one to hope for some drastic reform.

I'd highly recommend giving this a view, particularly if you reside in the U.S. and depend upon its health "care" system.