Sicko

I'd heard about Sicko when it was in production about two years ago. I have several friends in the health-care industry who reported to me that they'd been told by their supervisors NOT to talk to Michael Moore.

So what's the health care industry 'scurred' of? Universal single payer health care and this movie, which opens in 440 theaters nationwide today.

It has been a mild irritant to me that other industrialized nations such as Canada, Great Britain and even Costa Rica have universal free health care for their citizens and the richest country on the planet doesn't.

That lack of universal health care is costing us.

When you buy a new car for example, $1000 of the cost of it goes toward paying for health insurance. One of the reasons US car companies are getting their butts kicked in the world marketplace is that Toyota and Hyundai don't have to factor health-care costs in their pricing.

But back to Sicko. I went to a press event this morning in front of the Baxter Avenue Theater (where it's being shown in Louisville) staged by a coalition of groups that are pushing for universal single payer health care. HR 676 authored by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) seeks to establish such a system. In addition to being co-sponsored by 75 members it is supported by 13,000 doctors and businesses.

The bill is currently in the House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Natural Resources Committees.

I'm definitely planning on heading over to the Baxter to see it this weekend.