Review of the Film Sick Around America - Paper Example

The film Sick Around America was produced by Jon Palfreman. Aside from the narrator, this paper focuses on different individuals who have been influenced by the rising costs of healthcare within this country. The experiences of different individuals were discussed such as Melinda Williams who got a million dollar baby. The producer of this film seems to be focusing on the inequalities in healthcare access for all Americans. Despite the fact that the U.S is a developed country, many individuals are still being turned back without receiving treatment mainly because they cannot afford. Those who are lucky will get treatment because their employment offers full medical insurance coverage.

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Melinda Williams medical case was quite expensive, probably around half a million dollars. Fortunately for them, the bill was fully covered by Microsoft Corporation, hence the family did not have to pay anything. Unfortunately, the same benefits cannot be stated for Paul Stephens who was downsized at Kaiser Family Foundation. In such a case, the federal COBRA law allows an employee to continue with the insurance coverage as long as the entire premium is fully paid for. In Pauls case, this would amount to an approximate of $750 a month, a figure which was too high especially for someone who has just lost his job. Therefore, a factor that plagues the healthcare system of America is not lack of qualified medical personal. On the contrary, it is the extremely high costs of treatment and medication. This is supported by the fact that Melindas baby survived despite being born nine weeks premature. The baby needed specialized high-quality treatments and monitoring. Therefore, if this were the issue, this baby would not have survived as a result of the absence of incompetent doctors.

Within the United States, even the rich are at risk of suffering tremendous effects as a result of medical costs. The only lucky individuals are those insured through employment. This can be seen through Pauls situation whereby, after having blocked arteries, the bill for operation and treatment amounted to over $200,000. This caused him to go bankrupt as he had to sell all his possessions so as to cover the bill. The qualifications set by the government for qualifying for the Medicare are also contributing to the struggle. This is because it does not cover for unemployed middle-aged individuals. This is one reason why Paul struggled as his financial history made him too rich to qualify, just as his age made him too young. As a result of the healthcare costs, many citizens are forced to make a decision of obtaining medical care basing on their finances. As such, many choose to forego medical procedures as they just cannot afford it anymore. This is the same situation that Patricia Campbell was in when she had to choose between her finances and to have a cataract removed from her eye.

Part 2: Personal Opinion

The issues identified in this film are indeed true and should be addressed if the American healthcare system is to improve and prosper. It being a developed nation, citizens should all be fully covered so as to prevent the wide gap in individuals who qualify for treatment and those who do not. Americans should never have to purchase health security as this is a basic need which should be offered freely, especially since the Nation is stable. Every citizen needs to have access to similar healthcare benefits. It seems out of place that those who are employed and earning handsomely are the ones who are insured, while those who are unemployed and struggling financially are denied insurance. Also, the government seems to be making a big mistake concerning the age of individuals to cover. This is because today, most chronic illnesses such as Cancer are quickly becoming common even in middle-aged individuals.

This film closely addresses the problems being experienced today in the American healthcare system. The issue of medical insurance has always been a source of hot debate. Many citizens are suffering in silence simply because they do not qualify for Medicare and cannot afford private insurance. Besides, their finances are also impacted as they have to pay for medical care in cash. Therefore, the high costs of healthcare do not favor both rich and poor as long as they lack medical cover.

This film has increased my understanding of the policy issue of medical insurance. It has shed light on the challenges faced by different individuals with a varying social status. For instance, it is now evident that not all insurance covers fully pay for medical bills. On the contrary, some will expect the applicant to cater for approximately 40%. Although there are companies which offer full coverage, most insurances cannot afford to do so as this may eventually cut in on the incurred revenue hence bringing in losses rather than profits. The same is what Patricia Campbell experienced when she was left with 40% of her medical bill to pay. Therefore, having insurance does not necessarily mean that an individual is saved from going bankrupt. My perspective has now changed concerning medical insurance as it does not make sense that obtaining health care is difficult both through insurance and through cash. Since the health of the population is very important, the government ought to have made it easier for individuals to obtain insurance, most especially those who are in dire need as Paul was in the film. This film relates to my lifes experiences as I have lost many of my relatives to various treatable medical conditions. The problem was the absence of sufficient funds to oversee their treatment. The same individuals were also considered underqualified for any medical insurance due to their previous health histories.

Part 3: Conclusion

I support the argument given by the producer of the film that America is a developed Country, and hence the citizens should have better and cheaper access to healthcare. They should never have to be turned back due to lack of funds. Also, health insurance cover should be offered for all regardless of age or employment status. The medical cost needs to be regulated as it is extremely out of control, making it impossible for many to afford it. In addition, more are becoming bankrupt as they have to pay their healthcare bills from their finances since they are viewed as being too rich for a general insurance cover. Unfortunately for such victims, the private insurance is also very expensive. This situation is what has been affecting the health status of Americans as many are forced to prioritize between finances and seeking medical attention.