Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

CNN vs. “Sicko:” Corporations Win Again

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I’ve been enjoying watching Michael Moore contest CNN’s would-be attack on his film “Sicko.” The only real winners that I can see are The Weinstein Company, which wants to sell movie tickets, and Time Warner, which wants TV viewers. As to the actual protagonists, I don’t think either Moore or Gupta acquitted himself particularly well, but I give a nod on the facts to the documentarian.

On the one hand, Moore convincingly exposed Sanjay Gupta as an apologist for the status quo and an untrustworthy reporter. On the other hand, some of his responses were so unfocused — broadsides against corporate media and the war in Iraq, for example, in a discussion ostensibly about health care — that he came off as more of an agenda-driven polemicist than a useful analyst of our health care system. Maybe that is his goal, but if so I don’t think it accomplishes much as a practical matter to bring about health care reform.

The critiques of Gupta that I found particularly devastating were: (1) the reporter’s claim that Moore’s use of 2007 HHS U.S. per capita health care spending estimates, which are higher and make the current system look worse, rather than 2004 actual spending numbers, which are lower and make the system look better, casts doubt on Moore’s entire argument — an apologia for the status quo, if ever there was one; (2) that a disagreement of a few dollars on Cuba’s per capita health care spending of around $250 means Moore “fudged” his figures — in the context of U.S. spending of around $7,000 per person, and comparable overall health care performance rankings (37 for the U.S. versus 39 for Cuba) according to the WHO; and (3) Gupta’s refusal to acknowledge that a key source in his report, Paul Keckley, has numerous conflicts of interest. Moore has demanded an apology for Gupta’s use of the word, “fudged,” and, I think he deserves one.

You can watch the soap opera here:

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Comments

    • I havent seen Guptas original report so I am sure Moores reservations are still valid, but in this debate Sanjay essentially comes off looking a lot more calm and intelligent in refuting Moores accusations against him. And as soon as Moore goes off raving and ranting about the corporate media and Iraq he loses his own composure and credibility and ends up looking a lot worse than the doctor.

      • I think Moore could have done a better, more clear job arguing  his points. However, I thought Gupta looked very nervous. Notice is constant blinking and biting his lip.

    • that was Sanjaya and you can read about him and universal health care here on WBUR’s CommonHealth blog entry “Sanjaya Sings ? Let?s Give Them Something to Talk About ? How About Single Payer? by Elmer Freeman

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      And to get back to the point of this topic (not just colling off in the AC in front of your PC on a hot summer night but the people who need healthcare and who are already paying through the nose for it and not getting it)

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      here are a couple of posts relevent to this issue that might be informative and move readers to take constructive action

      “Sicko” Revenue Wanes at the Box Office–Why Didn’t “Sicko” Resonate? on Health Policy and Marketplace blog

      AnnEM, RN said…

      My sister was kicked out of the hospital the day her private insurance ran out. This happened was when she was still acutely ill, very symptomatic and frightened, and was undergoing treatment adjustments with powerful medications.

      Her insurance ran out so she was kicked out. 20 years ago. But as a nurse I know that these things continue to happen. Every day. The film SiCKO is actually the G-rated version of these kinds of obscenities that occur in the U.S. .

      So to the negative pundits I say that this film is excellent and it accomplishes much of what its makers hoped for: raising consciousness and inspiring activism on the healthcare issue.

      The outrage and anger over our wasteful, dysfunctional and often inhumane non-system is being channeled into constructive action.

      This film will help foster a growing political demand/call to action from voters on their elected representatives to tackle this issue in a head on and serious way to achieve large scale reforms of U.S. health care financing and delivery system.

      We must demand fundamental overhaul; the kind of incremental “reform” tinkering (much of it fake reform, in fact) that’s taken place over the past 2 decades is just making things worse.

      In addition to my personal family experience I’ve worked in healthcare for 30 years, the past 15 as a master’s prepared nurse and a clinical nursing instructor. I’ve worked in hospitals and in community settings.

      Over the past 20 years I’ve been a dedicated advocate for fundamental health system reform, working with groups such as PNHP, Families USA, and the Alliance to Defend Health Care where I live in Massachusetts.

      The huge amounts of money involved in HC have a deleterious effect on efforts to reform the system in the ways that are needed.

      Groups that used to push for the far-reaching reforms have either been bought off by the healthcare industrial complex (ie Insurance Co “Foundations”) or have crossed over to the the dark side to champion “incremental” reforms that often just make the porblems worse but provide those groups and their founders ego gratification and funding streams.

      Follow the money trail, connect the dots, and speak truth to power are essential ingredients for building the social movement we require.

      I warmly invite people from all walks of life to join in this work for a humane, quality and responsibly financed healthcare system- it certainly will not be achieved by wonks in ivory towers or internet geeks alone.

      This issue calls for the “We” to step forward to demand the healthcare system improvements that we need and deserve and to not let up until it has been achieved. Resources below. Thank you.

      Visit http://Healthcare-No…
      and
      http:http://www.SickoCure…

      Campaign for America’s Future – who’s now working with MoveOn.org on healthcare reform
      at this link
      http://straighttalk….

      July 9, 2007 3:14 PM

      Anonymous said…
      I’ve been a advocate of single payer reform for the past 2 years or so. It’s a good first step. Is there any other insurance system that can apply the necessary leverage to the medical community to become more cost effective? Can any other system enforce consistent standards and protocols based on quality control and long-term cost reduction?

      I’d also like the government to take over the malpractice insurance system and replace it with a specialized arbitration system.

      Finally, I don’t buy the argument that reducing utilization (rationing) is the only way to control costs. The entire system is tremendously inefficient and way behind other industries. There is plenty of room to do more with less. They have few incentives to reduce costs and don’t compete on anything other than perceived quality and medical headlines.

      Our fragmented private insurance system is part of the problem. Not part of the solution.

      – CM
      July 10, 2007 3:19 PM

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      P.S. PP, I knew you were kidding about Sanjaya… đŸ™‚

  2. Why do you even acknowledge Michael Moore as an advocate for you position? There are scholarly reports and data which can be used to prove your point. Michael Moore is a a side issue because he has a reputation of glossing over facts he does not like. So why bother arguing each instance. Take Michel Moore out of the line-up. Please

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    p>  Did you ask him to make the film? I doubt it. So why do you feel you have to embrace it? Rather, point to serious data and works that prove the point you want to make.

    • jason wolfe just asked me if i had your contact info, for howie’s spot

    • I’m just reviewing this little tiff and, basically, offering some light entertainment for everyone bored at work on a hot day đŸ™‚

    • His point is that the U.S. spends way too much money to be ranked two slots above Cuba, which spends very little.  Sanjay Gupta was trying to reinforce a common narrative among press elites that Michael Moore “fudges facts,” but Gupta misquoted Moore (on “$25”), and claimed Moore didn’t mention Cuba was #39 behind the US (#37), when actually the film showed both nations’ ranks on the screen.

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      So then Gupta weakly accuses Moore of “cherry-picking” data.  But there’s nothing wrong with Moore using HHS numbers as opposed to WHO numbers.  Moore’s not trying to nail down an exact difference between US and Cuban spending, Moore’s trying to show the difference is huge.  And either set of data shows that.

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      I think this comment by EB3 is evidence that EB3 is a member of the press corps.  People in the press froth at the mouth, and sometimes like Sanjay Gupta, say stupid things when Michael Moore puts out a movie.  Ezra Klein had some good insights on this strange press behavior.

      • Please link.

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        Considering I’ve been to Cuba, and had family living there, I’d like to see this poll and how ranking are determined.

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        Because it’s silly to equate Cuba’s medical system to the US.  I’ve seen both, and someone’s grossly distorting how these rankings are calculated.

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        One simply has to visit the main lobby in Mayo Clinic’s Gonda Building … people from around the world visit there.  Mayo employs dozens of interpreters.  Cuba?  Pul-eeze.

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        Is someone telling me I should go to Cuba for health care?  Why, I wouldn’t even go to Canada (memo to progressives: many Canadian come here.  Why is that?)

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        What is this ranking system, and who’s behind it?

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