CNN

Universal Coverage is a tantalizing idea, but the public must be aware that we will have to pay for it. Hilary has been quoted as saying she "wants to be the health care president". Her opponent John Edwards has implied she may become one by negotiating compromises with the insurance and pharmaceutical industries.

This would be a shame since in my opinion allowing these two industries a large voice in health care reform is similar in part, to putting the fox in charge of the hen house. Let’s hope that our national health care debate can tackle real issues and come up with some meaningful changes that can provide a more equitable health care system, one that provides quality healthcare to all Americans.

Dr. Judy Johnson
Cosmetic Dentist New York, NY
http://www.dentalvisits.com

What I don't understand is why intelligent adult Americans can't address an issue without personal attacks. I don't see what Michael Moores weight has to do with the issues at hand. Regardless of who's right or wrong, keep to the facts.

Otherwise you sound like a bunch of school kids calling each other names. If you want to state you point, state it intelligently without lowering yourself to personal attacks.

Healthcare in this country is broken. The act of denying people healthcare for years, then reinstating it with a preconditon clause is criminal. The government and healthcare system have put a price on life, and it is too high to pay for most. It would seem better to defect to Mexico. Enter the country illegally, so I could get free medical care and afford a house. For-profit healthcare is a joke. When did the U.S.A go from 'For the People by the People' to 'For the Coporations by the Federal Government'. Blurring the issue of healthcare is just another way profiteers exploit the weak. You want to slam Michael Moore for expressing his opinions on healtcare, so what. It still doesn't change what everyone already knows. Toying with someone's life to make a dollar is an atrocity. You say I am being 'melodramatic'? Fine if being a member of reality is melodramatic, then i guess I am.

Oh, by the way, I had no idea that the USA rated 37th in the world on healthcare. I had always thought we were between 1 and 5 in the world. Being 37th is not an acceptable rating in the world's healthcare system, it's a disgrace!!

I hope CNN addresses Mr. Moore's rebuttal in a prompt and highly visble manner. He is pretty convincing, while Dr. Gupta sounds more than a little self-serving.

Thanks for the film Michael, it was great! You are absolutely correct, it is absolutely insane for 45 million Americans to not have health insurance, or not have access to health care. The US is suppose to be the wealthiest country in the world, so 'why can't we take care of own people' is an absolutely legitimate arguement!

concerned activist:
"All of you guys have something negative to say about Michael Moore. What I don’t understand is why. He only provides the facts."

Here is why:
"They are possibly the dumbest people on the planet."
(Moore, speaking about Americans to Britain's Mirror newspaper)

Gee thanks Mike, I feel much better, aren't you glad to be an American???

YOU PEOPLE REALLY ARE IGNORANT.YOU CARE NOTHING ABOUT ANYTHING BUT YOUR SELVES.

WHO CARES IF SOMEONE DIES OR LOSES A LEG OR ARM BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD MEDICAL CARE. MUST BE NICE TO BE YOU.

I ONCE WENT TO A FUNERAL WHERE A CATHOLIC MAN KILLED HIS WIFE AND HIMSELF. THOUGH THE MAN WAS SEEKING CARE THE PEOPLE WERE SURE THAT HE WAS GOING TO HELL BECAUSE HE KILLED HIMSELF.

THE PRIEST AWARE OF THIS SAID BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD GO I. MAY YOU NEVER FIND YOURSELF IN THIS POSTITION, BUT MAYBE THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND.

YOU ARE CRITICIZING A MOVIE THAT YOU HAVE NOT OBVIOUSLY EVEN SEEN, NOR PROBABLY READ ANY OF MOORE'S BOOKS. I BET YOU GET ALL YOUR NEWS FROM FOX. BECAUSE YOU SURE CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO THINK FOR YOUR SELVES.

THERE IS NOTHING IN MOORE'S MOVIE THAT IS NOT FACT, IF THERE IS, WHAT IS IT? LET'S DEBATE THE MERITS OF HIS MOVIE. WE ARE THE 37TH IN LINE OF HEALTH CARE, AND THAT IS NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF.

All of you guys have something negative to say about Michael Moore. What I don’t understand is why. He only provides the facts.

CNN gave him that apology he asked for. And whatever doctor he was talking about, the one who works for CNN stated him that Moore was right. If you read CNN website they tell you that Moore's facts were right in his first documentary.

Moore provides facts, not opinion like all of us. Don’t shoot the messenger because you don’t like the message.

America is NOT driven by the free market. Our markets are not free, they are almost all highly regulated and/or subsidized. The free market is far from perfect. It fails in many ways.

One good example, and an ironic one here, is the patent system. In a real free market, there is no such thing as a patent. In a free market, everyone is free to copy anything and everything from others. The free market, therefore, fails to provide an incentive to put money into research or product quality.

So we "fix" this free market failure by issuing government grants called patents. The big players in the medical industry are among the biggest beneficiaries of the patent system, with patented drugs and medical devices worth billions.

The irony is that these same players argue that we need to have a free market for health care, and not a government regulated or administrated system. Yet without the government-created patent system, these companies wouldn't even exist.

The fact remains that we pay more per capita for health care than any other industrialized nation. And we rank 37# in the world. Even if you think the survey is flawed, some sort of liberal propaganda, no survey ever taken has shown we rank #1. At best we lead a few select categories by a small margin. However the money we put into our system is head and shoulders above all other nations.

That means the insurance companies are getting really, really rich at our expense. And to rub salt in the wound, they are getting really rich by providing substandard care.

There is no way universal and free health care could cost as much as the insurance companies say it will. CNN should be taking the lead in showing the American people that it is possible to fix our system.

For such a religious nation as America claims to be, you would think that helping all of God's children would rank up there with banning gay marriage and stem cell research.

America is driven by free market rewards (MONEY). Unfortunately, health care is not/should not be regarded as a free market commodity. When the free market reward system is supplanted by human need and equality of care the same thing that enables us cripples us. The Capitalist’s reward (money) is lost.

What will the pharmaceutical sponsors say? No money / no research, no money / no new drugs, no money / no willing physicians. Do you see a pattern? Michael Moore has it right again; listen up. Maybe “late stage capitalism” is a sickness that needs a cure.

Appalled that CNN's Larry King chose to bump Moore so we can hear that STUPID Paris Hilton interview. All scripted and just plain dumb. Thanks Larry for enlightening us with that garbage.

Yes our healthcare system is horrible in comparison to other Western nations.
I am outraged that when I ask a simple question such as my plan covers the costs – I am told I owe nothing, then get a bill in the mail for $200 several months later.

So I wonder what moore's next crockumentary will be about? Maybe he will go after the fast food industry for making him fat.

Yea, obesity is a precursor to other diseases but what about the smokers, the drinkers, the drug users - don't they belong in that category also? I am glad Michael Moore is bringing this to the fore front.

This country already has a healthcare system in place. We pay taxes into it. Its called Medicare. If our so called glorious congress would get off their butts, say NO to Big Busines (Insurance companies) and NO to Pharmeceuticals, and treat Medicare like an insurance plan – everyone would be insured. But that will never happen as our Politicians have been bought and owned by big business and that will never change....

I work in healthcare-customer service. The problems with healthcare make a vicious circle. The people with insurance pay more to make up for what the provider needs to write off for the people on MA. Then the ins. co's have to charge more because they are paying more for our care. The government can't improve the MA programs without raising taxes. Many people on MA abuse it, although many need it. It's amazing that people expect everything to paid and free with complimentary chocolates on their pillows, but damn if their taxes get raised! I don't think that many people would work for free, so why are we expecting our health care providers to do the same? Money rules the world, sadly,I think it'll only get worse...

LINDA, is your caps lock stuck? Sure it is "FREE", unless you realize you pay for it in taxes. Lots and lots of new taxes. Make it free and see how much it will cost you. Currently 43% of government spending is for Social Security, Medicare, and Health. How about we now cover everyone for FREE! Hey, if your taxes get too high, you could always get some free Prozac.

Once again, Michael Moore shows what a phony he is! In Cuba, only the top echelon of Castro's Communist party get good health care; the common people get substandard health care in "hospitals" you wouldn't bring your dogs! Also, nothing is "free." In Europe, the people pay taxes "up the wazoo" for this "free" universal health care! Moore has always been a self centered, egotistical, phony huckster. He thrives on publicity so he can continue to make money and live his very rich lifestyle. What a total phony!!!

Very good point Travis. Being overweight is definitely a precusor to hypertension, diabetes, etc. You see a lot less of the weight issue in Europe and Canada and there is probably not as great a strain on the healthcare system as here at home.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS. YOU MUST BE AWFULLY RICH. PEOPLE OUTSIDE YOUR BUBBLE DO HAVE TO WAIT FOR DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS. THEN WAIT IN WAITING ROOMS SOMETIMES FOR HOURS JUST TO SEE A DOCTOR THEN PAY THEM $90.00. PLUS YOU LOSE YOUR WAGES WAITING TO SEE THE DOCTOR. SO BY THE TIME YOU GET THROUGH YOU HAVE LOST PROBABLY $150.00. THAT DAY WHICH IS MORE THAN THE NORMAL GUY MAKES A DAY, SOME A WEEK.
ALL-IN-ALL IN OTHER COUNTRIES IT IS FREE. WHY DO NORMAL AMERICANS HAVE TO PAY FOR HEALTH CARE WHILE EVERYONE ELSE GETS IT FREE INCLUDING THE IMMIGRANTS, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER SUBJECT.
WHY DOES ANYONE HAVE TO BEG FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION?

Would you say the greatest health problem in the US is doctor's office wait times or overweight, obese, and morbidly obese patients. Just throwing it out there.

Have any of you loons even bothered to see his movie?

Moore gave The Beard a supreme ***-whooping. Good for him. If you visit Moore's site, he backs up each claim with a link or citation for the things that he says. CNN does no such thing. They state a claim and just let you trust that it is correct.

Moore takes heat from the public anytime he claims that the US way of doing something may not *gasp* be the best way. He makes these documentaries in the HOPES OF IMPROVING THE CURRENT SITUATION. I would hope that ALL Americans would care enough about their country to want to improve it where there is improvement to be made. Quit attacking the messenger and look at the substance of his arguement. If you are completely happy with your medical care and high premiums good for you, but if you think there could be an improvement on the FOR-PROFIT health insurance coverage for those of us covered and the ever rising costs of prescription drugs, take a look at what he has to say and think for yourselves.

Point 1
If Michael Moore thinks his views are so relevant, why does he not just make a well researched documentary, without showing his ugley personal persona.
Point 2
If health care were so peachy keen in communist countries like Cuba, why does he not settle there to enjoy their benefits? Hypocracy anyone?
Point 3
If Moore mourns people in the States so much for their lack of medical attention, why does he not let his American wealth help out every day Yanks.

Why is there no link to the Sanjay Gupta "Fact Check" How can we really understand the whole situation without the ability to see the "facts" in question?

Michael Moore upset because someone questioned his Fact Checking??

From his first docu-drama... it seemed rather apparent Michael is more interested in creating conspiracy theories than using real facts to reach real conclusions. I can actually understand why MM would get offended when REAL journalist peer into his bubble and question him.

we're talking about Michael Moore for goodness sake. He is about as relevant in today's world as the outhouse–and both full of the same stuff.