Moore Says Doc Already Has HMOs Spooked

[Jon8503]

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Michael Moore says his next documentary already has HMOs quaking in their boots. Moore has not yet begun shooting the film, "Sicko," but his planned critique of the nation's health care system, he says, is making "freaked-out" HMOs warn employees what to do if approached by the filmmaker.

"At this point we haven't shot anything yet and they're totally discombobulated," Moore said at the inaugural Traverse City Film Festival. Moore, who lives near Traverse City, founded the film festival with local movie buffs to showcase excellent films. Moore described good movies as a bridge across the political divide for people "tired of the hate, tired of the yelling, tired of ... the screamfests, the talk radio."

Though the festival is showing films like "Casablanca" and the upcoming Bill Murray movie "Broken Flowers," Moore's involvement sparked a conservative Texas group to sponsor a rival festival showing Hollywood classics and conservative-themed movies. That festival was to begin Saturday. While Moore's Traverse City Film Festival puts politics on the back-burner for a weekend, he makes no apology for making politically themed films.

"When in this great democracy did 'political' become a dirty word?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050730/ap_en_mo/michael_moore_hmos

[Greeby]

1. To answer your question

About the same time it stopped being a democracy, Mike

[Patty Diana]

2. HMO's have been threatening and bullying their MD's for years

and needless to say the vast majority of them are outraged. Just look at what those MD's that left the HMO's have been saying goes on deep inside their bowels. Shit when I worked for CIGNA (Reagan Genocide Machine) I was forced to spy on MD's and their prescribing habits. They told me what I as an RPH had to ORDER the MD's to write their RX's for. I refused and was written up, again and again. In the late 80's the Corporate HMO CEO's were using computer print outs of each MD's RX's that were filled___then they analyzed the costs of that MD to the system. Raises were based on these. MD's were also written up for their prescribing practices, as if these jerk off HMO CEO's were MD's. Back then they demanded cheaper drugs that were not the same as the MD wanted for the condiition being treated. Today I see that unless these MD's write for the most expensive (non-formulary) drugs, they are disciplined or fired. You can't lie to these CEO's they have the computer compliations of all RX's filled for each MD they employ.

[wli]

3. I can corroborate this

The M.D.'s themselves have enough ethics to be very unhappy with HMO's.

[FreedomAngel82]

4. Nice

I can't wait to see this film. One thing about Moore is he gets people talking. And wait a minute. I thought conservatives hated Hollywood!

[stepnw1f]

5. Another Patriot...

Can't wait to see this film.

[seabeyond]

6. almost a 1000 a month i pay insurance. yet

when i need to use the hospital i pay the majority once again. health insurance is not only not affordable for the poor, it isnt affordable for those that can afford it. major crisis in this country. good for moore. at first i thought, boring on insurance, now i am saying, god we need this documentary. just since bush was re installed insurances have abused 10x's. not a partisan issue.

[lovuian]

7. Moore knows we need a Universal Health Program

US's HMO programs are the biggest fraud around!!!

and the joke is the system is collapsing and nobody can stop it!!!

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

8. Way to go Mike.... keep up the great work.

[Kerrytravelers]

9. I worked the Moore events in Los Angeles before the "election."

The HMOs have a 1-800 number they've given to employees. Someone gave it to Moore, and he gave it to all of us, with directions to call and say:

He is in the building.
He is here.
He's walking towards me. He's getting closer!
AHHHH!
WHAT DO I DO?!?!?!?!
WHAT DO I DO?!?!?!?!


The 1-800 number is no longer the "Michael Moore Is In the Building" hotline. :)