Health Insurance Industry, Big Pharmaceuticals Launch Michael Moore Smear Campaign

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/22/moore-smears/

Health Insurance Industry, Big Pharmaceuticals Launch Michael Moore Smear Campaign


In his new movie SiCKO, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore exposes the deplorable practices of the major health insurance and pharmaceutical companies in working to deny coverage to individuals who are insured:

There’s no getting around the fact that people are dying in this country as a result of the decisions that get made by these health insurance companies. People are dying in this country because they can’t afford the pharmaceuticals because of the price gauging that takes place

For his damaging exposé of the health care industry, Moore is now coming under attack from front groups that are supported and funded by insurance and pharmaceutical companies. The New York Sun reports:

The pharmaceutical industry and think tanks it backs financially are readying a multifaceted counteroffensive against Michael Moore’s film about the health care industry. … In advance of the film’s release, they are upping the volume and the tempo of their activities.

Armed with the plenty of cash from the health care industry, these organizations are lobbing personal insults against Moore and propagating the information of parties invested in maintaining the status quo. Some examples:

FreedomWorks: FreedomWorks has launched a new campaign claiming that under Moore’s plan, “healthy individuals” would “wind up subsidizing people like Moore, who are overweight and and/or live decidedly unhealthy lifestyles by frequenting fast-food restaurants, smoke, or use drugs.” FreedomWorks is run by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, whose PAC has received significant contributions from the health care industry. Several industry members serve on the board of directors. Additionally, it has a deal with Medical Savings Insurance Co. allowing the company’s brokers “sell high-deductible insurance policies and tax-free savings plans at a group discount to buyers who join the conservative political organization.”

CATO Institute: CATO receives funding from multiple insurance and pharmaceutical companies, including Amerisure Insurance, Pfizer, and Merck. It has written multiple pieces attacking Moore’s film, arguing that he “ignores the positive side of American health care” and instead “focuses on life expectancy.” It also held an event after the DC premiere of the film, examining whether Moore’s claims are actually “accurate.”

Manhattan Institute: The Manhattan Institute receives funding from multiple pharmaceutical companies, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb. Earlier this week, the group “issued a press release advising reporters covering ‘Sicko’ of four scholars at the institute’s Center for Medical Progress who were available to comment on the health care industry.” One of its senior fellows also started a site called Free Market Cure, which argues SiCKO is “set to inject a large dose of misinformation and propaganda into our national dialog about health care policy.”

Other health-care industry front groups — such as the Galen Institute, Pacific Research Institute, and the Heritage Foundation — have recently launched their own attacks on Moore’s film.

For the health insurance and pharmaceutical industry, Michael Moore’s film exposing the truth is perceived as a threat, and they have no shortage of funds to try to distort it.

[BlueJazz]

1. Mr. Moore should head into the Studio...RIGHT NOW.....and add

....an extension onto the Film (In Front of) explaining how those Bastards are trying to distort the truth.

[babylonsister]

2. I think it's too late; I haven't seen the doc. yet, but I'm hoping people

will be able to figure out that the healthcare industry is stiffing them. Actually, those with insurance and without know it already, by the premiums constantly going up and the care going down.

[Stop Cornyn]

3. The top ten pharmaceutical companies make more in profits than the rest of the Fortune 500 combined.

Despite these outrageous profits, the drug companies' marketing budgets are two and a half times as large as their research budgets. The drug companies spend $19 billion a year to market their drugs to doctors and over $4 billion a year to market their drugs directly to consumers. Only the USA and New Zealand allow direct marketing of prescription drugs to consumers, and New Zealand is in the process of outlawing that practice.

[PA Democrat]

4. Great points, and welcome to DU.

I didn't realize the New Zealand was in the process of banning those odious drug commercials. So now the US will soon stand alone as the ONLY country stupid enough to allow direct marketing.

[Stop Cornyn]

7. Thanks

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. "drug companies' marketing budgets are two and a half times as large as their research budgets"

Pretty much says it all... Great post. :hi:

[madrchsod]

6. they should save money

no one will believe anything they say. everyone knows someone who does`t have health care and everyone in this country knows the present system sucks. the problem is how much people are willing to give to make health care universal