Physician-Attorney Rents Theater for "Sicko" Screening

None by KCPW

Invites Lawmakers, Health Care Executives

(KCPW News) Salt Lake physician and attorney Clark Newhall thinks lawmakers need to see Michael Moore's Sicko:

"This movie basically puts the facts out there, and the facts are American health care is ranked 37th in the world, below Slovenia, I think, in terms of quality on all kinds of measures."

Newhall has rented a movie theater and invited all 104 of Utah's part-time lawmakers, the governor, and heads of local health care providers such as Intermountain Healthcare and Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield to view the documentary on America's health care system. He's even invited the filmmaker, but has yet to receive a response. While Newhall doesn't think a screening of Sicko will win the hearts of lawmakers, the physician-turned-attorney hopes it will change the terms of the debate on health care reform:

"If they see the movie, then at least they'll have the facts in front of them and then we can change the terms of the debate to a debate about facts rather than a debate about slogans."

Newhall's Sicko screening is 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Broadway Center Theater in downtown Salt Lake City. If seats are empty at five minutes to showtime, Newhall will give away tickets to uninsured members of the public.

A Midday Metro interview with Newhall is available as a podcast.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW