Bill Moyers Show Reveals Insurance Lobby's Secret Plan to Attack 'Sicko' and Michael Moore »
Posted By jovial 4 months, 3 weeks ago in Health & FitnessALERT: We've just been informed that Bill Moyers, on his show tonight, will expose for the first time the health insurance industry's secret campaign against Michael Moore and his film, "Sicko." It contains a stunning revelation and admission by a top health insurance executive -- the former head of publicity for CIGNA, one of the top health insurance companies in the country -- that the disinformation and attacks on Michael and the film were extensive and well-planned. Their job was to stop the movie from reaching a wide audience (and, more importantly, from having the widespread political impact the industry feared "Sicko" would have).
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jovial
Grew up In Brooklyn. Joined the Navy in 1976 stayed in 10 years. Aircraft Electronics tech. Worked for Major Govt. contractor then settled in California ...
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jovial4 months, 3 weeks ago
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They called him a nut, psycho, a charlatan. This video shows why he was called that. Evidently, it was a concerted effort by the big health insurance companies to minimize the damage. It worked. All across America people called his films Hollywood productions akin to some fiction movie like Spiderman, or the Dark Night. It wasn't fiction people, the fiction was coming from the lobbyists in Washington.
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hyperbola4 months, 3 weeks ago
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This is nothing new Jovial. Something our "elite" groups practise on a regular basis.
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One of the more flagrant examples in recent years were the 17 "super-rich" families who invested $200 million in convincing Americans and Congress to do away with the inheritance tax.
At the time, the "rich family propaganda" included LOTS of stories about how American family farmers were being ruined by the inheritance tax. Because they did not have the money for propaganda campaigns, the American Farmers Union (who represent family farmers as opposed to agribusinesses) were unable to tell the American people LOUDLY that they OPPOSED the "rich family propaganda".
The AFU pointed out that most small family farmers did NOT suffer from inheritance tax and that a small (inflation-adjusted) increase in the "free" limit (from $2 million to $4 million) would ensure that 99.999% of small farmers would pay no inheritance tax.
The AFU also pointed out that if reducing the inheritance tax for the "super-rich" led to starvation of finances for the federal government, small farmers would suffer badly from the loss of public infrastructure investment and "price stabilization" schemes.
The result? Most Americans only heard about the $200 million "rich family propaganda campaign" and had no idea the AFU and small farmers opposed the changes. In such an atmosphere, Congress succumbed before the "rich family campaign".
The payoff? $18 BILLION in avoided taxes for the 17 families in the upper 0.0001% of American families.
Makes one remember that in our revolution, many of our founding fathers were well aware of the pernicious effects of an entrenched "aristocracy" and that one of their proposals was that inheritance taxes should be 100% - to guarantee equal opportunities for every generation and to guarantee that an "aristocracy" could never become entrenched in america. -
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jovial4 months, 3 weeks ago
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My sister story is about "think tanks" like the Manhattan Institute and how they also influence health issues in this country. Just imagine, a group of conservatives sit around a table thinking of ways to cheat you out of your money. What's worse they even can make you do it to yourselves with well placed propaganda.
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http://www.propeller.com/story/2009/07/13/enemy-of...
Read the story. You'll see the American citizens of this country are under attack from all sides. They want Health Care in this country to remain the same. That means a continuation of 10-12% premium increases every year, and higher copays for visits, and more excluded illnesses. To be fair there are a lot of Democrats in Health cares grip as well. -
HomerJS49Comment removed: Abusive
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rightfromwrong4 months, 3 weeks ago
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the Health insurance industry is Extortionist. Their only goal is to extract every last cent from American middle class people, even if they have to sell their homes to get health care.
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In a few years the average person in Cuba will have it better than Americans and still be getting the highest quality medical attention.
American capitalism is showing it's true compassionate nature...more disaster capitalism!!!!
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rbiii4 months, 3 weeks ago
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Candida4 months, 3 weeks ago
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I think every American owes it to him or herself to watch the movie Sicko. There is no doubt that it's a partisan movie, and it is not trying to present a balance picture, but you should know about the issues it discusses, and then you can check out the facts for yourself.
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Candida4 months, 3 weeks ago
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Partisan in the sense that all good investigative journalism is. The movie is not trying to present all aspects of American health care; it is looking for problems so they can be fixed. I think Michael Moore himself would agree that his primary goal wasn't to paint a completely impartial picture of the American health care system. To do that, he would have had to show how those with gold-plated insurance plans or lots and lots of money are pampered in luxurious clinics, but there is more than sufficient information from the other side.. He took a specific point of view, that of the under-insured middle class. Yes, he is partisan to the ordinary citizens of America.
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engineer4 months, 3 weeks ago
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The health insurance industry steals in the US. HMOs pay bonuses to their 'approvers'to dis approve procedures, while paying obscene bonuses to their execs. One got almost a billion dollars in 2005. Big pharma uses 40% of their income for prescription drug advertising, while developing their drugs in China. Only final testing is done here in the US while making obscene profits.
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It's no surprise that they want to keep, as Goppy said, extorting the people-
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Goppy4 months, 3 weeks ago
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Those closest to the ongoing extortion are most appalled.
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Here is a website by Americans Physicians that is promoting a National Health Care Program.
http://www.pnhp.org/
BTW ... the majority of Doctors and Nurses support a National Health Care Plan.
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Jeboba4 months, 3 weeks ago
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The insurance industry grew out of the "protection rackets' in the 30's. The mob saw they could go legit and sell 'insurance' rather than cracking heads and burning down stores.
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Today, we have organized crime masquerading as legitimate business. It's called the "insurance industry".
To further the thought, the pharmaceutical companies are akin to the biggest drug dealers on earth, charging insulting rates for their products.
Regardless, the American people are the victims and we always will be until these industries are reigned in. How? SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE! It works all over the world but not here because there is not enough dirty profit in it for the friends of the Republicans!
Time to revolt people! Take to the streets. DEMAND single payer now!
VOTE OUT ALL REPUBLICANS IN 2010!
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cleare4 months, 3 weeks ago
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the interesting hook in "sicko" is that it is a documentary about the INSURED.
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everyone in america is at risk and everyone should watch this film.
loved it when moore took volunteer workers from the world trade center, who'd been denied aid from the state and private funds for health issues arising from their work cleaning up after 9/11, to guantanamo to ask for the same health care the detainees were receiving.-
sonofreasonComment removed: Hard Banned3 Replies
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ameliog4 months, 3 weeks ago
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Those who have the most money are the creators of reality. If we see through this we have a chance of better days. Otherwise we go back to sleep.
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For the sickening amount of marketing and lobbyists the insurance industry throws at us, it disappoints me how many Americans accept their glossy commercial version without a trace of prudent skepticism. Advertising works too well. -
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CRYMTYPHON4 months, 3 weeks ago
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There you have it;
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evidence, argument, observation and reasoned analysis on Mr. Moore's side;
- and on the other: a crowd chanting crucify him .
That settles the health care debate right there.
But about you, Commadore:
what you feel as you contemplate the crucifixion of your
political opponents, is not joy.
Joy is what you feel when good things happen;
when sick children get well,
when a loved one wakes up after an operation and the doctor smiles;
when the bills are paid and those you love are home again,
when your house and your car and your job are still there after you are well.
And if you are of a patriotic frame of mind,
joy is seeing your country have a quality of health care equal to its ambition.
And you knew that.
You also knew that the thrill you feel imagining an enemy suffering,
- is something very diferent.
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FairNBalanced4 months, 3 weeks ago
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Work in the Medical field 15 years then get back to me about allowing the government in our healthcare. I promise you will have a change of thinking.
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You folks that want government involved healthcare need to be careful what you wish for.-
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dxxy4u4 months, 3 weeks ago
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The Average American love to get screwed. Just try to keep them informed, and they'll take the side of the screwer every time. All Obama wants to do is make it so that Every American will have Health Insurance. They already have access to Medical Services now, and it's being paid by YOU within your Premiums. Whose hands you want in the "kitty", Big Health Insurers or the Government? The Government says even pre-existing Conditions will be covered, the Insurers says they WILL Not cover such illnesses. We are our own worst ENEMY.
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crghss4 months, 3 weeks ago
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Do any of you really thing that this is remotely true? MM didn't make enough money off his D-flick film. So now he floats this nonsense. Anyone could have went to see this or can now rent it. But people choose not to so how is this anyone's fault but MM's?
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If he wants to make more money make a BETTER FILM!
BTW, obesity is the number one drain on our health care system. So maybe the fat slob could make a movie about how he lost 400 lbs and show people how much money it would save us all if everyone did the same.-
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sprzats4 months, 3 weeks ago
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It seems to me that your mind was already made up before you even viewed this film. I watched this a few months ago and I found it to be very informative and in some ways a real eye opener. So tell us crghss...what did see in the film that is not true? Specifically, what did Moore lie about ?
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HomerJS49Comment removed: Abusive
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Bacalao4 months, 3 weeks ago
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Man, Katie Couric sure can ask some tough questions. You know. Like, "So what do you read? Can you give a few examples?" gee I guess you see that as tough and hard biting.
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I have my T.V. set to change rivers/streams/channals when lynn cheney starts telling lies or blatantly evading simple questions that might get dear ol' daddy in trouble.
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