
For me the most interesting parts of the film are the travels to other countries including Canada, England, France, and Cuba and examining how the healthcare systems in those countries work.
One of the biggest lies ever told in the history of this country is that socialized medicine could never work and that government run healthcare would be too expensive and less reliable that privatized healthcare. Moore’s documentary proves this to be a bald-faced lie as he looks at the creation of the insurance industry and the reasoning behind it, and presents a refreshing realization that there may indeed be a better way.
One of the most intriguing moments is when Moore sits down for dinner with a group of Americans living and working in Paris. Together they discuss the ease and high-level of medical care and wellness and sick prevention given to them by their companies. It seems so implausible given the American system it will leave many Americans stunned. Along with the sobering realization that Americans, due to its current broken system, are falling further and further behind in terms of health and life expectancy. We’re getting sicker and dying as others are flourishing under systems deemed too expensive and impractical, and politicians still tout our healthcare system? That takes some kind of nerve, or a great deal of stupidity.
Moore does stumble once or twice while trying to showboat by rounding up a large group of Americans in need of healthcare, all ignored by their own insurance companies for treatment they have paid premiums for, and renting boats to take them to Guantanamo Bay. Why Guantanamo you ask? Well, it seems the worst terrorists in the world get better healthcare than any average American citizen can ever hope to achieve, no matter the policy. While it makes a good point, Moore, as he is often prone to do it these stunts, goes too far in showboating for the camera. Thankfully it is one of the few moments where it occurs. By comparison, taking a small group into a Cuban hospital to get the care they need is a remarkable and touching scene that shows both the level of competence and training in their doctors, but also the need and responsibility to help those who are sick which seems to be missing in many US hospitals. Compared to the horror stories Moore relays from many thousands of Americans, including 9/11 workers denied benefits for years, it will leave you ashamed.

Government run healthcare works in many developed countries around the world and their citizens are healthier and with longer life expectancies than current Americans. The truth is that Americans have a guaranteed right not only to liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but also to life and until they are willing to fight for the right to adequate health resources that citizens from other countries are given simply by paying taxes rather than putting our faith into an insurance industry that wants to bleed us dry and kill us without ever putting up money for expensive procedures, we will be a sick country for a long time.
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