Why does the United States still maintain a bloated, inefficient and outrageously expensive healthcare system? The new documentary, Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, which is premiering at this week’s Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, examines the powerful forces driving America’s high medical costs, and how health providers are trying to find ways to save money by focusing on prevention. Below is a Democracy Now! interview with Dr. Steven Nissen, who appears in the film.
I haven’t yet seen Escape Fire – other than the trailer – but I’m hoping that the film goes beyond the usual Band-Aid solutions for cutting costs, and explores the need for systemic change, like implementing a national public health insurance program.
Escape Fire‘s premiere in Park City comes amid the sad irony surrounding the tragic death of Canadian freestyle skier and Olympic hopeful, Sarah Burke. Burke was killed in a training accident at the Park City Mountain resort. She was in a coma for several days before her death. But because the accident happened in the U.S., and not in Burke’s native Canada, her family is now saddled with over half a million dollars in medical bills. Healthcare advocate Wendell Potter wrote about the Burke tragedy in a poignant blog post, which includes information on where to send donations to the family.
Sylvia@californiaonecare.org