Friday, January 28, 2011

Review of "Deadly Spin"

In his book "Deadly Spin" former health insurance executive (CIGNA),  Wendell Potter describes his industry's efforts to de-legitimize Michael Moore's 2007 documentary "Sicko."

According to Potter, the industry at large had a plan to figuratively, "push Moore off the cliff." (Thank goodness it was only figuratively.)

The premise of "Sicko" (2007) was to highlight the fundamental flaws in this country's for-profit health care system as well as the benefits of universal health.

Potter said, insurers feared the movie could crater their industry. To subvert the movie, Potter says American Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), funded a campaign to smear "Sicko."

A public relations firm  created a front group called Health Care American (APCO) and some media outlets took the bait. June, 2007, "USA Today" prints an op-ed critical of "Sicko's" premise.

The author Sarah Berk was identified as executive director of Health Care America, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

There is no acknowledging that Berk was essentially on the payroll of the health insurance industry. The same Sarah Berk showed up in that infamous CNN's Sanjay Gupta report on "Sicko."

Berk, never identified in the piece, told CNN's audience that Michael Moore, quote, "played fast and loose with the facts."

An ironic quote in retrospect.

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