There is no health care crisis in America, which still offers
the finest care in the world. There is a great need for reform in
the way health insurance is managed, but the idea that other
countries offer superior plans that we should adopt is laughable.
A Canadian doctor, David Gratzer, who divides his time between
New York and Toronto and has more experience with both health
systems, has reviewed Michael Moore's latest opus, and says
politely, "It does not survive a fact check."
In his documentary "Sicko," Mr. Moore alleges that
Canadians never have to wait for more than 45 minutes in an
emergency room. Wrong. In Calgary, one of the richest cities,
there's been a series of women miscarrying after waiting hours in
the emergency room. Dr. Gratzer's opinion about the great
Canadian Health services was hit by the reality of working in
hospitals as an intern. He wrote his first book, "Code
Blue" in 1999 to emphasize the crisis. Shortly after it was
published, a young man died of an asthma attack waiting in a
crowded emergency room, and the criticism of the public health
system grew. In 2005, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that a
ban on private insurance conflicted with the citizen's right to
life.
Dr. Gratzer's new book is a fascinating and practical answer to
fix whatever's wrong with our current system. It's called
"The Cure: How Capitalism Can Save American Health
Care." That's right - capitalism, free enterprise not
national health care.
Dr. Gratzer asked me, "Why do homeowners carry insurance?
Why do we insure our cars?" I answered, in case of an
accident or disaster. Health insurance, he said, isn't like that.
It covers everything, and that's the problem, but it can be
fixed.
Dr. Gratzer says that our health system is mired in a World War
II economic model that can only increase the government's role,
but if we unleash the market forces that have transformed so much
of our economy, American health care will be cheaper, better, and
more accessible for everyone. Mini-clinics like the one in my CVS
pharmacy on Hylan Boulevard are a great concept where patients
can walk in and get treated by licensed physician's assistants
for minor ailments.
So why, I inquired, can't we just have hospital and emergency
coverage? Good question, I was told. Dr. Gratzer referred me to
www.ehealthinsurance.com, where I learned that my state doesn't
allow me that choice. At home I entered my uninsured
25-year-old's particulars along with our ZIP code into a dialogue
box. Several different insurance plans popped up with prices
ranging from $275 to $779 a month. I then re-entered a
Connecticut ZIP code and the plans I saw ranged from $69 to $325.
Now how is it that New Yorkers don't have a choice in the various
plans offered by insurance companies? Come to think about it, we
don't have school choice either, do we? Seems to me the only
thing we're pro-choice about is abortion.
One of the first things that struck me about "Sicko"
were the dramatic heart-rending stories of patients who could not
afford health care for their conditions. Frankly, I found
"Sicko" exploited these individuals, who come across
more as victims of their own poor planning than a cold-blooded
health system.
I asked Dr. Gratzer what he thought of Michael Moore. He
answered, "He is a brilliant entrepreneur. He has made
documentaries that make millions. That was once unheard of."
He also said that "Sicko" is dishonest. On the New York
Sun's blog "It Shines For All," I link to the site
www.realcuba.com, which shows pictures of the hospitals where the
poor Cubans are actually treated. The quality health care that
Hollywood liberals get to observe is not available to them.
The cold reality is that Michael Moore makes docudramas that
cater to the PC crowd while pretending to be everyman. Our health
care is the best, so who's more "sicko?" - Moore or the
people who believe him?