Health-care industry braces for 'Sicko' (MarketWatch, via MichaelMoore.com)

[marmar]

June 16th, 2007 3:28 pm
Health-care industry braces for 'Sicko'

By Carolyn Pritchard / MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISCO -- Fans of Michael Moore's movies aren't the only ones eagerly awaiting the release of "Sicko." The U.S. health-care industry has the film's late-June premiere circled on its calendar as well.

For-profit providers of health care are the controversial and award-winning filmmaker's latest target.

"I don't think Michael Moore set out to make a balanced movie," said Karen Ignagni, president America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade group. "He set out to make a movie about government-run systems and imposing them on the United States as the solution to the health-care crisis."

AHIP has been talking with its members about engaging in the discussion by offering solutions, Ignagni said, declining to offer specifics.

"We will have a lot to say about the movie when it comes out," she said.

Moore himself said in an interview with MarketWatch that he "spoke too soon" when he let it be known he was making a film about health care. He said that decision resulted in, among other things, staff memos within numerous insurance companies warning against talking to Moore. Documents provided by whistleblowers and company insiders detailing efforts to deal with Moore and the film itself are slated to be released prior to the movie's June 29 nationwide premiere.

Industry concerns have also been aired in public. Managed-health-care provider Amerigroup Corp.'s chairman and chief executive, Jeff McWaters, in his remarks at a recent investment-banking conference, listed the film's coming release among the "headline risks" for the industry overall.

The trade group that represents the drug industry, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, issued a statement last month deriding both the movie and Moore himself. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/news/article.php?id=9902

[ray of light]

1. yeh. well check out the scam on Oregon's 'health plans'

They cook up a reason to deny you coverage and then you get kicked into the Oregon Health Pool. The same companies that denied you coverage then turn around and pick you up at a higher rate with less coverage!

It's a SCAM.

WE NEED UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE.

And I don't care about the "You want a system like Canada has" comments. Because Hell yes--that coverage is a heck of a lot better than what we've got.

[Liberal Veteran]

4. I bet anyone with a chronic illness who has lost their job or...

...the 1200+ people in the US on waiting lists for HIV medications would LOVE to have system like Canada's.

When my last job got outsourced to India, I didn't think "Oh, shit...I'm gonna lose my house", I thought, "Oh, shit, how the fuck am I gonna pay for my meds?"

[petersjo02]

7. Exactly

That happened to me here in Iowa, too. I retired at 62 and continued on my company's BC/BS policy (COBRA) for another 18 months. I paid the premium myself, something around $350/month, but at least I had good coverage. The next 18 months before I qualified for Medicare was another story. BC/BS didn't want me then, and they, and every other insurance company my insurance guy checked with, denied me coverage. My only option was to join HIP Iowa, which is a state-sponsored health insurance pool that must provide coverage, but boy do you pay for it. The coverage is basically catastrophic coverage. You must pay about $5,000 out of pocket before benefits kick in. I paid well over $600/month for this coverage, all told about $10,000 down the rat hole for that 18-month period. I had only routine checkups during that time, so I basically paid through the nose, and they made a lot of money on me.

[napi21]

2. If the HC industry isn't doing anything wrong, why are they worried?

Isn't THAT what all the Pubs keep telling us about everything?

What's the problem fellas? Are yu afraid your scam is going to be exposed?????

[DemKR]

3. they are shaking in their boots.....

[glarius]

5. There they go again with their scare tactics against a system like Canada's

<snip>
"I don't think Michael Moore set out to make a balanced movie," said Karen Ignagni, president America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade group. "He set out to make a movie about government-run systems and imposing them on the United States as the solution to the health-care crisis."
I knew they'd get around to the government-run systems crap!
They keep trying to convince Americans that in our Canadian system the government chooses our doctors and decides what surgeries and treatments we can and cannot have. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We choose our own doctors and the doctors decide on what needs to be done. They send the bills to the government and the government PAYS...PERIOD. Our system is not perfect, but over 90% of our people (according to polls) want to keep it, so something must be working!

[cassiepriam]

6. Managed Care execs make Enron look like child's play.

They are the epitome of corruption.
They make billions denying Americans medical coverage.
I believe there will be a special place in hell for them.