From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] The San Francisco Chronicle - May 27, 2007 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/27/BUG0RQ19511.DTL
Health reformers to piggyback on 'Sicko' Michael Moore's blast at medical care is hitting as U.S. seems ripe for changes by Victoria Colliver, Staff Writer Michael Moore couldn't have scheduled the release of his movie "Sicko" -- an indictment of the U.S. health care system -- at a more opportune time. The film, which opens in theaters in the United States on June 29, arrives as many states, including California, have introduced health care reform proposals. In polls, health care routinely ranks among the public's top domestic concerns. Health care reform is also expected to be an important theme in the presidential campaign for 2008. Advocates already are trying to capitalize on the documentary, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in France last week, to further their political agendas. "From the perspective of the health care reform movement, a high-profile representation of what patients commonly experience at the hands of insurers certainly adds momentum to the effort for true reform, both in California and across the country," said Jerry Flanagan, health advocate for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, based in Santa Monica. The California Nurses Association and its national arm plans to host private premiere parties around the country and use the film's release to distribute materials to audience members to support the union's preferred reform models. The group, which opposes Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan, supports the state and national single-payer proposals by state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica, and Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich. "Obviously, we're looking at this as an opportunity to push the agenda in terms of comprehensive health reform," said Rose Ann DeMoro, executive director of the nurses association. DeMoro was one of about 50 people who attended a screening a few days before its premiere in Cannes. "I think it will probably do more for the health care reform movement than "(An) Inconvenient Truth" will do for global warming," she said. A political strategist hired by the film's producer said he expects many more groups nationwide to use the film to advance their agendas. "It's serving as a call for action," said Chris Lehane, a former consultant to President Bill Clinton. Lehane said Moore aims to promote universal coverage, get rid of the private insurance industry and regulate pharmaceutical companies. While few health experts have seen the film, many have read media reports about "Sicko" and are familiar with the filmmaker's provocative style in earlier films such as "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Bowling for Columbine." In "Sicko," Moore takes on the system through heath care horror stories, such as the tale of an uninsured man who lost two fingers in an accident. Hospital officials told him it would cost $12,000 to reattach his ring finger and $60,000 for his middle finger. There are images of patients dumped back on the streets of Los Angeles by local hospitals. In the most controversial segment, Moore takes Sept. 11 workers with respiratory problems to Cuba to receive care that eluded them at home. And he takes on politicians who accept millions from insurers and drug manufacturers. Moore's team approached a number of California health and consumer groups, including the nurses association, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights and Health Access California, for individual stories about patients who were denied care or otherwise suffered at the hands of insurers, pharmaceutical companies or other health business interests. "Rumor is they literally had hundreds, if not thousands, of stories to go through," said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a consumer advocacy group. Wright, whose group supports universal health care, said he hopes the movie draws attention to insurance industry practices that should be reformed or made illegal. For example, he pointed to lawsuits against Blue Cross of California and other insurers by consumers who were retroactively denied coverage after submitting claims. Wright and other health experts expect the film to at least draw more national attention to the problems Americans have getting and paying for care. "People know there's a problem in the health care system, but most people don't talk about it over dinner," he said. "This (film) will engender those conversations around the country." Moore's technique of portraying certain corporate or political entities as evil, as demonstrated in his earlier films, could mask some of the subtleties of a complex problem like health care, said Dr. Maren Grainger-Monsen, a filmmaker in residence at Stanford University's Center for Biomedical Ethics. "His work, in general, is provocative and inflammatory, but he does a good job in getting these topics in the public and getting people to talk about them," Grainger-Monsen said. "The problem is he often oversimplifies the issue." Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the drug industry's trade group, issued a press release earlier this month that discredited Moore's filmmaking ability. "A review of America's health care system should be balanced, thoughtful and well-researched to pin down what works and what needs to be improved," said Ken Johnson, the group's senior vice president, in the statement. "You won't get that from Michael Moore." The health insurance industry's trade group, America's Health Insurance Plans, said the film could bring attention to the more than 46 million Americans who don't have health insurance. "If, by making this movie, Michael Moore begins a conversation about the importance of getting all Americans covered, we agree with that," said Karen Ignagni, president of the insurers' group, adding that she had not seen the film. Several prominent state health proposals, including ones in Massachusetts and California, have provisions that require individuals to obtain health insurance and offer government money to subsidize coverage for the poor. Proponents of a nationalized or single-payer plan have criticized reform plans that increase members for insurers. According to media reports, the American health care system as portrayed by Moore fares poorly when compared with those of other countries, such as Canada, France and Great Britain. Ignagni said she does not believe Americans would want the systems offered in those countries. "I don't think people in the United States are going to be comfortable standing in line waiting to get elective surgery for almost a year," Ignagni said. Drew Altman, president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, questioned whether the film will really make an impact on health care reform. Altman, who has not seen the film, said by the time needed legislation occurs on a national level the film could be long forgotten. "The key question is how much the presidential candidates make health reform the focus of their presidential campaigns," he said. *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JUNE EVENTS AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -- READERS FROM LA CITY COLLEGE CREATIVE WRITING CLASS -- SUSAN STRAIGHT -- LOS FELIZ VILLAGE STREET FAIR!!! -- ANN WHITFORD PAUL -- KERRY MADDEN -- KING MIDDLE SCHOOL WRITERS CLUB -- WOMEN AT WORK -- JOE MATT -- ARMISTEAD MAUPIN -- JACK PENDARVIS -- Our Location: Note from Kerry As I write, our buyer Charles and I are at the big annual book convention, BookExpo in New York. Today we're rubbing shoulders with - and sharing information with - booksellers from around the country as we attend seminars on how to be smarter booksellers. In case you missed the LA Weekly's recent cover story about Los Angeles booksellers (which featured our store and some of our staff), here's the link: The Bookish Set: Inside the Indie Booksellers We've wanted for some time to host legendary author Armistead Maupin (of Tales in the City renown), and finally he's coming here this month! And we're pleased to welcome back National Book Award Nominee Susan Straight -- the new paperback edition of her novel, A Million Nightingales is being 'eaten up' by book clubs around the country. Many other treats for you this month, including one of our favorite graphic novelists (and a neighborhood resident), Joe Matt, with an irreverent new book from Drawn + Quarterly. If you haven't ever attended the annual Los Feliz Village Street Fair, I highly recommend it - info below - it's free, very neighborhood friendly and un- "hype-y" Some staff member news: Cory Garfin just completed his MFA in Creative Wrting at Cal Arts and has a story being published in the next issue of the literary journal Zyzzyva. He'll be working more hours here now while he concentrates on his writing. Elyse Barrere has also completed her Master of Library Science Award at UCLA and is awaiting assignment to an LAPL slot as a Young Adult Librarian. We are so pleased that Emily Pullen has become fulltime recently, taking over our Special Order Dept and Book Club Liaison spot (from Darin Klein, who left for a great job in the Events Dept at the Hammer Museum). New staffers Monica Carter and Justin Jasper (both writers and long-time booksellers), have already made themselves invaluable to us. Please stop in to say hello to them if you get a chance. (I'll highlight some of our other booksellers in the coming months) As always, I welcome your notes and suggestions to help us serve you better email me --Kerry Slattery, General Manager Some important things to remember: You can order online any book in print 24 hours a day (you can specify 'store pickup' instead of mailing, if you wish) If you are a regular customer, sign up for our Frequent Buyer program (if you buy $500 w/in a year, you get 10% off for a year). If it's your birthday, you get 10% off your purchases! We offer free gift wrapping! Outside the bookstore this month: Sunday, June 3 from 11am to 8pm. LOS FELIZ VILLAGE STREET FAIR on Vermont!!! This terrific annual street fair is truly a neighborhood fest--our local restaurants, shops, businesses sponsor booths all down Vermont Ave from Hollywood Blvd to Franklin. The street will be closed to traffic for the day. Of course, our store will be open for business but we'll also have a booth outside -- and we're hosting visits from two neighborhood children's authors who'll talk to kids and adults about how a book gets made, the writing process and more: 12-2: Ann Whitford Paul 2-4: Kerry Madden Bookstore Tours If you've ever thought about taking a tour of different bookstores, take a look at the Bookstore Tours being offered by the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association -- you get on a bus for an all day tour (including lunch) of bookstores, including lunch. You can choose tours in Los Angeles, or ones that go to San Diego, Palm Springs, Orange County - and more. (We're the lunchtime stop for the June 23 tour.) READERS FROM LA CITY COLLEGE CREATIVE WRITING CLASS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturday, June 2 at 11 am Students from the Advanced Creative Writing Class at Los Angeles City College read selections from their work. Help us celebrate young writers! SUSAN STRAIGHT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturday, June 2 at 5 p.m. A Million Nightingales (Anchor Books) The New York Times Book Review calls A Million Nightingales "a powerful and moving story, written in language so beautiful you can almost believe the words themselves are capable of salving history's wounds." Susan Straight is a National Book Award finalist, for 2002's Highwire Moon, and teaches in the MFA Creative Writing Program at UC Riverside. more info... LOS FELIZ VILLAGE STREET FAIR!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sunday, June 3 from 11am to 8pm In front of our store - on Vermont between Hollywood Blvd and Franklin (the street will be closed to auto traffic starting at 10pm Saturday night until about 10pm Sunday night) There's something for everyone at this annual neighborhood street fair -- and it continues to retain the feel of this very real neighborhood - with music, children's activities, petting zoo, food from local restaurants, wine and beer garden and more. And it's FREE!!! Come on out and meet your neighbors. For more info: ANN WHITFORD PAUL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sunday, June 3 12noon to 2 pm In our booth at the Los Feliz Village Street Fair 12noon - 2pm Fiesta Fiasco, Manana Iguana Prolific Los Feliz children's author joins us in our booth at the Los Feliz Street Fair. She will bring her 'story quilt,' showing the process of a book's evolution from idea to publication, and will be happy to talk to young readers and their parents -- and sign copies of her books. more info KERRY MADDEN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sunday, June 3 2pm - 4pm in our booth at the Los Feliz Village Street Fair Louisiana's Song 2-4 pm in our booth at the Los Feliz Village Street Fair: STORY-SWAPPIN' & MOUNTAIN MUSIC * *for kids* Madden, author of uthor of Gentle's Holler, introduces her new children's book, Louisiana's Song, from her trilogy of Smoky Mountain Novels 2-4 p.m. Kerry will be there to talk to kids, share stories, sign books. Kids will be able to write and illustrate their own stories and poems at the big messy writing table at the Skylight Booth! She'll be joined by a wonderful banjo player with his mountain music! "A celebration of artists and words..." --Kirkus Reviews, 2007 more info... KING MIDDLE SCHOOL WRITERS CLUB ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturday, June 9 at 4 pm Middle School Writers Club students make their welcome annual appearance here, to read from some of the writings, under the direction of poet/teacher Steve Abee. WOMEN AT WORK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thursday, June 14 at 7:30 pm Writers At Work presents members of its Women At Work workshop reading haunting and humorous excerpts of fiction, memoir, and nonfiction. Explore topics ranging from laundromats to graduate school, rape to home renovation, and urban wildlife to a woman's take on the Bible in works by Sharyn Blumenthal, Nina Briggs, Sarah Forth, Burcu Harbert, Jessica Hoffman, Laura Huffman, Joan Kelly, Carmen Mitchell, Lisa Nemzo, Nina Rota, Marie Unini, and Terry Wolverton. JOE MATT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, June 15 at 7:30 pm Spent (Drawn + Quarterly) Harvey Pekar says: "I dug Spent; it's funny, poignant, and solidly constructed." Matt's work draws comparisons to Pekar, R. Crumb and Woody Allen, and yet his voice and style are uniquely his own. Joe Matt is a Los Feliz resident and author of the autobiographical comics series Peepshow. more info... ARMISTEAD MAUPIN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thursday, June 21 at 7:30 pm Michael Tolliver Lives (HarperCollins) A brand new novel by the creator of Tales of the City We are thrilled to be hosting Maupin this month, and hope you'll help us spread the word! ! In this latest work, a stand-alone novel in which several Tales characters appear, Michael "Mouse" Tolliver is a 55-year-old gardener living with HIV in the City. We're thrilled to be hosting Armistead Maupin's only bookstore appearance in Los Angeles on this promotional tour. Aside from the much beloved Tales series, Maupin is the author of The Night Listener, which was adapted into a movie last year. for more info... JACK PENDARVIS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, June 22 at 7:30 pm Your Body is Changing (MacAdam/Cage) "...a dangerously funny writer...Suffice it to say, I'm a fan, and I expect that, once you've read this book, you will be too." --George Saunders more info... Our Location: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SKYLIGHT BOOKS 1818 N. Vermont Ave (in Los Feliz; between Hollywood Blvd & Franklin; next to Los Feliz Cinema) Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323) 660-1175 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily www.skylightbooks.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [EMAIL PROTECTED] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Forward this email to a friend Skylight Books in Los Feliz | 1818 N. 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