Michael Mooreís latest docu-exposÈ examines Americaís health-care system. The filmís title, ìSicko,î sums up his diagnosis. His prescription for restoring health to Americaís health care system is a single-payer nationalized plan, pretty much like Canadaís, Englandís, Franceís, Hollandís, Germanyís, Japanís, Taiwanís, etc. Heís right.

This ought to be a no-brainer. America spends vastly more for health care per capita than any country in the world, and gets the least for its money. Every Canadian, British, French, Dutch, German, Japanese, Taiwanese, etc. has access to world-class health care paid for by their governments, funded by taxes. Taxes that amount to far less than Americans pay to the private-for-profit health care providers, insurance and pharmaceutical industries. Americans donít seem to get that we already are paying a form of exorbitant health-care taxes ó to corporations and doctors. Theyíre called premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, or worse, uninsured fees-for-service that can bankrupt a person.

So, examination reveals that, in America, nearly 50 million people are without health insurance and have no meaningful access to health care. Tens of millions more have woefully inadequate health insurance. We find that it is not uncommon to face financial disaster from combined premiums and out-of-pocket expenses while sadly receiving dangerous cut-cost health care ordered, not by the doctors, but by the insurance and hospital corporations.

We also find that our health care system was built on employer-provided health insurance that worked OK in the 50ís when it was created, but no longer. Americaís employers face financial ruin and an uneven international competitive playing field attempting to compete with overseas businesses where the government pays for health care, so, of course, Americaís employers are angling to dump this burden back onto the workers.

Are you getting this? Americaís citizens and businesses are all ill served by this for-profit insurance-based health care system. Big changes are needed, and it isnít like this wheel needs inventing. Itís rolling along fine most everywhere else in the world.

So, here comes another election. America is staggering under this Frankenstein monster standing in violation of medicineís prime directive of ìDo no harm,î and what do we get from those brave souls asking us to elect them?† The Republicans support cost savings, medical liability reform and tax credits for health insurance. Band-aids on a gushing wound. The supposed populist, progressive Democrats are calling, with some stridency, for ó bigger cost savings and tax credits for health insurance than the Republicans. How bold! Candidates further to the left, but still considered legitimate, are calling for universal health insurance with subsidies to the poor who canít afford to pay the premiums. This will only throw more billions at this broken system.

The debate pretty much ends there. Democrats like Dennis Kucinich and Ted Kennedy who have introduced legislation supporting a single-payer universal health care system such as Canadaís, Franceís, etc. are completely dismissed by the conglomerate-corporation media as unrealistic, even slightly subversive. The talking heads simply ignore the possibility as they steer the debate only in the direction their corporate masters will allow.

Sicko is a political system that gives control of health care, or for that matter, energy or environmental policy, to those who benefit from the present dysfunctional system. Sicko is a government not for, of and by the people, but for, of and by the corporations and the moneyed who buy elections and the politicians we supposedly elect.† Sicko is a system where the candidates and winners are all but chosen for us by the corporate media manipulating the publicís perception of candidates and issues with callow coverage and very profitable propaganda called paid political ads. Sicko is this American political system that continues broken and harmful policies because powerful people are making too much money off them.

The prescription? Take decisive, comprehensive election and government reform daily until the condition improves. Institute total public financing of elections. Mandate meaningful election coverage by the media and no political advertising. Enact airtight anti-corruption and influence-peddling laws. Open the political process with instant-runoff elections that empower third parties and independent candidates bringing fresh ideas. Break up the corporate media monopolies.
Such a regimen should improve the health of health care and the nation markedly. Will it happen? Not in this sicko system. Not unless the people ó that means you ó demand it.

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Bill Walz is a UNC Asheville adjunct faculty member and a private-practice teacher of mindfulness, personal growth and consciousness. Contact him at bill.walz-at-worldnet.att.net or 258-3241.