Has anyone else seen that movie “Sicko” by Michael Moore? It was our Netflix movie and we sat down to watch it last night. First of all, I liked the movie and I like Michael Moore’s sense of humor. He’s smart and he’s quick and he expects his audience is the same.
This movie did make me mad and it made me scared. All of the stories of people who cannot get insurance and the way those without insurance are treated by some portions of the medical commuity made me sad. Not mad….sad. We are doing something wrong in this country.
Oh…I understand all of the arguments for those medical professionals having a right to earn whatever amount they can reach. But they showed a dr in the UK who works for the National Healthy Service and he lives in a million dollar home and drives a provided Audi. He says that he and his family live comfortably, save and can take vacations. And really, US docs can’t control how much they make unless they only take patients without health insurance who pay privately.
I understand the argument that people who receive socialized medicine receive lower quality care, but I’m a recipient of socialized medicine and my care has not been more or less than those I know “on the outside”. As a matter of fact, when I had my scare in 2004, Tricare was awesome about ensuring I got what the doc and I thought I needed.
I understand the argument that Americans don’t want to pay the taxes for socialized medicine. But I researched taxes in the UK and they fall between 10 and 30% (28% come April 08). The average tax rate for Americans is between 10 and 35%. Hmm….not such a difference and better in some cases.
But its not the numbers that made me sad. Its the attitude behind our lack of socialized medicine. I think most Americans have the attitude that each person is responsible for themselves. If I can get for me and you can’t get for you, then too bad for you. That makes me sad. Since when is it good to not care about your fellow American…..your fellow human being. Is having the newest car and the biggest house and the best clothes so important? Is it so important that we must turn our back on others?
I know there are people who would just sit on the couch and eat bon bons and take whatever they could get if society let them. But can’t there be some way to take care of those who work and try but get a serious illness and can’t work, or those who get laid off or whatever the case may be. I’m not saying we need to let the lazy folks get away with being that way and still getting a nice home and a reliable car, but there has to be some middle ground.
I know I have my affection for some expensive things. But what would it hurt for my family to eat out once or twice less every month so the woman who can’t be insured because of a pre-existing condition can get her annual pap smear. What would it hurt for my family to use the library a little more and Barnes and Noble a little less so that money could go to pay teachers a little better?
The anwer is easy….it wouldn’t.
