'Sicko' Revisited: Why Healthcare in America Still Fails Us
This continues a series of politically charged films, leading up to Inauguration Day 2025. Systemic greed, the human cost of profit-driven healthcare, and the urgent need for reform are explored.
“We need to replace this system with something sane, something caring and loving — something that keeps people alive.” — Michael Moore
Healthcare is back in the news, and for good reason. It’s open enrollment season, a time of year that fills many with frustration and dread. Also, the recent murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO in New York City brought the topic even more to the forefront of public consciousness. Meanwhile, healthcare ironically was not a major focus of the recent presidential election—a perplexing omission given the system’s glaring flaws.
Luigi Mangione, the alleged murderer, referred to Michael Moore in his manifesto as a credible authority on America’s for-profit health industry. In response, Moore made his 2007 documentary Sicko available on YouTube for free — ensuring it would reach a wider audience while adding fuel to the conversation.
Watching Sicko again, I was struck by how relevant its message remains. When I first saw it in theaters, I was appalled by the stark contrast Moore highlighted between healthcare systems in the United States and other countries. Here, our system was—and still is—a convoluted maze of red tape and financial strain. Abroad, healthcare appeared accessible, affordable, and humane. Moore’s film brought into sharp focus the human toll of a system designed more to enrich corporations than to care for people.
When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed, I was hopeful that things would improve. And in some ways, they did. The ACA eliminated the pre-existing condition clause, making it easier for many to obtain insurance. But as the years went by, the law’s limitations became glaringly obvious. Premiums continued to rise, networks shrank, and deductibles ballooned to unaffordable levels. The result? A system where having insurance doesn’t necessarily mean you can afford care when you need it.
This system isn’t broken by accident. Health insurance CEOs rake in millions in bonuses alone. Their salaries symbolize a larger issue: corporate greed embedded at every level of healthcare. The Affordable Care Act didn’t go nearly far enough. Even President Obama’s personal doctor advocated for a single-payer system. Without systemic reform, the ACA has proven to be more of an ill-fitted Band-Aid than a cure.
The flaws of our healthcare system go beyond greed—perhaps to something even more insidious. By keeping people mired in medical debt and financial uncertainty, the system leaves less time, energy, and resources for individuals to challenge the status quo. Is this by design? Michael Moore’s Sicko asked us to consider what kind of society allows its citizens to go bankrupt—or die—because they can’t afford care.
Have we reached a breaking point? The groundswell of voices sharing their healthcare horror stories suggests that public tolerance is waning. People are fed up with a system that prioritizes profits over lives. But the question remains: where do we go from here? Is meaningful reform possible in a system so entrenched in corporate interests? And what can we learn from other nations, where healthcare is treated as a right, not a privilege?
The fight for healthcare reform is, at its core, a fight for dignity. If we want a system that truly serves the people, we must demand more—not just incremental improvements, but fundamental change. Sicko showed us what’s possible. Now it’s up to us to make it a reality.