Revolutionary wanna-be and documentary buffoon Michael Moore may have missed a couple things when he took cameras to Cuba to portray its health care system as 100% superior to that of the States. Slated to hit theaters this Friday, “SiCKO” takes the stance that insurance and pharmaceutical companies benefit more from the American system than patients do. (Real shocker there, Miguelito!) Sure, the gringo patients that Moore brings to Havana get free check-ups for ailments that would’ve cost a bundle to treat in the U.S. Then again, as Reuters tries to point out, there is no such thing as free medical attention.

For one thing, Cuban patients must bring their own personal affects, such as bedsheets, towels, soap, and even food, for extended hospital stays. (That’s fine by us, if it saves 500 bucks.) More importantly, the island nation has undergone quite the brain drain over recent years when it comes to doctors. In exchange for oil supplies, over 15,000 physicians have been shipped off to treat folks in the scummiest parts of Venezuela (Cuba’s best buddy). On top of that, the system is just two-faced in general:

While Moore got free care in Cuba, most foreigners pay, in what some critics call a “two-tiered system” where elite hospitals are reserved for the Communist leadership and celebrities such as Argentine soccer idol Diego Maradona.

One expert goes on to say that hospitals dedicated to treating your everyday José are “a disaster.” But something tells us you already knew that, Michael.

Health care in Cuba more complicated than on SiCKO [Reuters]
Image [Wikipedia]