The latest sequel in the "Saw" movie series channels the public's wrath against health insurers by targeting those in claims for its slice and dice genre–yet another example of how pop culture continues to capitalize on the industry's poor reputation.
I've been on a crusade the past two years to speak out about the insurance industry's reputational risk, and to convince insurers to take ownership of the problem. I've pointed out negative stereotypes about insurance perpetuated on TV shows and in the movies.
The latest example is in "Saw VI." I've never seen any of these films, but since Hollywood has produced six of them, I imagine they are quite popular, particularly with the younger generation–those coming of age as future insurance consumers, that is.
Well, the review in New York Newsday certainly grabbed my interest, since it mentioned that health insurers are at the center of the latest cinematic blood fest.
"After years of elaborately torturing murders, philanderers and plain old mean people, the 'Saw' franchise is finally spearing a big fish–the health care industry," says critic Rafer Guzman.
(Actually, he means the health insurance industry, not doctors, nurses or hospital personnel–a common mistake being made daily by those in Washington crafting reform legislation. When they say "health care reform," all they really mean these days is "health insurance reform.)
In any case, the critic reports that "the prime victim" in the film is "an insurance veep who invented a mathematical formula to weed the potential sickies from the healthies." (I guess it's lucky that President Obama's plan to prohibit insurers from excluding those with preexisting conditions has not come to fruition, or else the director might have had to pick a different target, right?)
The "veep" also "runs a team of claims analysts, nicknamed 'the dog pit,' which hunts for ways to deny treatment to patients. You can guess what happens to these folks, and it's nastier than anything we've heard out of Abu Ghraib," Mr. Guzman notes.
The critic goes on to report that through all the torture and carnage, "the sadistic madman Jigsaw speaks in lofty tones about corporate greed and political impotence. Talk about populist anger!" (Sounds like a few prominent consumer advocates I know!)
With tongue not so firmly in cheek, Mr. Guzman wonders whether it is "possible that the latest 'Saw' flick will tip the balance of the [health reform] debate? Will the HMOs realize, in Lyndon Johnson fashion, that if they've lost 'Saw,' they've lost Middle America?"
The review's "bottom line" synopsis is that the film is "amusingly topical–who doesn't want to torture his HMO?…." Indeed, who does not?
"Saw" certainly is not as damaging as Michael Moore's "Sicko" to the industry's reputation, but every little bit hurts.
What do you folks think?
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