Title: Frontline: Sick Around the World
Summary: A Frontline documentary that compares and contrasts the health care systems of five nations: Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland. The correspondent, T.R. Reid, travels to these other countries to inform and educate Americans on what it is like to be “Sick Around the World.”
Topic: Should the Obama administration attempt a massive reform of the current health care system?
Category: Journalistic. Mainstream.
What is it? An hour-long documentary on Frontline which is funded by PBS.
Publication Information: Aired April 15, 2008
Author: Jon Palfreman and T.R. Reid
Location: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=frol02p101&continuous=1
Accessed: 2/17/09. 9:50 p.m.
Support:
Jon Palfreman – writer, producer and director of the documentary
T.R. Reid – Foreign correspondent and author
pbs.org
Frontline is a broadcast on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), which was founded in 1966. PBS is a non-profit organization that has been airing Frontline since 1983. Frontline has won several awards for their in-depth reporting, and is well-respected in the journalism community. Jon Palfreman and T.R. Reid combined their journalistic skills to produce “Sick Around The World”, which is an informative and insightful documentary.
Audience and Agenda:
The viewers of PBS and Frontline are generally educated adults who are well-informed on current issues. PBS and Frontline have been accused of leaning toward the left on political issues, and some argue that politicians push their agenda on PBS because they receive some federal funding. But despite criticism, PBS has exhibited that they are a unique voice; free from the mainstream pressures of profit and advertising.
Usefulness:
“Sick Around The World” is an informative documentary that does a fantastic job of weighing the costs and benefits of reform. Reid visits Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, and Switzerland. Each system is different in the intricacies, but all the systems insure that all of their citizens receive health care coverage. Reid found that amidst the differences there were three keys intact in each system that ensured system success: 1) Insurance companies must accept everyone and cannot make a profit on basic care. 2) Everyone is required to buy insurance and the government pays the premiums for the poor. 3) Doctors and hospitals must accept one standard set of fixed prices. The last country that Reid visits is Switzerland, and it is a great conclusion to the documentary because it provides optimism for health-care reform in the U.S. In the 1990′s Switzerland’s health care system looked an awful-lot like ours does today; high premiums, sky-rocketing prices, and a growing number of uninsured. However, Switzerland decided to fix the problems in their system rather than just ignore them. Switzerland’s health care system now ranks 20th in the world according to the World Health Organization… the U.S. is ranked 37th.
Works cited:
pbs.org
quantcast.com
wikipedia.org
Frontline website
Health rankings
For other Journalistic sources check out…
29) Kathleen Sebelius
26) Discussion on “Democracy Now”
9) Obama signs first piece of health care legislation as President
7) Michael Moore on CNN
5) Warning: Set Reasonable Goals
3) A New Direction
2) In Obama’s own Words
1) Luke Mitchell on Democracy Now
[...] other Journalistic sources check out… 26) Discussion on “Democracy Now” 15) Frontline Explores the Health Care Systems in Five other Countries 9) Obama signs first piece of health care legislation as President 7) Michael Moore on CNN 5) [...]
[...] other Journalistic sources check out… 29) Kathleen Sebelius 15) Frontline Explores the Health Care Systems in Five other Countries 9) Obama signs first piece of health care legislation as President 7) Michael Moore on CNN 5) [...]
[...] sources check out… 29) Kathleen Sebelius 26) Discussion on “Democracy Now” 15) Frontline Explores the Health Care Systems in Five other Countries 7) Michael Moore on CNN 5) Warning: Set Reasonable Goals 3) A New Direction 2) In Obama’s own [...]
[...] sources check out… 29) Kathleen Sebelius 26) Discussion on “Democracy Now” 15) Frontline Explores the Health Care Systems in Five other Countries 9) Obama signs first piece of health care legislation as President 7) Michael Moore on CNN 5) [...]
[...] # 4/ Multimedia # 4 13) Institutional # 5/ Multimedia # 5 14) Institutional # 6/ Image # 3 15) Journalistic # 7/ Multimedia # 6 16) Academic Research # 1 17) Citizen # 3/ Blog # 2/ Image # 4 18) Academic Research # 2 19) [...]
[...] sources check out… 29) Kathleen Sebelius 26) Discussion on “Democracy Now” 15) Frontline Explores the Health Care Systems in Five other Countries 9) Obama signs first piece of health care legislation as President 7) Michael Moore on CNN 5) [...]
[...] sources check out… 29) Kathleen Sebelius 26) Discussion on “Democracy Now” 15) Frontline Explores the Health Care Systems in Five other Countries 9) Obama signs first piece of health care legislation as President 7) Michael Moore on CNN 5) [...]
[...] sources check out… 29) Kathleen Sebelius 26) Discussion on “Democracy Now” 15) Frontline Explores the Health Care Systems in Five other Countries 9) Obama signs first piece of health care legislation as President 7) Michael Moore on CNN 3) A New [...]
[...] sources check out… 29) Kathleen Sebelius 26) Discussion on “Democracy Now” 15) Frontline Explores the Health Care Systems in Five other Countries 9) Obama signs first piece of health care legislation as President 5) Warning: Set Reasonable Goals [...]
[...] He has completed one documentary on health care that aired for Frontline, which is named “Sick Around The World.” Palfreman is a journalist who has won several prestigious awards including: an Emmy, [...]