Comments

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I want you to know how useful our members have found your film. Several have shown it more than once to local audiences as a way of getting a conversation started. There have been many films on health care reform over the years, including the excellent film Sicko, but only the Health Care Movie seems to have any staying power. The short version is especially helpful because it can be screened and a discussion held in under one hour, which is often the total amount of time you can keep an audience’s attention.

Dr. Ida Hellander, PNHP

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I just returned from the Nickelodeon Cinema downtown, where I finally saw the full hour-long version of Laurie Simons’ and Terry Sterrenberg’s wonderful movie comparing the Canadian system of health care to our own.

But this time I was also struck by an experiential difference that I bet most Americans can’t even imagine. There were several stories in the movie of people who had to cope with serious illnesses in their family, and even death. Along with all the terrors and worries that these situations cause, one thing Canadians don’t also have to deal with is any concern about finances whatsoever. They don’t even think about how they’re going to pay for these treatments, no matter how extensive, as they’re already paid for. Talk about freedom! This is the freedom we ought to be emphasizing in our efforts to convince Americans that other systems are better than ours. Republicans are always talking about freedom, as if they’re FOR it! Ha! The freedom to live your life without worrying about how an illness is going to drive you to financial ruin, or kill you due to not being able to afford care, trumps about everything else. We should weave that concept in everywhere we can. I suspect that many people actually would have trouble believing that that is the case elsewhere, so burdened by medical costs are we.

Thank you Laurie and Terry! What a great movie!

Nancy O’Hagan, Maine

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I’ve seen alot of healthcare films; but, this one is the best as far as showing us thickhead Americans how much better it is to have a national healthcare delivery system and then just showing us who we are in comparison. It’s so sickening how dumb so many of us are. Even the so called educated people still think privatized medicine has some perks. It doesn’t. It only has perks to the CEO’s and the drug companies, etc. I loved the section that shows how Canada had to fight for their own system in the 60′s. If you ask most Americans, most Americans would rather have expanded Medicare. But, even our Medicare is worse than it used to be.

Paulette Kenyon, California

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Thank you for your excellent movie. I just ordered 5 copies to distribute to people I know, including some of the Wisconsin State Legislature.

Here is a copy of [my] letter to the editor of the Cap Times in Madison, Wisconsin.

Dear Editor: I recently stopped at a garage sale at a home that was for sale and had a conversation with the owner. Several of her small children were riding their bikes in the driveway. She related to me they were selling their home and belongings because she and her husband were trying to pay off her medical bills after she had surgery in Madison. She had health insurance before she got sick, but when the insurer refused to pay for her heart surgery, they could not afford the $300,000-$400,000 doctor and hospital bills that are still piling up. The insurer claimed that her heart problem was a “pre-existing condition” she had when she purchased the policy 20 years ago. Obviously, 20 years ago, she was not in the congestive heart failure that necessitated the surgery. Nonetheless, they used the “pre-existing condition” to weasel out of paying for her surgery.

In 2009, while many Americans were losing their jobs and homes, five health insurance corporations boasted total profits of $12.2 billion — money that they collected by NOT providing care to patients. Before leaving, I personally apologized to her for being a part this health care system. Later that evening I watched “The Healthcare Movie,” which contrasts our greedy American system with Canada’s Medicare for ALL health care system. I strongly encourage all readers to view this informative (and justifiably embarrassing for Americans) movie.

Dr. Timothy Shaw,  Fitchburg, Wisconsin
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Saw this film tonight.  Powerful.  See it.  Schedule a screening where you work, at your community centers, your church, wherever.  It’s a word to be gotten out.  The time has come and it is now.  Very straightforward and clear.
I.M.,  Sebastopol, California 

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I bought the movie for personal use.  Wonderful.   I love the emphasis on how the Canadian system came to be.  Footage of Tommy D, comparisons of how citizens from each country view their own and each other’s systems.  Difference in cultural character between Canada and U.S.  Thank you!
L. B., Madison, Wisconsin

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Spendid!  I didn’t know about Canada’s fight.  Maybe we can win too!
C. L., Tigard, Oregon

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I’ve shown my copy to dozens and dozens of audiences now,  and review it every time.  And I’m still getting more and more out of it.  This movie is already having a huge impact.  I am a full-time ER physician for over 30 years in Southern California, who sees that expanded and improved Medicare for All in the US is “… an idea whose tune has come.”
Dr. Bill Honigman, California

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…thank you so much for the Healthcare DVD.  I actually had a few tears through it because I have to tell you how grateful I am, watching that, that I am a Canadian!   And, good for you that you’ve been helping distributing it around your community…I think it’s wonderful that these folks did this to show the truth about the health care system in Canada.   It was just great.   Thank you very much.  I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it.
Arlene, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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I learned so much from this film! Everyone should see it. – Thank you.
Amy Roy,  Corvallis, Oregon

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The screenings we’ve sponsored are making an impact here in Ohio with many of the attendees participating in photo petitions to let their representatives know how they feel about the human rights aspect of healthcare access. Great work! Everyone should see this film!
K.B., Ohio

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Laurie and Terry,

It was fun again to be with you during a screening of the movie. One substantive issue I’ve had – not a big one, but actually a “teachable” moment – concerns the world map that shows which countries do and do not have national health insurance or universal coverage systems. In fact, most poor countries, including those in Africa, have such systems, at least if you look at the missions and responsibilities of ministries of health and, in some cases, social insurance programs. Whereas in the US we have plenty of money to have a national system but debate government’s role, in these other countries there is little debate about the role of government to assure that people have needed care, but they don’t have the resources to make that a reality. But I don’t think the US and these other countries are really in the same category, as the map suggests.
Aaron Katz, University of Washington

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What a gift to All of Us. You did a wonderful job of telling the story of “what went wrong” that Americans everyday are dying – 45,000 of us a year!!! – due to lack of a health care system that provides coverage for Each of Us. Based on intentional gross distortions and lies, we succumbed to a fear-based marketing ploy that has led to a system in which untold numbers are suffering unnecessary disease-precipitating stresses, make important life altering decisions like job change and marrying, and see a progression of preventable consequences because we have a system that insists on skimming off so many of the health care dollars on profit for a few rather than our hard earned dollars going back into a sustainable system that could be there for All of Us whenever we need it. It is wrong, unjust, unrational, and totally unacceptable.

We as Americans can choose to do better. We as Americans can choose to consciously evolve a system that makes sense for All of Us, together, during our better times and during our vulnerable times. It is time. Thanks so much for your wonderful contribution.
L.P., Atlanta

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Please recall that on behalf of our Nevada County Chapter of Health Care for All-California, I purchased a copy of your fine film late last year. I wanted to let you know that on New Year’s Eve we had a gathering of our ‘core group’ in our home, both to celebrate and to have a private viewing of The Health Care Movie. The response was thrilling, with everyone commenting, cheering, sighing and wishing Americans could adopt fully the caring nature of Canadians (and their politicians) in wanting the best of health and security for all citizens.

It has been unanimously agreed that we will be be purchasing a licensed version of your film for a public showing at the Nevada Theatre in Nevada City, CA. Our last event, a showing of Dr. Hochfeld’s film Health, Money and Fear and town hall with local doctors, found us with a theatre packed to capacity — almost 400 people. Because we had to turn dozens away, we had a repeat one week later and another 200+ showed. We expect at least that kind of a turn-out for your excellent film in September [note:  scheduled for October 30, 2012] and applaud you for creating such an informative and moving film.
Kathlene Bonnigson, Vice Chair, Health Care for All — CA, Nevada County Chapter

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I just watched your wonderful movie and I think it’s a gift to all of us who have been working to bring true universal health care to the US. What a great tool to break through all the noise and nonsense surrounding this issue. Now it’s our job to make this movie more widely seen than SICKO, because while SICKO woke a lot of people up, this move is so  much better!
B.W. Pepper Pike, Ohio

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Our Palliser Friends of Medicare screening was a huge hit with our audience. The movie is exactly what is needed right now: a critical message delivered creatively and forcefully. All the best in its distribution and impact – may it reach deeply and broadly!
A.T. Medicine Hat, Alberta

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Congratulations. It’s brilliant! I learned a lot. I have been wanting for years to learn more about Tommy Douglas and how things began in Saskatchewan. It was so cool that it was narrated by Kiefer Sutherland… Your movie is very powerful and very well done.
H.S. Olympia, Washington

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This is a great video. It tells so much of the story Americans need to hear. I hope more will make the time to watch.
B.D. Dayton, Ohio

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Saw the movie last night at a house party run by Health Care for All San Fernando Valley. I wanted to support the excellent work you’re doing. I’m an indie filmmaker myself.
M.K. San Fernando Valley, California

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This film has been received very well everywhere it’s been shown. Every American who needs healthcare, that’s everyone, should see this movie. Spread the word.
Bill D., Ohio

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We screened THE HEALTHCARE MOVIE last night with 16 people in attendance. We had a very good post movie discussion led by Dr. Bill of Orange County, CA and several other well versed Single Payer advocates. We are all committed to helping Single Payer Healthcare become a reality. Thanks for such an informative movie. I look forward to showing it to many many more people.
D’Marie Mulattieri, California

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