Michael Moore Poll

jameshoustonturner · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:17 am Post subject: Michael Moore Poll

This is a Michael Moore poll, but first a bit of background on why I am conducting the poll.

I am an American living in Australia. I was diagnosed with malignant cancer in my jaw in 1991, but when the cancer specialist in San Diego discovered I had neither health insurance nor the $200,000 needed for an operation, he simply walked out of the room, leaving me alone in the examination chair. Being married to Australian, my wife phoned home to see if help was available there. There was, and with weeks to live, we flew to Adelaide, where for $17,000 a team of surgeons removed a tumor the size of an orange from my face. I was told if I lived 18 months, I would probably live to be 100, so I am happy to report I am well on my way toward that goal.

I almost became a statistic of the US health care system - a system that in my experience does not take care of its citizens. It takes care of the wealthy, but not everybody. I believe it is the role of government to provide basic services for the benefit of everybody, not just those with higher incomes. To me, this is the obligation of our elected officials, as inherent in our rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

I moved back to the US after my operation but was told I would never be able to get health insurance there again. So I now live in Australia - a country where basic health care is afforded to every resident. It is paid for through the income tax system, with a small percentage of everyone's tax (1.5%) dedicated to this service. Private insurance is available above and beyond this, should one wish coverage for optional treatments.

So back to Michael Moore and my poll. Is he to be cheered or jeered for making "Sicko"?

Same goes for me, too, I guess. Should you wish to cheer or jeer me, or read more about my story, contact me here or through my website: www.jameshoustonturner.com.

Cheers!

James Houston Turner

brainman · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:26 am Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

James, while I totally sympathize with your plite (I live in the USA and currently have no health issurance because of my history with cancer), this is not the place for such a heated issue. Nothing personal against you or Michael Moore's movie. This forum is here to support and inform people about cancer, not to voice your opinion about the USA's health care system in general. Therefore, with this explanation, I am locking this thread. Please, if you wish to reply, send me a PM. Other threads of this nature will be deleted.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

brainman · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:32 pm Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

After further reflection and consultation, I have decided to unlock this topic but move it to the "Financial Issues Forum." But, please, try to focus on the issue and not your personal or political opinion about Michale Moore.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Richard Day Gore · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:10 pm Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

I barely survived my own cancer as an uninsured American, and since then the struggle to maintain both my health and insurance has utterly consumed and defined my life. It is an evil system. Evil. In this country your life is only worth what you can pay for it, literally. A few generations from now, if this cruel system is overturned, the insurance industry will be remembered like the Robber Barons of the nineteenth century: cruel manipulators who exploited the population at its most essential level. IMO health should never have been allowed to become a consumer commodity.
Regards and God help us, we need it,
Richard Day Gore
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Richard Day Gore

dariad · New User Joined: 13 Aug 2007 Posts: 7

Canadians are lucky to have a fairly decent public health care system. No one is ever denied treatment. Now admittedly, if you are rich you can get better treatment and sometimes even faster treatment, as you can buy on the open U.S. market. But we all receive the best treatment available. My daughter has an astrocytoma glyoma. That's a tumor in her brain. The first time it reared it's ugly head, we know we would have been bankrupt with the cost of treatment provided. The second time it reared its ugly head (18 years later), she succumbed in San Jose, CA. Luckily, she was covered by her Canadian company health insurance, in partnership with our government-provided insurance, and the $400,000+ medical expenses were covered.............including a first-class flight home for both of us. My mother is now terminally ill with colon cancer and the care she has received is nothing short of magnificent. She is now in the last stages of her illness (although she is not aware of this yet....we have to have that conversation) and we never would have made it this far without caring, compassionate and FREE health care. My heart goes out to all citizens of the U.S. who have to cope with a system that values profit over citizen's lives. Yes we pay for it with our (some say high) tax dollars, but what else are tax dollars for, if not to provide services for all citizens, regardless of economic or social status? Tax me to the max, I say. I'm proud to be a part of that kind of caring society.

jameshoustonturner · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:58 pm Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

[quote="Richard Day Gore"]I barely survived my own cancer as an uninsured American, and since then the struggle to maintain both my health and insurance has utterly consumed and defined my life. It is an evil system. Evil. In this country your life is only worth what you can pay for it, literally. A few generations from now, if this cruel system is overturned, the insurance industry will be remembered like the Robber Barons of the nineteenth century: cruel manipulators who exploited the population at its most essential level. IMO health should never have been allowed to become a consumer commodity.
Regards and God help us, we need it,
Richard Day Gore[/quote]

G'day Richard! I think the time has come for us "castoffs" of the system. We are finally uniting our voices for decent change. Glad to meet another survivor...and a voice! Keep up the good work, mate!

jameshoustonturner · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:07 pm Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

[quote="dariad"]Canadians are lucky to have a fairly decent public health care system. No one is ever denied treatment. Now admittedly, if you are rich you can get better treatment and sometimes even faster treatment, as you can buy on the open U.S. market. But we all receive the best treatment available. My daughter has an astrocytoma glyoma. That's a tumor in her brain. The first time it reared it's ugly head, we know we would have been bankrupt with the cost of treatment provided. The second time it reared its ugly head (18 years later), she succumbed in San Jose, CA. Luckily, she was covered by her Canadian company health insurance, in partnership with our government-provided insurance, and the $400,000+ medical expenses were covered.............including a first-class flight home for both of us. My mother is now terminally ill with colon cancer and the care she has received is nothing short of magnificent. She is now in the last stages of her illness (although she is not aware of this yet....we have to have that conversation) and we never would have made it this far without caring, compassionate and FREE health care. My heart goes out to all citizens of the U.S. who have to cope with a system that values profit over citizen's lives. Yes we pay for it with our (some say high) tax dollars, but what else are tax dollars for, if not to provide services for all citizens, regardless of economic or social status? Tax me to the max, I say. I'm proud to be a part of that kind of caring society.[/quote]

I agree. What have we as a society become when we quit caring for one another? The fact is - it doesn't HAVE to be sky-high expensive. Yes, we in Australia have waiting lists for some lower-priority treatments, but we also have optional, affordable private insurance to supplement the basic coverage. It CAN work and I hope the new U.S. President - whoever he or she is - will have the guts to push for health care reform in America.

rmaureen · Experienced user Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 96

I commend you gentlemen for your comments, and concur with what you are saying. It is a sad reality, that so many people in the U.S. do not have
health insurance, nor can afford it. I went four years untreated for this reason (and i worked to the point i could no longer), onto stage 3-C cancer, which had an alternative existed in this country--it would had been caught earlier. I also think, ironically, it may cost more in the long run when someone comes through an emergency room with cancer or another disease so advanced, they are hospitalized for months. We are one of the richest nations on this earth, and it is so sad people are dying needlessly. It is my prayer that whoever the next president is, will address this issue, and no one in this country will suffer because they cannot see a doctor and get treatment. Our medical system is too often a cold and heartless beast to those who cannot afford medical help.

Rhonda

jameshoustonturner · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

[quote="rmaureen"]I commend you gentlemen for your comments, and concur with what you are saying. It is a sad reality, that so many people in the U.S. do not have
health insurance, nor can afford it. I went four years untreated for this reason (and i worked to the point i could no longer), onto stage 3-C cancer, which had an alternative existed in this country--it would had been caught earlier. I also think, ironically, it may cost more in the long run when someone comes through an emergency room with cancer or another disease so advanced, they are hospitalized for months. We are one of the richest nations on this earth, and it is so sad people are dying needlessly. It is my prayer that whoever the next president is, will address this issue, and no one in this country will suffer because they cannot see a doctor and get treatment. Our medical system is too often a cold and heartless beast to those who cannot afford medical help.

Rhonda[/quote]

Thanks, Rhonda. I think it will be up to people like us to voice our stories and create a 'butterfly effect" in Washington. I really do believe genuine change is coming. There are simply too many of us to be ignored any longer. Blessings! ~J

In · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:26 pm Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

I agree also. plus an Aussie here too. G'DAY MATE. Laughing

Not only beautiful beaches and space and tranquility- we have good health system, if only not the wait sometimes. BUT at least they are willing to do anything- even if there's a wait.

Catch ya later mate. Wink

Inica
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jameshoustonturner · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:07 pm Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

[quote="In"]I agree also. plus an Aussie here too. G'DAY MATE. Laughing

Not only beautiful beaches and space and tranquility- we have good health system, if only not the wait sometimes. BUT at least they are willing to do anything- even if there's a wait.

Catch ya later mate. Wink

Inica[/quote]

Hey Inica! Couldn't agree more. To illustrate your point - a few weeks after my operation (which took 11 hours and was a massive deconstruction and reconstruction of my face), I had a panic attack one day. I called my surgeon and he said he was driving by our house on the way out of town for the weekend and would stop by. He arrived, looked me over and said he said he had some medicine for me. He opened his briefcase and took out a bottle of South Australian red wine - a delightfully peppery red I shall never forget. He sat it on the table with a grin and said, "open this, have a glass and relax. You are going to be just fine." That typifies the experience I had with the Australian health care system. Skilled and personable professionals everywhere, who go out of their way to help. And, of course, those beautiful beaches and a fantastic lifestyle. Winks backatcha, Inica, and to everyone else: what are you waiting for??? Get on over here and see for yourself.

In · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

No No No Noooooo- we ummm, have no beaches. we have no space or tranquility, ummmmmm, we have no, ummmmm Razz

Your lucky- to have a DR like that. What was his name? Wink

I do think we are very lucky, and some times not so lucky. Just depends i guess. We sometimes have slower technology, slower drud release. etc.

All welcome to come visit. Holiday, or even to move- just keep it on the quite. Wink

Inica
_________________
Thinking of you Inica

*Administrator*

~Nose Cancer~
~Car Accident- Broken Back, Ribs, Spleen
Sternum~
~Continous Cervical Cancer~

My Story-
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=6731

Smile

9 Lives and still kicking Smile

LostMyFriend · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:11 am Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

"It CAN work and I hope the new U.S. President - whoever he or she is - will have the guts to push for health care reform in America."

My heart goes out to anyone who does not have medical insurance. I am fortunate that my family does have insurance but it isn't free. My husband and I both worked hard, went to school, and looked hard for jobs that provide supplemental health insurance. Even with that we still pay very high premiums and sacrifice a lot of "fun" things so we make sure our insurance and other requirements of life are paid. We have been handed nothing.

If you are concerned about health care in America, as we are, you will vote for Mitt Romney. He is the only Presidential candidate that has solved a health care need. Every person in Massachusetts has health care. Let him do the same for all US citizens.

I want to add that I am not trying to SPAM this site by adding this Romney endorsement. I do not work for him. I have just read what he has done and what he is committed to doing and the topic of health care should be at the top of everyone's list. He will help us all.

Richard Day Gore · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:12 pm Post subject: Re: Michael Moore Poll

The problem isn't just having health insurance--it's also how much it costs. Millions of Americans are going broke and staying broke just so that they can pay their insurance premiums. It's a disaster now for millions and it's going to turn into a huge disaster for the coutnry. How many poor people can any nation bear?
Regards,
Richard Day Gore
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Richard Day Gore

purespl · New User Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 8

When you have daughters and you want to get insurance for them you almost have to sign over your life.

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