The genesis Of Michael Moore and my involvement with movie “Sicko”
Hey…..
Micheal Moore sent me a letter, through his email fan
club, asking me to send an email about my health care
horror stories. I sent him letter which I am
forwarding to you now! He guarantees that he will at
least read it! I would not mind being in his movie.
We shall see. I have the goods and cool video clips
for his documentary. Especially the stuff about England
and their National Health care system that worked to my
advantage when I slipped and threw out my should
waling on my hands across Abbey Road in London. They
treated me for free! Wish me luck!
Eric
______________
Michael’s Pitch In February of 2006
2/3/06
Friends,
How would you like to be in my next movie? I know
you’ve probably heard I’m making a documentary about
the health care industry (but the HMOs don’t know
this, so don’t tell them — they think I’m making a
romantic comedy).
If you’ve followed my work over the years, you know
that I keep a pretty low profile while I’m making my
movies. I don’t give interviews, I don’t go on TV and
I don’t defrost my refrigerator. I do keep my website
updated on a daily basis (there’s been something like
4,000,000 visitors just this week alone) and the rest
of the time I’m… well, I can’t tell you what I’m
doing, but you can pretty much guess. It gets harder
and harder sneaking into corporate headquarters, but
I’ve found that just dying my hair black and wearing a
skort really helps.
Back to my invitation to be in my movie. Have you ever
found yourself getting ready to file for bankruptcy
because you can’t pay your kid’s hospital bill, and
then you say to yourself, “Boy, I sure would like to
be in Michael Moore’s health care movie!”?
Or, after being turned down for the third time by your
HMO for an operation they should be paying for, do you
ever think to yourself, “Now THIS travesty should be
in that ‘Sicko’ movie!”?
Or maybe you’ve just been told that your father is
going to have to just, well, die because he can’t
afford the drugs he needs to get better — and it’s
then that you say, “Damn, what did I do with Michael
Moore’s home number?!”
OK, here’s your chance. As you can imagine, we’ve got
the goods on these crooks. All we need now is to put a
few of you in the movie and let the world see what the
greatest country ever in the history of the universe
does to its own people, simply because they have the
misfortune of getting sick. Because getting sick,
unless you are rich, is a crime — a crime for which
you must pay, sometimes with your own life.
About four hundred years from now, historians will
look back at us like we were some sort of barbarians,
but for now we’re just the laughing stock of the
Western world.
So, if you’d like me to know what you’ve been through
with your insurance company, or what it’s been like to
have no insurance at all, or how the hospitals and
doctors wouldn’t treat you (or if they did, how they
sent you into poverty trying to pay their crazy bills)
…if you have been abused in any way by this sick,
greedy, grubby system and it has caused you or your
loved ones great sorrow and pain, let me know.
Send me a short, factual account of what has happened
to you — and what IS happening to you right now if
you have been unable to get the health care you need.
Send it to michael@michaelmoore.com. I will read every
single one of them (even if I can’t respond to or help
everyone, I will be able to bring to light a few of
your stories).
Thank you in advance for sharing them with me and
trusting me to try and do something about a very
corrupt system that simply has to go.
Oh, and if you happen to work for an HMO or a
pharmaceutical company or a profit-making hospital and
you have simply seen too much abuse of your fellow
human beings and can’t take it any longer — and you
would like the truth to be told — please write me at
michael@michaelmoore.com. I will protect your privacy
and I will tell the world what you are unable to tell.
I am looking for a few heroes with a conscience. I
know you are out there.
Thank you, all of you, for your help and your
continued support through the years. I promise you
that with “Sicko” we will do our best to give you not
only a great movie, but a chance to bring down this
evil empire, once and for all.
In the meantime, stay well. I hear fruits and
vegetables help.
Yours,
Michael Moore
michael@michaelmoore.com
www.michaelmoore.com
_____________________________________
And now this is my response to Michael Moore.
Guess what? It worked! I am in the movie! (E.T.)
_____________________________________
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2006 21:24:30 -0800 (PST)
From: “Eric Turnbow”
Subject: Bad Health Care Assistance
To: michael@michaelmoore.com
Micheal….
I love your causes. I am with you brother . Keep up
the good work.
My name is Eric Turnbow, and in 1997 I got really sick
with peritonitis. I tried to see a licensed
Gastronologist, and was UNABLE at every occasion to get
an appointment because I did not have any health
insurance.
I went to the local hospital (Saint Peters), for a
couple of pain shots and tests. Later when I read the
hospital reports, I learned that they thought I was
seeking drugs and not sick at all. They said in this
report I obtained through a lawyer, that when they
came into the examining room I would cry and ask for
something to kill the pain. Then when they left I
would stop crying. They must have listened at the door
to me or had me monitored, but this was not the case
at all. I actually was in the early stages of
peritonitis and a torn colon, and the pain was
getting absolutely unbearable. I still got charged 2
grand for a couple of shots and went home without any
life saving treatment since I had no insurance. I
hope those Doctors have a guilty conscience now for
thinking those lies about me after I got the later
diagnosis that saved my life!
So I continued to run a temperature of 103 degrees,
cancel my singing engagements for work, and eventually
I lost all bowels signs and was turning white as a
sheet, going into septic shock and missing death by
only a matter hours, according to a a later report from
my surgeon.! Finally a former band member and good
friend was able to intervene and talk his Doctors
office into seeing me even though I had no insurance.
He told them I would likely die if they did not see
me, and basically guaranteed them I would pay my bills
since he knew my character. Lucky for me he got me an
appointment with the woman that saved my life, Dr.
Carrol Buckner, my favorite Gastronologist here in
Olympia Washington USA!
The night before my appointment I was dripping fluid
from my colon into my body and poisoning it to the
degree that I felt like someone was inside with a
pick-axe and scrapping at the wall of my stumic. I
tell you it was the worst feeling. I was unable to
sleep and was crying uncontrollable tears all night
long, literally for hours. I put on the Bob Dylan song
“I Shall Released” from an old cd by the band “Music
From Big Pink”. I put the cd player in repeat mode and
listened to that song for more than a few hours until
the sun came up and I made it to see a real doctor. I
sang along with it and cried the entire night to ease
my pain. That song helped my through a tough night
with mass pain, let me tell you. It really helped me
get through it. I was a cry-baby all the way, but
managed to get to the doctor the next morning . A real
miracle.
I was quickly given the right tests when Dr. Buckner
stepped in and discovered I had no bowel signs and
whatever I was able to eat was leaking into my body
where my colon had been torn in three places, which
caused septic shock and poisoning and almost led to my
death. I was admitted to the rival hospital across
town, (Capital Medical Center) since the first one
(Saint Peters) I went to had treated me like shit and
accused me of not being sick and just seeking drugs. I
refused to go there, but said yes to the other
hospital, (Capital Medical Center) that I now owe my
life to. On June 16th of 1997 they operated and
removed 15 pounds of my torn colon and hooked me up
with colostomy bags and the whole nine yards. I spent
close to 25 days in the hospital over 3 separate
surgery’s. I developed a blood clot of puss in my leg
that had to be removed during an MRI or cat scan or
something , using a big syringe. It was total hell I
tell you. I am lucky to be alive.
I was able to apply for Blue Cross for the third and
final surgery thanks to a state run program called
“Basic Health”. The first 2 surgery’s I had to pay for.
For the final re-attachment surgery I waited until my
state basic health plan had been in place for about 4
months or something, so that the pre-existing
condition could be covered. As soon as I knew the
coverage was in place I had the colostomy bags removed
and another surgery process enabled my bowels to be
hooked back up, thank god and luckily for me. The
State Basic health insurance actually came through
with $38,000 to cover that particular phase of the
operation. However, the next month after paying out
THEY CANCELED my policy and left me on my own! I
found this insulting. I could have re payed them over
time and did not ask nor want to be canceled!
I got charged some $60,000 Plus or something for the
rest of my uninsured costs to the hospital and all the
incredible doctors such as Carrol Buckner and my
surgeon Dr. Hipp that were gracious enough to treat me
and save my life even though i had ….., god forbid,
no insurance. I am thankful they did that and am
alive today only because they took that chance.
Ironically when I consulted a lawyer about the 60K
plus amount I owed that was uninsured they suggested
that I should declare bankruptcy like most would and
run from my bills! I consulted with more than just one
lawyer and the all said to declare bankruptcy. (Typical
fat lawyers just wanted to collect fees from me on the
paperwork that would empty my retirement fund, force
me to sell my home and possessions, and ruin my credit
for years!). Well I a proud man with great credit and
pride. I promised to pay my doctors and pay them I
did! I was able to refinance my home mortgage and raise
enough to pay all of them back without bankruptcy and
damage to my credit report or good name! Turns out the
hospital and all doctors involved considered ME to be
the insurance company since I could have ran away from
it through bankruptcy. In approval for me not running
off on my responsibility they all cut the remaining
bills in half and I paid cash to all of them for
saving my life, which ran me about $30,000
approximately. My monthly Mortgage went up a couple of
hundreds bucks or something, but I kept my pride and
sucked it in, I kept my word to the life saving savior
doctors, and got them payed. I am still paying on that
loan, and I am proud to do so. NO thanks to the Health
Care System, (Well they did help 38k worth),
but………Those bastards CANCELED me!
Plus it was impossible to ever get decent treatment at
the beginning because I was self employed and did not
have the budget to purchase any at the time. Then the
first hospital were morons and charged me ten times to
much for shot or two and said I was faking the whole
illness! I am convinced this system is totally screwed
up with its head inserted in its anal wall! I would
love to share my story further. I am just lucky I had
friends to stand up for me and plead with the special
doctors to break down and take a chance on me even
though I did not have any insurance!
Just 3 months before my surgery in April of 1997 I was
on vacation in England walking on my hands across
“Abby Road” where the Beatles EMI Historic studio is
located for a silly picture opportunity. I fell down
after losing my balance, and dislocated my shoulder.
It hurt a lot and I was forced to go to a hospital for
treatment. Well guess what? They have National
Health care in England lucky for me. They did ex-rays
and popped me back into place with all the treatment
and whatever I needed at no cost to me! National
health care picked up the entire tab. I was only
charged 5 pounds or about $8 American for a huge
bottle of pain pills that helped ease the pain and
helped me sleep it off at the hotel that night. I
would have payed through the nose if this happened to
me at home! Thousands just to get a shot of something
to ease my pain? Give me a break. Anyway I have a
video of me falling at Abby Road and clips of me in
the recovery room at the British Hospital if you
would like to include any of this story in your
upcoming film. They are on video tape, and some
snapshots as well. I also have graphic pictures of my body
just after the initial surgery. The Britt’s have
figured this one out. Why can’t we? National
health care would have payed for my Doctors visits and
detected my peritonitis at an earlier stage and
allowed me to afford to be alive which is my God given
American right. Health and happiness! We need to wake
up in America. It is pathetic my friend. I will speak
with you further on this and show you the clips of me
in England if you would like! I hope to hear from you.
Your biggest Fan…
Mr. Eric Turnbow
Phone: 360 943 7039
email: etcosmic2000@yahoo.com
website: http://www.cosmickaraoke.com
I have a total of 5 websites I in control of. Try them all and get back to me!
http://www.cosmickaraoke.com
http://www.ericturnbow.com
http://www.myspace.com/ericturnbow
http://www.myspace.com/cosmickaraoke
http://www.myspace.com/galacticnebula
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here is a cool piece about the movie “Sicko” that mentions Eric Turnbow in its enthralling review of the movie, scene by scene.
Do enjoy it. I sure did!
E.T.
Sicko Synopsis
By without feathers | June 24, 2007 - 10:45 pm
Posted in Category: Health Care in America
For the second part of my public service project “I watched Sicko so you wouldn’t have to” I present a detailed synopsis of the movie that will at once inform you of the content of said film and also allow you to engage in debate over the film without having to endure taunts from liberals that you are “criticizing a movie that you haven’t even seen.” If you attend this post carefully, you will easily pass any movie trivia quiz the Moorish throw at you.
This synopsis is presented with as much objectivity as I can muster. I will reserve my editorial comments for a subsequent post.
Sicko begins with a clip of President Bush’s well known gaff about OB/GYNs practicing there “love for women.” The film then quickly cuts to introductions of Adam and Rick. Adam has just had an accident and is about to sew up a deep gash across his knee himself rather than incur the financial burden of going to an emergency room for treatment. Rick shows the circular saw where, he explains, he cut off the tips of two fingers. Uninsured, he had to choose between having the tip of his ring finger reattached for $12,000 or the tip of his middle finger for $60,000. Moore’s narration explains that Rick, “a hopeless romantic” chose the ring finger.
Moore tells us that 50 million Americans are without health insurance and 18,000 of them die every year because of that. But, he assures us, this film is not about those people, but about the 250 million who do have health insurance and are “living the American dream.”
The film then cuts to a scene of Larry (former union machinist) and Donna (former newspaper editor) driving to their daughter’s home where they will take up residence because Larry’s three heart attacks and Donna’s cancer have left them unemployed and uninsured. Larry and Donna’s children are willing to help, but can’t understand how the system left them in such a sorry state. The son-in-law is leaving that day for a job on a plumbing contract in Iraq.
Several more cases are introduced: Laura was in a traffic accident but her insurance refused to cover an ambulance ride because it was not pre-approved; Jason was rejected because he was underweight (six feet tall, 130 lbs); A fat girl was rejected because of her body mass index. Moore reveals that he received 25,000 responses to a solicitation for health care horror stories. He also states that he received hundreds of letters from people who work in the industry and are “fed up” with what they are doing to people.
The film introduces several more people: Becky Melki whose job was to collect information from applicants that would later be used to deny them coverage; Dr. Linda Pino, former medical director of Humana, who testified to congress about her employers zeal to deny claims, including one that she is sure resulted in the death of the claimant — but resulted in a half million dollar savings to Humana.
We also see a little girl who was denied a second cochlear implant because the insurer, CIGNA, contends that cochlear implants for both ears are experimental. Other people report similar stories including one who’s life was saved because she was in Japan when she collapsed and so received life-saving cancer therapy that had been denied by her insurer. We are informed that two of the others died because they were denied treatment.
The list continues on for the rest of the first half hour of the film. Moore then provides a short history of how the current system of health insurance in the U.S. evolved. We hear a tape recording from the Oval Office identified as taking place on February 17, 1971, 5:23PM. John Ehrlichman is reporting to Richard Nixon on Edgar Kaiser’s Permanente plan for his employees. Ehrlichman explains that the plan works because “All incentives run toward less medical care.” Nixon is enthusiastic about this, and the next day announces that his administration will be developing a strategy to assure that all Americans have health coverage. In 1973, Nixon announces an HMO program (based on Kaiser Permanente) that he will present to congress.
The film then cuts to 1993 and Hillary Clinton (Bill’s “little lady… sassy, smart, sexy”) and tells us that “some men couldn’t handle it” while showing pictures of various Republicans. Hillary Clinton decides to make health care for everyone her priority and is given the charter to do so by her husband, President Bill Clinton. Clips show various Republicans criticizing the effort, including a clip of Hillary comparing Republican Congressman Dick Armey to Dr. Jack Kevorkian.
Cut-away to a clever montage cold war era “Red Menace” film clips as Moore describes historic resistance to national health care. The principal opponent being the American Medical Association which sponsored a nationwide series home “coffee klatches” to present a recording of Ronald Reagan excoriating “socialized medicine.” We are then told that the health care industry spent $100 million to defeat Hillary’s plan as the U.S. slipped to #37 in health care — just below Costa Rico.
We see television reports of record health industry profits and CEO compensation, and Hillary is reputed to be rewarded with the second largest political contribution from the health care industry in history. A clip shows an assemblage of various congresspeople labeled with campaign contribution amounts from the health care industry. George Bush is revealed to be the top recipient.
The film then focuses on Republican Representative Billy Tauzin who is shown in clip after clip proclaiming his love for his mother. We are reminded that Bush signed into law the Medicare Drug Improvement and Modernization Act, which Moore claims contributed directly to making drugs more expensive. Moore also notes that 14 congressional aids subsequently went to work for the health care industry and that Billy Tauzin became the CEO of PHARMA, the drug industries lobbying organization for a salary of $2 million per year.
Adrian Campbell, mother of two, is shown driving to Canada. At 22 Adrian has contracted cervical cancer. Adrian explains that her insurance company refused to pay for treatment because they say it is not possible for a 22 year old to contract cervical cancer. Adrian tries to get a national health card by using her boyfriend Kyle’s address in Canada and claiming to be his common law wife. The clinic is suspicious and calls the police. Adrian and Moore’s camera crew try to find another clinic, but the police are already there waiting for her.
Film clips show Bill O’Reilly, Stephen Forbes and various news reports claiming that Canadians wait 9-10 months for bypass surgery. Moore asks his Canadian relatives about this. They meet at a Sears in Canada where the relatives are buying supplemental medical insurance for a trip to the U.S. They explain that a friend suffered a head injury on vacation in Hawaii and incurred $600,000 in medical expenses.
Another Canadian, Larry Godfreid suffered a shoulder injury while golfing in Florida. When told it would cost $24,000 for surgery, Larry returned to Canada for free care. Larry mentions that he is a conservative and tells Moore about (Anthony) Tony Douglas, whom he describes as the most important person in Canadian history. Douglas was the founder of the national health system in Canada. Moore also interviews a man who had four fingers severed in an accident and reattached at no cost in a Canadian hospital. We also see several patients in a hospital waiting room who all describe the service as fast and excellent. One says the it is a “fabulous system.” Moore notes that Canadians live three years longer, on average, than Americans.
Eric Turnbow attempted to walk across Abbey Road on his hands in homage to his idols the Beatles. This caused him to dislocate his shoulder. He was taken to hospital in London where he was astonished to learn that not only was the care free, but that all of his prescriptions came to about $10. All prescriptions in Britain are about $10 dollars, and only working adults are expected to pay. Pharmacies are for medical supplies only. A cashier is shown and it is explained that the sole purpose of the window is to reimburse patients who had to pay for transport out of their own pocket. Moore also notes that Britons are provided with six months of paid and, if they want, six months of unpaid maternity leave.
Moore interviews several other American ex-patriots in London who all describe the national health system as excellent. A film clip of an old Soviet propaganda film of farmers harvesting wheat is shown while Moore states that “back home in America, we’ve socialized lots of things” — firefighters, schools, postal service, libraries and police.
Moore interviews Tony Benn, former (far left) Labor MP. Benn discusses the origin of Britain’s National Health System (NHS) in 1948. He emphasizes that it was not created as a charity, it was and is a taxpayer provided service. Moore notes that in 1948 Britain was near bankruptcy and struggling to recover from World War II. Benn says that even Mrs. Thatcher felt the need to assure Britons that she would not touch the system.
The Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man” plays in the background.
Moore quotes a JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) study comparing the health of 55 to 64 year olds in Britain and the U.S. In most categories, Britons are healthier than Americans. The study also notes that the poorest in Britain can expect to live longer than the richest in America.
We are introduced to a NHS doctor who tells us that he is happy not to have to deal with money at all or ever have to turn away patients. Moore questions him about his financial status. The doctor explains that he owns a million dollar home and drives a high-end Audi. He is paid about 85,000 pounds (~$170,000) per year and the average at the practice where he works is about 100,000 pounds (~$200,000). Under a new NHS plan, doctors are rewarded for positive outcomes with their patients. Moore comments that U.S. doctors need have no fear of universal health care and the doctor agrees.
Cut back to Tony Benn who comments that democracy is the most revolutionary force in the world — more revolutionary than socialism. He notes that freedom of choice depends on economics and that the system works to keep people hopeless. The system doesn’t want people educated, healthy and confident, according to Moore.
Moore explains, over a clip of a film entitled “Life in America” that the U.S. has the worst infant mortality in the western world and poor public education. Moore says that student loans create compliant workers and shows a clip of a Bush admirer telling the President that she works three jobs which Bush notes is “uniquely American.” Various clips show commercials promoting drugs and children flying a kite in an unspecified, but apparently middle eastern country.
Donelle Keyes was insured by Kaiser Permanente when her 18 month old daughter Mychelle came down with a fever and headaches. The child was taken to Martin Luther King hospital in South Central Los Angeles, but the hospital administration tells her that her insurance will not cover care at the hospital and Mychelle should be taken to an “in network hospital.” Donelle refuses to take her daughter to the Kaiser Permanente facility and continues to plead with MLK administrators to ignore the insurance rules and treat her daughter there and then. After several hours, Donelle is escorted out of the building with her daughter and they are put in a car to be transported to a Kaiser Permanente hospital. Mychelle dies at the second hospital.
Karina’s daughter Zoe also comes down with a high fever, but Zoe is admitted to a hospital immediately and remains there from Friday to Sunday at no cost because they live in France. Moore notes that the French “live much longer” than Americans. Alexi Ceumeaux lived in the U.S. for most of his adult life, but when he developed cancer he returned to France for treatment because he could not afford treatment in the U.S. In France he was given three months of treatment plus three months of paid recuperation. Dr. Jacques Milliez notes that in France health care depends on need while in the U.S. care depends on means. This, he says, is the result of the solidarity of the French people.
Moore meets with several U.S. ex-patriots living in France. One has type 1 diabetes and was afraid to fill out the medical forms when registering for health care upon his arrival in France. There was no need to worry because there are no exclusions for pre-existing conditions. He spent a year in the hospital. A woman tells of her experiences noting that with four boys she has made several trips to the emergency room and never waited more than an hour for care.
S.O.S. Medicins is a private service (in France) that makes 24 hour house calls. Amidst scenes of one patient in his home dropping his pants for an injection, we learn that the service was started 40 years about by a doctor who discovered that he could plumbing service 24 hours a day, but not medical service.
Moore continues with the expats who note that France is a family friendly country offering day care for about $1/hour, free college tuition and five weeks (minimum) paid vacation — many people get eight weeks, unlimited sick leave and a 35 hour work week. One of the expats suggests that the reason so this is all possible is because French workers are so much more productive than U.S. workers. The French government will provide a nanny free of charge, twice a week for four hours, to new mothers. The nanny is an employee of the government and will even cook dinner if asked. One of the expats says she feels a little bad about having it so much better in France than her relatives back in the U.S. Another notes that in France the government is afraid of the people instead of the other way around.
We see scenes of French protesters including a demonstration of about 160,000 students. The various demonstrations are for free housing, more days off and other benefits.
Moore wonders about taxes which, he says, must be very high to afford all of these amenities. He visits an “average middle class family” living in a comfortable Paris apartment. There combined income is about $8000/month. The mortgage on the apartment costs them about $1575/month. They own two cars and have no debt other than their mortgage. There biggest expense is food (”feesh and vegetables”). There next major expense is the holidays they take traveling all over the world. They tell us they are happy.
“Why does the government and media want us to hate the French?” Asks Moore. Are they worried we might like the French and their ways of doing things? This is enough to make him put away his freedom fires.
Sicko Synopsis
By withoutfeathers | June 24, 2007 - 10:45 pm
Posted in Category: Health Care in America
Meanwhile, back at home, hospitals have found a new way to deal with patients who couldn’t pay their bill. A witness reports seeing a cab pull up…a shelter secuirty officer says: “[a cab] dropped Carol off.” She walked down to the entrance completely confused wearing only a hospital gown [clip shows she is actually wearing additional garments] carry a bag. A shelter staff worker approaches Carol. It turns out that Kaiser Permanente pur her in the cab and sent it to the shelter. Over 50 patients have been similarly dumped there.
James Lott, Executive Vice President, Hospital Association of Southern California, says that they try to find someplace for them to go rather than just open the door, but right now skid row is the best bet in town.. County Hospital (run by the University of Southern California) dumped another patient off at the curb, incurring an investigation by Deputy County Attorney, Gordon Turner.
Moore than addresses the audience: “May I take a minute to as a question that has been on my mind? Who are we? What have we become?” A clip shows a scene of a rural community cooperating and helping each other. Moore continues: “They say you can judge a society by how it treats those who are worst off. But is the opposite true: That you can judge a society by how it treats its best, its heroes?” we see a montage of prominent people praising the 9/11 rescue workers in 2001-02.
“5 years later” we are introduced to several volunteer rescue workers now suffering various ailments which are believed to be associated with the work site. William (Bill) Marr suffers from post traumatic distress syndrome and persistent nightmares from his experience recovering bodies and body parts from “the pile.” His teeth have been permanently damaged as a result of night-time grinding. Reggie Cervantes was a volunteer EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) who now has trouble breathing and a persistent cough. She remembers having trouble breathing from the end of the first week at Ground Zero. She was forced to quit her job and move out of the City.
A montage of clips shows: Bush naming 15 terrorists who have been transfered to Guantanamo Bay Detention Center; various government officials describing the detainees as dangerous people; military officers describing the “excellent” health care they are receiving and noting that the health personnel to detainee ratio is one-to-four. The montage also include clips of the detainees eating and playing soccer. A military spokesperson says that the health care the detainees are receiving is comparable to the best HMOs.
Moore takes a group of the 9/11 rescue workers introduced earlier including Bill, Reggie and John, as well as Donna Smith (the woman who moved into her daughters house early in the film) from which they depart to Guantanamo in three boats as stirring music plays in the soundtrack. A cutaway shows the seal of the U.S. Dept of Homeland Security while a scroll-over declares: “Homeland Security laws of the United States of America prohibit the filmakers from revealing how they got to their destination.” Cut back to a scene of three fishing boats outside of the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Station from which Moore yells at a distant guard tower (eventually using a bullhorn) but receives no response.
Cut to scenes of Cuba/Havana and Moore leading the group around Havana looking for a doctor and pharmacy. Over ominous music we see clips depicting Cuba as “the worst place on Earth.” Moore suggests that the reason for U.S. policy is that Castro “replaced a dictator we liked with one that we didn’t like.” Despite U.S. views, Cuba is known around the world as having not only one of the best health care systems, but also for being one of the most generous in providing doctors and medical equipment to third world countries.
Compared to U.S. spending of $6000 per person for health care, Cuba spends only $251 per person yet has a lower infant mortality rate and longer life expectancy. We then see a scene of a bare-shelved pharmacy (in Havana) but some specified medications are found in a drawer. One of the 9/11 rescue workers notes that this medication costs hundreds of dollars back in the U.S. but only about five cents in Cuba.
The group arrives at Havana Hospital, an imposing high-rise with clean, bright, modern reception area. The admission process requires only name and date of birth which takes just a few minutes. The group is welcomed by Doctor Jaime Wright who speaks English well. Dr. Wright promises the group first class care. Moore asks for the same care given to Cuban citizens and he is assured that there is only one standard of care in Cuba. We see scenes of the patients being examined, surrounded by doctors and nurses and finally a scene of one of the group being scanned in a recent Phillips MRI, as well as tests being conducted in a modern, well equiped lab.
Pediatrician Aleida Guevara (Che Guevara’s daughter) explains that Cuba is a “…little island with few resources, but can do a lot to improve the health of its people.” Dr. Guevara wonders why this does not happen in the United States. She wonders how this is possible in Cuba and not in the U.S. She notes that the more a country produces, the richer it gets, the more it should give to its people. In Cuba, patients are all given treatment.
Finished with their treatment at Havana Hospital — they are also bringing back drugs and treatment regimens — the group of 9/11 volunteers visit a Havana firehouse where the firefighters stand at attention to “honor heroes of 9/11.” The commander says that firefighters around the world are all brothers. The two groups greet each other, shake hands and hug.
As Moore was working on this film in 2006, he learned that the man who runs the biggest anti-Michael Moore website on the internet would have to shut down the site because he could no longer afford to keep it running because his wife was ill and they couldn’t afford to pay for insurance. Moore felt that it wasn’t right for the man to have to curtail his protests because of his wife’s illness, so he sent him an anonymous check for $12,000. The man’s wife recovered and the website is still going strong.
Moore wraps up the film with these observations: Everywhere else in the world, people take care of each other. We have a history of adopting better ideas from around the world, so why can’t we follow their example and take care of each other? The insurance companies, according to Moore, hope that we remain the only country in the world that doesn’t have “free” universal health care because this is part of strategy to maintain a choke-hold on U.S. citizens with the burden of student loans, medical bills and expensive daycare. The film closes with Moore carrying a laundry basket up the steps of the U.S. Capitol. “I’m going to get the government to do my laundry.” He says.
Closing credits roll over the sound of Cat Stevens performing “Don’t be Shy.” In the list of acknowledgments, Moore thanks Kurt Vonnegut “for everything” and dedicates the film to his mother. A graphic notes: “Any American interested in marrying a Canadian for free health care: www.hook-a-canuck.com.
At the 123 minute mark the film fades to black and holds for an additional minute.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I have a total of 5 websites I in control of. Try them all and get back to me!
http://www.cosmickaraoke.com
http://www.ericturnbow.com
http://www.myspace.com/ericturnbow
http://www.myspace.com/cosmickaraoke
http://www.myspace.com/galacticnebula
Farm Aid 2004 was held Saturday, Sept. 18 at White River Amphitheater.
Here is his obituary as reported by webmaster Frank Davies. He is very much missed by all, but his music will live on forever!
