i just heard on the radio this evening about a rescue worked at ground zero who was fighting for health care of the volunteers, just was buried today after succumbing to his illness post 9/11.

it's crazy to think, that as much as I wanted to be down there on 9/11, I didn't go - but these brave people who spent nights and days working for fruitless results are getting such a crap deal by the government now - it's not even funny.

I applaud Michael Moore for what he's doing. I just hope this time we're collectively motivated to make a change.

I guess this great healthcare is why that woman in LA was left dying in a hospital.

"The US provides very good health care to those who can afford it. It fails miserably for those who cannot. That's an embarassment to me but all you can do, in your childish way, is grasp at any straw to deny there is a problem. Do you work for an HMO?

OK, you can go back to Fox news now. Enjoy the fantasy!!!"

WOW I think I've met the biggest moron in the world. You're in complete denial and keep indexing a system that takes into account about 50 factors to explain one.

EVERYONE in the US gets healthcare-one way or another.

The middle class pays for it-go to a hospital, complain, you get treated. Even without insurance. The healthcare that the indigent get in this country is far better then a good chunk of the rest of the world's healthcare. They also don't wait months for it and the US leads the world in health technology.

MOORE did this movie to GET RICH-for no other reason.

But idiots like you still buy into it.

Or are you a "health care" advocate, you know involved in organizing protests or something like that to change-because that is as much or a racket as the HMOs!

#48: Do you see the connection between parental and health care? Do you think you can separate the two? Do infants and children take themselves to the doctor when they are sick? Are people with access to good healthcare A)more or B)less likely to have a child or infant die a preventable death?

Try to put your massive denial aside for a moment and try to find it it your 10 sizes too small heart to understand.

The US provides very good health care to those who can afford it. It fails miserably for those who cannot. That's an embarassment to me but all you can do, in your childish way, is grasp at any straw to deny there is a problem. Do you work for an HMO?

OK, you can go back to Fox news now. Enjoy the fantasy!!!

"Bottom line: The US has an absurdly high infant mortality rate and very high mortality rate for children under 5. Ther's no way around that."

Actually we already pointed out that your stats and Moore's stats are bull.

You're continuing to lie, indexing parental care into health care.

I can understand why you can't argue with the truth-you're probably to tired out from arguing that Rudy blew up the Twin Towers over on Kos.

I just feel that his whole shtick (US sucks, let's take them to Cuba) was just designed to create controversy and therefore $$$$ for Mr. Moore. No changes will come from this, sadly, it's a product, like Fast Food Nation etc.

M Moore is what Cubans would call "un manipulador".

#44, If #41 was citing the OECD, it makes no difference. I don't know anything about their credibility but there's nothing that I could find on that site that supports his b.s.

Bottom line: The US has an absurdly high infant mortality rate and very high mortality rate for children under 5. Ther's no way around that. We spend collossal amounts on health care but our overall statitical picture --avg. life expectancy, child mortality, etc. is pathetic.

The system is broke and Michael Moore is pointing that out. He's doing a public service while big Pharma, corrupt politicians and tools like #41 defend the indefensible.

Moore didn't fill out the paperwork to go to Cuba as a journo. The Treasury dept wrote him to ask for the details of the trip so that it could determine whether it was legit (which it would almost certainly be under the gubmint's own rules). Then, instead of responding to DC with the information they want, Moore says he's being harassed and has to hide his film in Canada.

The embargo and US Cuba policy in general may be dumb, and US healthcare certainly sucks, but this is what you call a publicity stunt.

#42, while #41 leaves a lot to be desired, the cite is from the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development), one of the major international NGOs and stat sources, it's a VERY legit organization.

http://caliban.sourceoecd.org/vl=1170095/cl=17/nw=1/rpsv/factbook/11-01-02.htm

If you repukes and conservative thinkskanks want to "fudge" a number, can't they fudge a ranking higher than number 36?

#41, Are you Anne Coulter?

You cite "The Organization FROM Economic Development?" What the hell is that? It doesn't even come up in a Google search when I substitute "for" for "from". That's because it's just more right-wing garbage from a Bushbot.

So let me see if I understand you: All this "fudging" is what makes the U.S. #36 in infant mortality? You probably believe Saddam ordered te 9/11 attack too, right?

I'm sure you could go on "alllll" day --you're a tool.

"#27, you're wrong and I think you know it. You're just trying to muddy the water.

The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is a standardized measure, looking at the number of deaths of infants per 1000 during the first year of life. The U.S. is currently #36. Cuba is #34. Get it?

If you don't want to acknowledge that fact, check out the rate of deaths of children under the age of 5: The U.S. ranks #32."

#35, You're wrong and I think you know it. You're just trying to muddy the water.

No... you're just lying.

Many countries look at the issure of stillborn children and other difficulties at birth and "fudge" how they report. Get it?

"Some of the international variation in infant and neonatal mortality rates may be due to variations among countries in registering practices of premature infants (whether they are reported as live births or fetal deaths). In several countries, such as in the United States, Canada and the Nordic countries, very premature babies with relatively low odds of survival are registered as live births, which increases mortality rates compared with other countries that do not register them as live births."

From the Organization from Economic Development.

Switzerland doesn't consider children below 30 cm a live birth-so they can't even be figured into the mortality rate.

I would never trust Cuba to report anything correctly, I don't trust the NYPD to get the crime rate correct.

The truth is the system is NOT standardized, I haven't seen "Sicko", but I'll bet if their is a reference to the IMR-Moore won't point that out.

By the way, the "rate of death under 5" is widely debated-depending on your source. By the age of 5, that has less to do with healthcare and more to do with parenting, trucks, falls, drowning.....

Enjoy Moore's Movie-But guess what! They weren't bowling that morning in Columbine.

They weren't making weapons of mass destruction in Littleton.

The US didn't give millions to the Taliban in 2000-it gave millions to the UN-who gave it as food aid to Afghanistan.

I could go on allllll day.

Moore is famous for not having a clue what the truth is. Hey #35 are you him?!?

#38. It just dawned on me... you didn't get my reference in #37.

You really should be watching more tube, if not Fox News Channel, then at least Fox (for the Simpsons, Frenchy... chowda).

Hmmm... not so much... I don't have cable.

Just old-fashioned red-baiting!

But thanks for watching.

Looks like we got ourselves a fox news channel flunkie here.

Long live El Presidente Fidel Castro.

Long live Cuba.

Come on #35, "guest", say it... you know you want to... Come on, Frenchy, say it!

#26

These weren't knee-jerk reactionary statements. That's why I said that our system may not be a model of efficiency and equity. It sounds to me like you're making the knee-jerk reactionary statement by stating so unequivocally that our system IS neither efficient nor equitable. If you really want to "rouse debate" you wouldn't be shouting down my opinion about Cuba's healthcare system saying it's just as propagandistic as Castro's claims (which, incidicentally, I'm glad to hear you understand as propaganda).

My point is that just because someone can see a doctor for free in Cuba doesn't mean that it's quality healthcare. You may go into debt getting your healthcare here, but you're much more likely to get quality care. When was the last time you heard about U.S. citizens not involved in a Michael Moore stunt voluntarily seeking healthcare in Cuba?

As to my propaganda, it was widely reported by free press organs around the world that Castro was treated by a Spanish doctor after a botched surgery by his own Cuban doctors during his last death watch. If that's propaganda, somebody's got it dialed in tight.

OK, I'll admit, the rest of my post -- Cuban quacks, U.S. vets, and North Korean rice orgies -- were just designed to inflame knee-jerk reactionaries like you. I guess it worked....

#27, you're wrong and I think you know it. You're just trying to muddy the water.

The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is a standardized measure, looking at the number of deaths of infants per 1000 during the first year of life. The U.S. is currently #36. Cuba is #34. Get it?

If you don't want to acknowledge that fact, check out the rate of deaths of children under the age of 5: The U.S. ranks #32.

Something to be proud of, right?

As long as we have so many right-wing clowns and industry hacks confusing the issues, we'll never make any progress in improving access to health care.

Michael Moore is going to really shake things up with his film and the folks who have a stake in the rotten system we have don't want you to make any changes. They like the obscene bucks they're making keeping things as they are.

Look, there is nothing to love about Castro. You're not helping the argument by claiming such ridiculous crap.

I guess you also love Kim Jong-Il? Big fan of the erstwhile dictator Saddam Hussein? Big Mugabe fan?

Look the jackass may be a troublemaker of sorts . Just think about a few things concerning Michael Moore . His penchant for creating controversy serves it's purpose by tuning our attention to matters that affect us all ! The Documentary he did on 9/11 opened the eyes of many and caused wide spread speculation about our own Government !I won't hate on his new project until I see it for myself . Those of you who decide to do so are really being ignorant to the facts !