This article can be found at http://www.comcast.net in their news section.
Moore: I've Been Served
Sun Jul 29, 8:05 PM
Maybe Michael Moore isn't paranoid, because it sure seems like the government really is out to get him.
The firebrand filmmaker says he has been served with a subpoena by the federal government for a trip to Cuba for his hit health-care documentary, Sicko. The Treasury Department confirmed two months ago that it was probing Moore's visit to Cuba, during which he was accompanied by some ailing 9/11 rescue workers.
Appearing Thursday on NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Oscar winner said he had just learned backstage that he had been served with an order compelling him to testify about his sojourn to the communist nation.
"I haven't even told my own family this yet," Moore said. "I was just informed when I was back there with Jay that the Bush administration has now issued a subpoena for me, going after me for helping these 9/11 rescue workers."
Michael Moore's No Paris Hilton
Bootleg Sicko Copies Quarantined
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"No, no, for going to Cuba, not for helping them," chimed in Leno.
In March, the Fahrenheit 9/11 helmer and a trio of first responders who had fallen ill after working around ground zero traveled to the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay to demand the same quality health care that administration officials publicly promised was being given to suspected Al Qaeda terrorists held there.
After getting no response from U.S. authorities, Moore and his traveling companions subsequently received free medical treatment from Cuban doctors, which the 53-year-old helmer depicted in Sicko, ostensibly to point out the failings of America's health-care system.
"I didn't go there like Cameron Diaz, to get a tan," quipped Moore. "I was there to help them, and now I'm going to face this further harassment from the Bush people. Aren't they busy with something else?"
In May, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, sent a letter to Moore requesting information about the trip, which it claimed was not approved. (Under the U.S. government's comprehensive trade embargo, American citizens are forbidden to work in Cuba unless granted an exception.)
Moore shot back with an open letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, calling for an end to the investigation and accusing the White House of playing politics by using a government agency to try to silence him.
He also stated he informed the OFAC in October about the Cuba trip, asserting that as a journalist, he qualified for an exemption to the travel ban, a point he reiterated with Leno last week.
"A journalist can go, and this is a work of journalism," said Moore. "And frankly, the larger point is being missed here. The point is that first of all, can we all agree we should take care of our 9/11 rescue workers?"
The statement elicited cheers from the studio audience.
Moore's attorney, David Boies, could not be reached for comment.
According to Reuters, Boies was contacted by a representative of the U.S. Department of Commerce, who requested the name of a person to accept the subpoena on Moore's behalf.
Aside from his burgeoning offscreen problems, Moore dropped another bombshell to Leno, saying that Harvey Weinstein—whose Weinstein company is distributing Sicko and who's also one of Hilary Clinton's biggest Hollywood supporters—asked Moore to cut scenes criticizing the Democratic presidential candidate.
The reason? Because Moore called out Clinton for purportedly accepting the most campaign donations of any senator from lobbyists representing the same private insurers and drug companies she's railed against in the past.
Moore refused, and Weinstein eventually backed down. The director also announced on The Tonight Show that the Weinstein Company has agreed to donate 11 percent of Sicko's box office to help ailing 9/11 workers who have been ignored by the Bush administration
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Michael Moore slams CNN, Wolf Blitzer on live TV
As a Professional Medical Biller, I am fascinated by this film SICKO along with the positive OR negative chats it is creating. I commend Michael Moore and his ability to succeed in his goal in creating the film; to spark conversation about our current health care system in the US.
This article that I found can be printed by visiting www.rawstory.com site and searching under Michael Moore or SICKO.
Read this and share what YOU think!
Michael Moore slams CNN, Wolf Blitzer on live TV
David Edwards and Josh Catone
Published: Monday July 9, 2007
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Before a live interview with documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, CNN aired a segment entitled "Sicko Reality Check" in which Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the network's chief medical correspondent, aimed to keep Moore "honest" and fact check his new film, Sicko.
The 4-minute piece concluded that Moore "did fudge the facts," and implied that Sicko was misleading in portraying health care systems in other countries, such as France, the UK, and Canada, as better than the one in the US.
When given a chance to speak, Moore immediately put host Wolf Blitzer on the defensive.
"That report was so biased, I can't imagine what pharmaceutical company's ads are coming up right after our break here," said Moore. "Why don't you tell the truth to the American people? I wish that CNN and the other mainstream media would just for once tell the truth about what's going on in this country."
Moore argued that CNN has such a lousy track record of reporting the truth about the war in Iraq and asking tough questions, that Americans should be skeptical of their reporting on health care.
"You're the ones who are fudging the facts," said Moore. "You've fudged the facts to the American people now for I don't know how long about this issue, about the war, and I'm just curious, when are you going to just stand there and apologize to the American people for not bringing the truth to them that isn't sponsored by some major corporation?"
Blizter grew defensive and backed up his fellow CNN employee, saying that he would stand behind correspondent Sanjay Gupta's record on medical issues. Moore, in response, vowed to post a rebuttal to his website, MichaelMoore.com, showing that Gupta's facts weren't accurate.
"I'm going to put the real facts up there on my website," said Moore, "so that people can see what he just said was absolutely wrong."
Turning to the war in Iraq, Moore accused Gupta, who spent time embedded with US troops in Iraq, and the mainstream media at large of refusing "to ask our leaders the hard questions, and demand the honest answers." Moore laid the blame for the continued US involvement in the war in Iraq at the feet of the media, arguing that they failed to do their jobs and question the Bush war policy.
Blitzer refused to argue with Moore about Iraq, and instead steered the conversation back to the topic of health care. Moore was asked which of the US presidential candidates he thought would best fix America's health care system.
Moore did not name a specific candidate, but said that the Democratic candidates as a whole need to be more specific about how they plan to achieve their goal of universal health care.
"Our own government admits that because of the 47 million who aren't insured, we now have about 18,000 people a year that die in this country, simply because they don't have health insurance. That's six 9/11s every single year," concluded Moore. We need "universal health care that's free for everyone who lives in this country, it'll cost us less than what we're spending now lining the pockets of these private health insurance companies, or these pharmaceutical companies."
After the interview, Blitzer found sympathy from fellow CNN hosts Lou Dobbs and Jack Cafferty.
"After watching that Michael Moore interview," said Cafferty, "I've decided whatever CNN's paying it ain't enough."
This article that I found can be printed by visiting www.rawstory.com site and searching under Michael Moore or SICKO.
Read this and share what YOU think!
Michael Moore slams CNN, Wolf Blitzer on live TV
David Edwards and Josh Catone
Published: Monday July 9, 2007
Print This Email This
Enjoy this story? Get Raw headlines instantly with RSS or Firefox.
Before a live interview with documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, CNN aired a segment entitled "Sicko Reality Check" in which Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the network's chief medical correspondent, aimed to keep Moore "honest" and fact check his new film, Sicko.
The 4-minute piece concluded that Moore "did fudge the facts," and implied that Sicko was misleading in portraying health care systems in other countries, such as France, the UK, and Canada, as better than the one in the US.
When given a chance to speak, Moore immediately put host Wolf Blitzer on the defensive.
"That report was so biased, I can't imagine what pharmaceutical company's ads are coming up right after our break here," said Moore. "Why don't you tell the truth to the American people? I wish that CNN and the other mainstream media would just for once tell the truth about what's going on in this country."
Moore argued that CNN has such a lousy track record of reporting the truth about the war in Iraq and asking tough questions, that Americans should be skeptical of their reporting on health care.
"You're the ones who are fudging the facts," said Moore. "You've fudged the facts to the American people now for I don't know how long about this issue, about the war, and I'm just curious, when are you going to just stand there and apologize to the American people for not bringing the truth to them that isn't sponsored by some major corporation?"
Blizter grew defensive and backed up his fellow CNN employee, saying that he would stand behind correspondent Sanjay Gupta's record on medical issues. Moore, in response, vowed to post a rebuttal to his website, MichaelMoore.com, showing that Gupta's facts weren't accurate.
"I'm going to put the real facts up there on my website," said Moore, "so that people can see what he just said was absolutely wrong."
Turning to the war in Iraq, Moore accused Gupta, who spent time embedded with US troops in Iraq, and the mainstream media at large of refusing "to ask our leaders the hard questions, and demand the honest answers." Moore laid the blame for the continued US involvement in the war in Iraq at the feet of the media, arguing that they failed to do their jobs and question the Bush war policy.
Blitzer refused to argue with Moore about Iraq, and instead steered the conversation back to the topic of health care. Moore was asked which of the US presidential candidates he thought would best fix America's health care system.
Moore did not name a specific candidate, but said that the Democratic candidates as a whole need to be more specific about how they plan to achieve their goal of universal health care.
"Our own government admits that because of the 47 million who aren't insured, we now have about 18,000 people a year that die in this country, simply because they don't have health insurance. That's six 9/11s every single year," concluded Moore. We need "universal health care that's free for everyone who lives in this country, it'll cost us less than what we're spending now lining the pockets of these private health insurance companies, or these pharmaceutical companies."
After the interview, Blitzer found sympathy from fellow CNN hosts Lou Dobbs and Jack Cafferty.
"After watching that Michael Moore interview," said Cafferty, "I've decided whatever CNN's paying it ain't enough."
Friday, July 13, 2007
Americans Cheer "SiCKO," But NOT all Convinced
So, continuously searching for updates as a professional medical biller. I think that this movie and the conversations that it is continuously spurring, are powerful. So, here is another article that I found of interest. For more information on this, visit www.reuters.com
By Andrea Hopkins
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Fresh from the hospital and still hurting from a $757 prescription drug bill, moviegoer Ron Jackson emerged from a screening of Michael Moore's documentary on the U.S. health system feeling outraged and exuberant.
"It's a great movie," said Jackson, 63. "I have insurance, and I still paid over $700 for one prescription -- just 30 days' worth. They've let Wall Street control the whole thing, it's as plain as the nose on my face."
Weeks into the staggered release of Moore's "SiCKO" across the United States, moviegoing Americans have revived the debate over national health care -- a staple in most of the developed world, but long resisted in the United States.
Health-care reform is a hot topic in the 2008 presidential campaign, and a slew of candidates have promised changes to bring better care to both insured Americans and the nation's 45 million uninsured.
Atia Huff, 64, said she was heartened by the applause that broke out at the end of the movie but worried only those who already agreed with Moore's outlook would bother to attend.
"I think it's preaching to the choir," Huff said.
Moore won an Academy Award for 2002's anti-gun documentary "Bowling for Columbine." He made more enemies -- and drew the label "enemy of America" from the right -- with a critical look at President George W. Bush's war on terrorism in his 2004 documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11."
"SiCKO" tells the stories of Americans who say they were denied life-saving treatment by insurers. The film has received mixed reviews, with some criticizing it for a lack of substantive comparison of the U.S. health-care system with that of countries that offer universal health care.
"It should be compulsory viewing for everybody, but some people don't want to hear," said Huff, a retired interpreter. She said she's already seen the movie twice -- the first time with a school teacher who said she'd worked too hard for her health-care benefits to pay for those who hadn't.
"I'm very pessimistic it will ever change," Huff said.
Many Americans remain firmly opposed to universal care.
"We are not a socialist country .... If our system is so poor, how is it we have one of the highest standards of living in the world?" asked Cincinnati electrician and businessman Mike Cavanaugh, who offers health insurance to his workers.
"Anyone, and I mean almost anyone, who is willing to go to work 40 or 50 hours a week and pretty much just do the minimum can have a decent life here," he said. "Tell Michael Moore to find a new home if he cannot appreciate the blessings this great country has bestowed upon him."
But in downtown Washington, Tom and Sue Stevens left a "SiCKO" screening more convinced than ever that the United States should adopt universal health care.
"We are ready, but the politicians and the businessmen are not. The health-care industry certainly is going to oppose this for all they're worth," said Tom, a college professor.
Sue, a retired medical technician, said she'd seen hospital administrators fight to contain costs for needed care.
"Everything now is based on cost -- how much money they can save. And a lot of people that work in hospitals themselves can't afford the insurance that hospitals offer because their pay is so low," she said.
In New York City, 75-year-old Philip Peppis said he was ready to vote for change in November 2008.
"How did this country get so completely selfish?" he asked after leaving a "SiCKO" matinee. "It's really embarrassing, the way this country treats people."
But in Columbus, Ohio, small business owner Sherry Pymer said she had no intention of seeing the movie and would never support universal health care.
"I'd be very, very afraid of that. You hear the stories about how bad health care is in Canada," said Pymer, 55. "Michael Moore is nothing to me. He's just somebody looking to get a big rise out of somebody."
By Andrea Hopkins
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Fresh from the hospital and still hurting from a $757 prescription drug bill, moviegoer Ron Jackson emerged from a screening of Michael Moore's documentary on the U.S. health system feeling outraged and exuberant.
"It's a great movie," said Jackson, 63. "I have insurance, and I still paid over $700 for one prescription -- just 30 days' worth. They've let Wall Street control the whole thing, it's as plain as the nose on my face."
Weeks into the staggered release of Moore's "SiCKO" across the United States, moviegoing Americans have revived the debate over national health care -- a staple in most of the developed world, but long resisted in the United States.
Health-care reform is a hot topic in the 2008 presidential campaign, and a slew of candidates have promised changes to bring better care to both insured Americans and the nation's 45 million uninsured.
Atia Huff, 64, said she was heartened by the applause that broke out at the end of the movie but worried only those who already agreed with Moore's outlook would bother to attend.
"I think it's preaching to the choir," Huff said.
Moore won an Academy Award for 2002's anti-gun documentary "Bowling for Columbine." He made more enemies -- and drew the label "enemy of America" from the right -- with a critical look at President George W. Bush's war on terrorism in his 2004 documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11."
"SiCKO" tells the stories of Americans who say they were denied life-saving treatment by insurers. The film has received mixed reviews, with some criticizing it for a lack of substantive comparison of the U.S. health-care system with that of countries that offer universal health care.
"It should be compulsory viewing for everybody, but some people don't want to hear," said Huff, a retired interpreter. She said she's already seen the movie twice -- the first time with a school teacher who said she'd worked too hard for her health-care benefits to pay for those who hadn't.
"I'm very pessimistic it will ever change," Huff said.
Many Americans remain firmly opposed to universal care.
"We are not a socialist country .... If our system is so poor, how is it we have one of the highest standards of living in the world?" asked Cincinnati electrician and businessman Mike Cavanaugh, who offers health insurance to his workers.
"Anyone, and I mean almost anyone, who is willing to go to work 40 or 50 hours a week and pretty much just do the minimum can have a decent life here," he said. "Tell Michael Moore to find a new home if he cannot appreciate the blessings this great country has bestowed upon him."
But in downtown Washington, Tom and Sue Stevens left a "SiCKO" screening more convinced than ever that the United States should adopt universal health care.
"We are ready, but the politicians and the businessmen are not. The health-care industry certainly is going to oppose this for all they're worth," said Tom, a college professor.
Sue, a retired medical technician, said she'd seen hospital administrators fight to contain costs for needed care.
"Everything now is based on cost -- how much money they can save. And a lot of people that work in hospitals themselves can't afford the insurance that hospitals offer because their pay is so low," she said.
In New York City, 75-year-old Philip Peppis said he was ready to vote for change in November 2008.
"How did this country get so completely selfish?" he asked after leaving a "SiCKO" matinee. "It's really embarrassing, the way this country treats people."
But in Columbus, Ohio, small business owner Sherry Pymer said she had no intention of seeing the movie and would never support universal health care.
"I'd be very, very afraid of that. You hear the stories about how bad health care is in Canada," said Pymer, 55. "Michael Moore is nothing to me. He's just somebody looking to get a big rise out of somebody."
Monday, July 9, 2007
SICKO - Michael Moore Takes on Capital Blue Cross
I found this article which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand tall!
More on this article and Michael Moore at www.MichaelMoore.com
Moore takes on Capital BlueCross
By David Wenner / Patriot-News
Central Pennsylvania's Capital BlueCross walked right into the crosshairs of Michael Moore.
The controversial director of the documentary "Sicko" obtained a memo written by Barclay Fitzpatrick, Capital's vice president for corporate communications.
Moore gave the memo top billing on his Web site yesterday. His taunts at Capital soon spread across the Internet.
Of Fitzpatrick, Moore writes: "His job, it seems, was to go and watch 'Sicko,' observe the audience reaction, and then suggest a plan of action to deal with the movie."
Fitzpatrick wrote in the memo, "You would have to be dead to be unaffected by Moore's movie."
In previous films, Moore has gone after the auto industry and the federal government's reaction to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In "Sicko," now playing nationwide, he takes on the health care industry.
"Sicko" recounts stories of people who were denied medical care by insurers. Moore shows former health insurance employees who say their goal was finding ways to deny claims. He ends with a call for a government-run health system.
But Fitzpatrick says Moore focused on exceptions rather than the norm, and called the movie one-sided and misleading. Often, the medical treatment being denied was experimental, he noted.
Moore challenged Capital yesterday on his Web site, calling for a debate involving "just me and your CEO openly debating the merits of a system that kills thousands of innocent Americans every year."
In an e-mailed statement, Capital spokesman Joe Butera said, "Like most health-care companies, we already were being asked about Michael Moore's movie before it came out. So our communications person decided to see it. He wrote a memo summarizing his personal opinions and impressions of the film."
Butera added, "What his memo doesn't say is the company's position on [Moore's] movie. So here it is: We think anything that addresses the complex subject of health care is overall a good thing because it is such an important issue for our nation."
Butera said neither CEO Anita Smith nor Fitzpatrick would comment further.
In his memo, Fitzpatrick chided the film for ignoring the main culprits of America's health care crisis, which he said have much to do with lifestyle factors including poor nutrition, obesity and lack of exercise.
Still, he concluded that the vast majority of moviegoers who see the film will "have their perceptions substantially affected" in a way that would harm the reputation of Capital and other health insurers. Capital should prepare employees to respond to questions from customers, friends, family and neighbors, he wrote.
Fitzpatrick suggested "the most successful strategy will not be in attacking the movie for its weaknesses or misperceptions, but in distancing ourselves and our brand from the groups and motivations he attacks, demonstrating the good that we do and achieve ... and in articulating our disappointment that he did not address the truly relevant issue of improving our health and wellness."
Butera said Capital isn't interested in a debate.
"We remain focused on our mission -- not on debating others. We will continue to work hard every day to fulfill our mission by delivering quality health care at an affordable cost," he wrote.
Fitzpatrick's memo pointed out Moore makes no distinction between for-profit insurers, which include many of the nation's best-known insurers, and non-profit plans such as Capital.
The for-profit plans, which in the Harrisburg area include Health America and Aetna, generate profits for stockholders. The non-profit Blues accumulate "reserves," which must benefit their customers, or serve a charitable purpose.
In 2005, Pennsylvania's four Blues plans agreed to contribute $1 billion toward the state's insurance program for the poor. The Blues have pointed out that most of their reserves are amassed through investments, and they aim to collect premiums that are roughly equal to what they pay toward medical expenses and overhead.
In an online chat, Moore noted that Capital has $795 million in reserves and that Smith's salary is "over $800,000 a year."
"If that is non-profit, I am sure a lot of people would be interested in working for that kind of pay. Where is all that money coming from?" Moore wrote.
Smith actually earned $1.2 million in 2006, according to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Ken Melani of Highmark Inc. was the highest paid Blues CEO in the state, earning $3.2 million.
More on this article and Michael Moore at www.MichaelMoore.com
Moore takes on Capital BlueCross
By David Wenner / Patriot-News
Central Pennsylvania's Capital BlueCross walked right into the crosshairs of Michael Moore.
The controversial director of the documentary "Sicko" obtained a memo written by Barclay Fitzpatrick, Capital's vice president for corporate communications.
Moore gave the memo top billing on his Web site yesterday. His taunts at Capital soon spread across the Internet.
Of Fitzpatrick, Moore writes: "His job, it seems, was to go and watch 'Sicko,' observe the audience reaction, and then suggest a plan of action to deal with the movie."
Fitzpatrick wrote in the memo, "You would have to be dead to be unaffected by Moore's movie."
In previous films, Moore has gone after the auto industry and the federal government's reaction to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In "Sicko," now playing nationwide, he takes on the health care industry.
"Sicko" recounts stories of people who were denied medical care by insurers. Moore shows former health insurance employees who say their goal was finding ways to deny claims. He ends with a call for a government-run health system.
But Fitzpatrick says Moore focused on exceptions rather than the norm, and called the movie one-sided and misleading. Often, the medical treatment being denied was experimental, he noted.
Moore challenged Capital yesterday on his Web site, calling for a debate involving "just me and your CEO openly debating the merits of a system that kills thousands of innocent Americans every year."
In an e-mailed statement, Capital spokesman Joe Butera said, "Like most health-care companies, we already were being asked about Michael Moore's movie before it came out. So our communications person decided to see it. He wrote a memo summarizing his personal opinions and impressions of the film."
Butera added, "What his memo doesn't say is the company's position on [Moore's] movie. So here it is: We think anything that addresses the complex subject of health care is overall a good thing because it is such an important issue for our nation."
Butera said neither CEO Anita Smith nor Fitzpatrick would comment further.
In his memo, Fitzpatrick chided the film for ignoring the main culprits of America's health care crisis, which he said have much to do with lifestyle factors including poor nutrition, obesity and lack of exercise.
Still, he concluded that the vast majority of moviegoers who see the film will "have their perceptions substantially affected" in a way that would harm the reputation of Capital and other health insurers. Capital should prepare employees to respond to questions from customers, friends, family and neighbors, he wrote.
Fitzpatrick suggested "the most successful strategy will not be in attacking the movie for its weaknesses or misperceptions, but in distancing ourselves and our brand from the groups and motivations he attacks, demonstrating the good that we do and achieve ... and in articulating our disappointment that he did not address the truly relevant issue of improving our health and wellness."
Butera said Capital isn't interested in a debate.
"We remain focused on our mission -- not on debating others. We will continue to work hard every day to fulfill our mission by delivering quality health care at an affordable cost," he wrote.
Fitzpatrick's memo pointed out Moore makes no distinction between for-profit insurers, which include many of the nation's best-known insurers, and non-profit plans such as Capital.
The for-profit plans, which in the Harrisburg area include Health America and Aetna, generate profits for stockholders. The non-profit Blues accumulate "reserves," which must benefit their customers, or serve a charitable purpose.
In 2005, Pennsylvania's four Blues plans agreed to contribute $1 billion toward the state's insurance program for the poor. The Blues have pointed out that most of their reserves are amassed through investments, and they aim to collect premiums that are roughly equal to what they pay toward medical expenses and overhead.
In an online chat, Moore noted that Capital has $795 million in reserves and that Smith's salary is "over $800,000 a year."
"If that is non-profit, I am sure a lot of people would be interested in working for that kind of pay. Where is all that money coming from?" Moore wrote.
Smith actually earned $1.2 million in 2006, according to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Ken Melani of Highmark Inc. was the highest paid Blues CEO in the state, earning $3.2 million.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
SICKO - Does it Pave a Way for Socialized Medicine?
I am an owner of a medical billing firm and medical claims processing trends are my passion and expertise. I have NOT seen SICKO (Michael Moore's newest documentary), but I have read MANY reviews and commentaries about the film. There has been one pressing question on MY mind...
WILL THIS SEND OUR COUNTRY CLOSER TO SOCIALIZED MEDICINE?
What I have always "learned" is that socialized medicine is a disaster. I am wondering if this was simply a message generated by the US government and for-profit insurance carriers to, in turn, guarantee a steady flow of high premiums for our coverage. What do you think?
In Massachusetts, there is a new law that no person can even "choose" to be WITHOUT health insurance. If, at tax time, a person is "caught" not maintaining coverage, tax penalties will apply. This simply does not make any sense to me. Most of the people that do not have medical insurance are FORCED into that predicament - they cannot afford the high premiums. Family plans are hundreds of dollars per month (more times, over $1,000 per month). So, not only does the uninsured person struggle to simply AFFORD the insurance, they'll NOW have tax penalties for NOT being able to afford it.
I watched an interview on the news early Sunday morning about this very situation and mandated change effective this July, 2007. I watched in disbelief! In the same breath, it was explained that if an individual shows up at the ER for care, they will not be refused treatment regardless of their insurance status. It is such a double-edged sword!
I am looking forward to seeing Michael Moore's movie SICKO. I am curious to see if it will change my "learned" opinion about socialized medicine.
For more dialogue and information about this and other topics, visit www.MedicalBillingFoundation.com.
WILL THIS SEND OUR COUNTRY CLOSER TO SOCIALIZED MEDICINE?
What I have always "learned" is that socialized medicine is a disaster. I am wondering if this was simply a message generated by the US government and for-profit insurance carriers to, in turn, guarantee a steady flow of high premiums for our coverage. What do you think?
In Massachusetts, there is a new law that no person can even "choose" to be WITHOUT health insurance. If, at tax time, a person is "caught" not maintaining coverage, tax penalties will apply. This simply does not make any sense to me. Most of the people that do not have medical insurance are FORCED into that predicament - they cannot afford the high premiums. Family plans are hundreds of dollars per month (more times, over $1,000 per month). So, not only does the uninsured person struggle to simply AFFORD the insurance, they'll NOW have tax penalties for NOT being able to afford it.
I watched an interview on the news early Sunday morning about this very situation and mandated change effective this July, 2007. I watched in disbelief! In the same breath, it was explained that if an individual shows up at the ER for care, they will not be refused treatment regardless of their insurance status. It is such a double-edged sword!
I am looking forward to seeing Michael Moore's movie SICKO. I am curious to see if it will change my "learned" opinion about socialized medicine.
For more dialogue and information about this and other topics, visit www.MedicalBillingFoundation.com.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Medical Billing - SICKO. Uninsured and Counting...
I found an interesting article yesterday at www.billadvocates.com. It gave more information about our current health care status, the costs, and what groups like MBAA are doing to help stay part of the solution of this national crisis. They are continuously fighting to keep healthcare costs down, for CONSUMERS, small businesses and healthcare providers alike.
In November of 2005, LexisNexis announced that it would launch advanced information and data access technology in association with the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA), law enforcement and regulatory agencies.
Conceived as a public service for the healthcare industry, it was created in response to what the company calls a:
"$51 billion issue" and a "crime phenomenon."
The issue they're talking about is healthcare fraud, and it accounts for an estimated 3% of America's $1.7 trillion annual healthcare cost.
Guess who's paying for it?
That's right. You are.
"Health care spending in the U.S. is five times that of defense and three times that of eduction," the article says. "Health care insurers, Medicare and Medicaid, and consumers bear the cost of fraud, which represents an ever-growing burden in the form of increased premiums, taxes, co-pays and deductibles."
Of this $51 billion issue, upwards of $10 billion of it is likely coming from overcharges on medical bills like yours.
Today's complex medical billing system allows fraud and abuse to go undetected. Studies have shown that as many as 9 out of 10 medical bills from hospitals and providers contain errors. Their errors are compounded by the fact that insurance companies are not reimbursing correctly--they just pay the incorrect bills unquestioningly, but deny legitimate charges.
And people wonder why healthcare costs are skyrocketing?
With 61 medical billing advocates across the country, MBAA is fighting to keep healthcare costs down, for consumers, businesses and healthcare providers alike.
MBAA has also developed a self-help workbook, The Medical Bill Workbook, to help individuals counter out-of-control medical costs.
MBAA also provides CONSUMER cost awareness seminars to educate the public about insurance reimbursement and billing practices rampant in the medical profession today that are creating the massive rise in healthcare costs we've all seen first hand.
To learn what you can do as a MEDICAL BILLER, keep watch on a growing group called The Medical Billing Foundation. The members of this foundation are professional medical billers and THEY offer webinas, conference calls, and regional seminars to keep those working as medical billers remain on top of the latest industry changes and upcoming mandates in the industry. Visit www.MedicalBillingFoundation.com regularly as this is an ever-changing site filled with valuable resources. Be patient however, as this is a foundation LONG in the making.
In November of 2005, LexisNexis announced that it would launch advanced information and data access technology in association with the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA), law enforcement and regulatory agencies.
Conceived as a public service for the healthcare industry, it was created in response to what the company calls a:
"$51 billion issue" and a "crime phenomenon."
The issue they're talking about is healthcare fraud, and it accounts for an estimated 3% of America's $1.7 trillion annual healthcare cost.
Guess who's paying for it?
That's right. You are.
"Health care spending in the U.S. is five times that of defense and three times that of eduction," the article says. "Health care insurers, Medicare and Medicaid, and consumers bear the cost of fraud, which represents an ever-growing burden in the form of increased premiums, taxes, co-pays and deductibles."
Of this $51 billion issue, upwards of $10 billion of it is likely coming from overcharges on medical bills like yours.
Today's complex medical billing system allows fraud and abuse to go undetected. Studies have shown that as many as 9 out of 10 medical bills from hospitals and providers contain errors. Their errors are compounded by the fact that insurance companies are not reimbursing correctly--they just pay the incorrect bills unquestioningly, but deny legitimate charges.
And people wonder why healthcare costs are skyrocketing?
With 61 medical billing advocates across the country, MBAA is fighting to keep healthcare costs down, for consumers, businesses and healthcare providers alike.
MBAA has also developed a self-help workbook, The Medical Bill Workbook, to help individuals counter out-of-control medical costs.
MBAA also provides CONSUMER cost awareness seminars to educate the public about insurance reimbursement and billing practices rampant in the medical profession today that are creating the massive rise in healthcare costs we've all seen first hand.
To learn what you can do as a MEDICAL BILLER, keep watch on a growing group called The Medical Billing Foundation. The members of this foundation are professional medical billers and THEY offer webinas, conference calls, and regional seminars to keep those working as medical billers remain on top of the latest industry changes and upcoming mandates in the industry. Visit www.MedicalBillingFoundation.com regularly as this is an ever-changing site filled with valuable resources. Be patient however, as this is a foundation LONG in the making.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Medical Billing - SICKO Movie Review by Victoria Alexander, FilmsInReview.com
As a Medical Biller, I am continuously seeking education (in all forms) about the status of our country's health care system. And, that education can include newspaper articles, web announcement and resources and FILMS! I found an interesting review of Michael Moore's SICKO that I decided to post here for YOUR review.
If you get sick, move to Canada, France, or Cuba.
If Michael Moore’s “Sicko” is seen by enough Americans it can actually make a positive impact for change. But only if people start protesting and rioting in large numbers for a change in policy.
I’m terrified now that I might get sick. I’ll have to move to Europe or hope that the Brazilian healer John of God can work a miracle for me.
Why is Moore so impressed with the national health care of countries like Canada, France and England? Why does he go to Cuba? Could it be that instead of building a war industry and invading countries, they are spending tax money on their citizen’s health care? All three countries have free health care for any medical crisis.
A new report from the Congressional Research Service says the U.S. is now spending close to $10 billion dollars a month on the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan – an increase of nearly $8 billion dollars from one year ago.
$10 billion dollars each month could subsidize a lot of prescriptions.
“Sicko,” as you all know, is Moore’s documentary on the health care system in the U.S. Moore has a clear message: there are billions of dollars in profits at stake that the industry wants to keep for itself. They do not want to pay any medical bills and thereby provide so many technical loopholes that it is impossible to outsmart them.
The private health care industry wants you to have an insurance policy in place but they are not willing to pay for your health care once you get sick. The industry policy is to deny claims. They get away with outrageous practices by doling out enormous contributions to politicians and employing an army of lobbyists with ready cash.
Moore introduces a group of average Americans who have had to face dire medical emergencies and whose claims were denied by their insurance carriers. It is sickening. Kaiser Permanente is at the top of Moore’s Evil Triumvirate.
A friend of mine’s teenage son was diagnosed last year with leukemia. To date, and his treatment is ongoing, his medical bills have exceeded $700,000. Even with a good health insurance plan, my friends have huge, supplemental medical bills. (In London, Moore cannot find a billing department. There is no place to pay for a hospital stay and they give you cab fare when you leave the hospital.)
When Moore hears about how terrorists are being cared for at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, he decides to take a group of volunteer Ground Zero rescue works and sick people to Cuba. While they are not allowed on the base, they go to a Cuban hospital where they are welcomed and treated. One woman starts crying when she is told she can have her bottle of medicine for five cents. In the U.S. the same bottle costs her $120 a month.
Moore blames President Nixon for starting the whole HMO debacle now plaguing average Americans. Hillary Clinton was tasked to bring universal health care to every American but the health industry spent more than $100 million to defeat her plan. Hillary learned her lesson and has now recognized her error in judgment. She has embraced the “for profit only” scheme of the health industry.
Apparently, sick people do not vote. Why not have voter registration forms at hospitals and pharmacies?
“Sicko” is important and well done. Moore takes a backseat and allows his subjects to express themselves and show us how a medical crisis has changed their lives.
While we are led to believe we are the most powerful, rich and caring country in the world, we are only allowing the well-heeled to have appropriate medical care. When Americans do not have to cross the Canadian and Mexican borders to fill their prescriptions and the health care industry plays fair, then we can turn our attention to Darfur and spreading “democracy” in the Middle East.
If you get sick, move to Canada, France, or Cuba.
If Michael Moore’s “Sicko” is seen by enough Americans it can actually make a positive impact for change. But only if people start protesting and rioting in large numbers for a change in policy.
I’m terrified now that I might get sick. I’ll have to move to Europe or hope that the Brazilian healer John of God can work a miracle for me.
Why is Moore so impressed with the national health care of countries like Canada, France and England? Why does he go to Cuba? Could it be that instead of building a war industry and invading countries, they are spending tax money on their citizen’s health care? All three countries have free health care for any medical crisis.
A new report from the Congressional Research Service says the U.S. is now spending close to $10 billion dollars a month on the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan – an increase of nearly $8 billion dollars from one year ago.
$10 billion dollars each month could subsidize a lot of prescriptions.
“Sicko,” as you all know, is Moore’s documentary on the health care system in the U.S. Moore has a clear message: there are billions of dollars in profits at stake that the industry wants to keep for itself. They do not want to pay any medical bills and thereby provide so many technical loopholes that it is impossible to outsmart them.
The private health care industry wants you to have an insurance policy in place but they are not willing to pay for your health care once you get sick. The industry policy is to deny claims. They get away with outrageous practices by doling out enormous contributions to politicians and employing an army of lobbyists with ready cash.
Moore introduces a group of average Americans who have had to face dire medical emergencies and whose claims were denied by their insurance carriers. It is sickening. Kaiser Permanente is at the top of Moore’s Evil Triumvirate.
A friend of mine’s teenage son was diagnosed last year with leukemia. To date, and his treatment is ongoing, his medical bills have exceeded $700,000. Even with a good health insurance plan, my friends have huge, supplemental medical bills. (In London, Moore cannot find a billing department. There is no place to pay for a hospital stay and they give you cab fare when you leave the hospital.)
When Moore hears about how terrorists are being cared for at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, he decides to take a group of volunteer Ground Zero rescue works and sick people to Cuba. While they are not allowed on the base, they go to a Cuban hospital where they are welcomed and treated. One woman starts crying when she is told she can have her bottle of medicine for five cents. In the U.S. the same bottle costs her $120 a month.
Moore blames President Nixon for starting the whole HMO debacle now plaguing average Americans. Hillary Clinton was tasked to bring universal health care to every American but the health industry spent more than $100 million to defeat her plan. Hillary learned her lesson and has now recognized her error in judgment. She has embraced the “for profit only” scheme of the health industry.
Apparently, sick people do not vote. Why not have voter registration forms at hospitals and pharmacies?
“Sicko” is important and well done. Moore takes a backseat and allows his subjects to express themselves and show us how a medical crisis has changed their lives.
While we are led to believe we are the most powerful, rich and caring country in the world, we are only allowing the well-heeled to have appropriate medical care. When Americans do not have to cross the Canadian and Mexican borders to fill their prescriptions and the health care industry plays fair, then we can turn our attention to Darfur and spreading “democracy” in the Middle East.
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