Sicko: The Fear of "Socialized Medicine"
マイケル・ムーア監督の最新作、"Sicko"を見てきた。事故で指を二本切断してしまい緊急に縫合手術が必要だというときに、中指$60,000、薬指$12,000という見積もりを出されたある男性は「お得な」薬指を選んだ。ある中流階級の夫婦 —彼らは子供を皆大学にまで通わせ、そのうちの一人はシカゴ大学で学んだという。大変であったにしろあの莫大な学費をどうにか払えていたことを考えれば、この家族は比較的裕福であったことが想像できる— は保険に加入していたにもかかわらず、数度の心臓発作とガンの発症による医療費で破産、家を失った。ロサンゼルスの貧困街にときどきやってくる車は病人やけが人を道端に降ろして走り去っていく。文字通り「捨てられる」のはどこかの病院に運び込まれたものの、医療費を払える見込みのない人々である。こうしたアメリカの医療保険制度の問題はあまりにも馬鹿げていて冗談かと思うほどである。しかし人々によって語られる実際の体験は悲惨というほかなく、気の毒で気の毒でたまらない。助かるはずの命を失った人々も沢山いるのだ。
ムーア監督はカナダ、イギリス、フランス、そしてキューバの医療保険制度と比較しつつ国民皆保険の必要性を訴える。治療費は無料とか薬は一律$10程度とか、各国の状況が紹介されるたびに映画館一杯の観衆が驚いたようなため息をもらしていて、そのことの方に私は驚かされた。そうか、この人たちには想像もつかないことなのだと。日本の健康保険も高齢化に伴い、また制度自体の複雑さによっても様々な問題を抱えている。それでも少なくとも、落とした二本の指のうち、その「お値段」によってどちらかを選ばなければならないなどという状況は起こりえないではないか。そもそもアメリカの保険制度ではその治療が必要だと（医者ではなく保険会社によって）認められたときにのみ支払われるので、本当にひどくなる前に診察や手当を受けることができない。予防医療という考えがそもそもないのである。知り合いのどのアメリカ人も、日本で治療を受けられるならそうしなさいと本気でアドヴァイスしてくれる。
それにも関わらず、アメリカでは国民皆保険制度に対する反対は根強い。映画に何度も出てきて初めて知った言葉だが、国民皆保険に基づく医療制度は"Socialized Medicine（社会化された医療）"と呼ばれ、「共産主義的」「社会主義的」制度だと主張されてきたのだ。上の写真は1961年、American Medical Association（アメリカ医療協会）による反Socialized Medicineキャンペーンの一環として配られたロナルド・レーガンのスピーチのレコードである。タイトルは"Ronald Reagan Speaks out against Socialized Medicine（ロナルド・レーガン、Socialized Medicineを非難する）"。Socialized Medicineは社会主義的管理国家を実現するための社会主義者による企みだという趣旨で、Socialized Medicineによって医療を提供する側も享受する側も自由を失うことになると述べている。日本の"Socialized Medicine"に慣れ親しんだ者として、一体なぜそういう発想に至るのか全く見当もつかない。どう考えても現在のアメリカのシステムの方が不自由である。特に"Socialized Medicine"という言葉自体が非常に不吉な忌まわしいものとして発せらていることに気付かされる。アメリカにおいて国民皆保険への反対論は政策としての無効性に関する議論ですらないのだ。それは無知にもとづいた、ありもしない恐怖を煽るイデオロギーにすぎない。
マイケル・ムーアの映画はしばしば「偏っている」と非難される。ドキュメンタリーはどちらか一方だけでなく両方を公平に見せるべきだという批判も聞き飽きた。すでにメインストリームで片一方ばかりを見せられているというのに、この上どの「公平さ」を求めようというのか。大統領選に向けて、どうかこの映画が人々を動かしてほしい。
I watched Michael Moore's latest documentary "Sicko". One man whose two fingers were chopped off by an accident got an estimate that said "the middle finger $60,000, the ring finger $12,000". And he chose a bargain. A middle-class couple --their children all completed college educations, including one who graduated the University of Chicago-- had an insurance, though due to several times of heart attacks and incidence of cancer, they got bankrupt and lost their house. A car sometimes drives into the skid row of L.A. It drops patients and leaves away. Those who are literally "dumped" are people who got hospitalized once but have no ability to pay the bill. Those problems of American medical insurance system are so ridiculous that almost seem as some kinds of jokes. The real experiences told by people, however, are nothing but tragic, and I was deeply, deeply sorry. There are also many people who lost their lives that could have been saved.
By comparing American system with ones in Canada, the U.K, France, and Cuba, Moore presents the importance of the universal healthcare. Every time situations in other countries were described, such as no charge for treatment, just $10 for any kind of medicines, etc, the full audience in the theater got surprised and sighed, and that made me surprised the most. Oh, for them it is such an unimaginable situation... Japanese healthcare system has some problems due to the societal aging, and moreover the complexity of system itself. However, at least, never happens such an situation in which you have to choose one of two chopped-off fingers for their "price". On top of anything, in American system you won't be payed unless the treatment is approved as necessary (not by doctors but by insurance companies), thus you cannot see doctors before it gets really bad. The idea of preventive medicine does not work here. Every single American I know always dearly advices me to take medical treatment in Japan if I can do so.
Nonetheless, the objection against universal healthcare is deeply rooted in the states. The universal healthcare is called as "Socialized Medicine", the word I had not been familiar with until I repeatedly heard it in this documentary, and has been considered as a "socialist" "communist" system. The picture above is the vinyl of Ronald Reagan's speech which was distributed as a part of anti-Socialized Medicine campaign by American Medical Association in 1961. The title is "Ronald Reagan Speaks out against Socialized Medicine". To the effect that Socialized Medicine would be a socialists' plot to realize the socialist dictating state, he claimed that both providers and recipients of medical treatment would lose their freedoms. As a person who has been familiar with Japanese "Socialized Medicine", I have absolutely no clue how it can lead to such kind of idea. Any way you slice it, the current American system is far more unfree. It is quite noticeable that the word "Socialized Medicine" itself was uttered as if it was something sinister and detestable. The objection against universal healthcare in the U.S. is not even the discussion on its inefficacy as a policy. It is a mere ideology based on ignorance just to fuel false fear.
Micheal Moore's movies are often criticized as "biased". Now I am so tired of hearing the lame criticism saying that documentaries should fairly show both sides of stories. What "fairness" on earth do we want, given that we are already surrounded by one-sided stories in main stream media? I wish this documentary really moves peoples for the election.
By comparing American system with ones in Canada, the U.K, France, and Cuba, Moore presents the importance of the universal healthcare. Every time situations in other countries were described, such as no charge for treatment, just $10 for any kind of medicines, etc, the full audience in the theater got surprised and sighed, and that made me surprised the most. Oh, for them it is such an unimaginable situation... Japanese healthcare system has some problems due to the societal aging, and moreover the complexity of system itself. However, at least, never happens such an situation in which you have to choose one of two chopped-off fingers for their "price". On top of anything, in American system you won't be payed unless the treatment is approved as necessary (not by doctors but by insurance companies), thus you cannot see doctors before it gets really bad. The idea of preventive medicine does not work here. Every single American I know always dearly advices me to take medical treatment in Japan if I can do so.
Nonetheless, the objection against universal healthcare is deeply rooted in the states. The universal healthcare is called as "Socialized Medicine", the word I had not been familiar with until I repeatedly heard it in this documentary, and has been considered as a "socialist" "communist" system. The picture above is the vinyl of Ronald Reagan's speech which was distributed as a part of anti-Socialized Medicine campaign by American Medical Association in 1961. The title is "Ronald Reagan Speaks out against Socialized Medicine". To the effect that Socialized Medicine would be a socialists' plot to realize the socialist dictating state, he claimed that both providers and recipients of medical treatment would lose their freedoms. As a person who has been familiar with Japanese "Socialized Medicine", I have absolutely no clue how it can lead to such kind of idea. Any way you slice it, the current American system is far more unfree. It is quite noticeable that the word "Socialized Medicine" itself was uttered as if it was something sinister and detestable. The objection against universal healthcare in the U.S. is not even the discussion on its inefficacy as a policy. It is a mere ideology based on ignorance just to fuel false fear.
Micheal Moore's movies are often criticized as "biased". Now I am so tired of hearing the lame criticism saying that documentaries should fairly show both sides of stories. What "fairness" on earth do we want, given that we are already surrounded by one-sided stories in main stream media? I wish this documentary really moves peoples for the election.