Michael Moore's Film Sicko and Jane Addams, The Situation

Addams and Sicko

II. The situation and what is taken for granted.
Moore’s documentary begins by capturing the plight faced by many American families whose occupations or finances do not afford them adequate or comprehensive health insurance. There is no universal healthcare system yet in the United States that affords each citizen the same, equal access to healthcare services. In several European countries, as well as Cuba, universal healthcare has been an integral part of the culture for over half a dozen decades. The people in these countries take for granted unlimited access to medical care and needed medications, with the added comfort of never having to worry about a bill or how they’ll pay for their care. The people in these countries grow up with the understanding that they are paying a large amount of tax money which goes to providing care for themselves and others. And, while they may take very good care of themselves, hardly ever needing to visit the doctor, they realize that there will be a time when they will need an extraordinary amount of care.
Presently in the United States, when a person with limited or no health insurance visits the doctor, they take for granted the huge bill that will soon arrive. Even people with excellent coverage can still pay high deductibles and face enormous bills if their treatment requires multiple visits (and, therefore, multiple deductible charges). In essence, the largest issue that comes about as a result of this type of healthcare/insurance system is that people cannot always afford to become healthy again. If an hourly-wage worker becomes ill, s/he is more likely to still go to work than to go to the doctor. This is because going to the doctor not only racks up a large tab, but even costs them wage money that they’re not earning because they’re at the doctor. Ultimately, a vicious cycle ensues. On the contrary, in countries with universal healthcare systems the government will work with your employer to still pay you your regular wage, in addition to providing free and unlimited healthcare. In this way, a person is not excessively burdened financially, and can afford to take time off from work to get better.



References
Addams, Jane. 1902. Democracy and Social Ethics. Chicago, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Lengermann, Patricia and Jill Niebrugge-Brantley. 2005. “Class Notes Jane Addams as a Critical Social Thinker, Spring 2008 American University, Washington D.C.” (https://blackboard.american.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_43370_1%26url%3D).