Escape Fire

 After seeing the documentary* Escape Fire last night, which has many salient points that I mostly agreed with (and I was thankful that someone finally connected the farm bill and ag subsidies to the health care industry), I was left with the following questions.

 What can I do to get the care I want? I'm a vegetarian; I'm an athlete. I'm also female. I find it quite logical that routine preventative care is a good way to catch potential problems. That's why I go to a primary care physician annually. If I am unlucky despite my healthy lifestyle and am diagnosed with something, what happens then? How can I trust that I'm getting honest treatment options -- including things I can do myself -- if the system incentivizes even the most caring doctors to treat me in conventional, prescriptive sorts of ways? Is it possible to buy health insurance that's in line with my values? And shouldn't I be asked to pay at a rate based on the good decisions I already make?

The film addressed these problems on a systems level, but left very little for the individual actor (patient) to do. Perhaps doctors left feeling a little more empowered or motivated.

*I'm mulling over options for a new term for films like this, which present a clear agenda. Docuganda? Editorial Film? Editorial Non-Fiction Film? Editorial Documentary?