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At kansascity.com, Michael Moore's film "Sicko" is the basis for a discussion regarding medical coverage in other countries, leaving us to ask, 'is private health insurance really the problem?'

According to the article, while Canadians and others enjoy free, universal healthcare, this doesn't mean that they're getting the best care available. The sick often have to wait for treatment, whether they're in pain or not, and the most up-to-date treatments and medications simply aren't available to them.

But on the other hand, they do enjoy checkups and medical care for smaller injuries and illnesses that can keep disease at bay. Statistically, those in this country who enjoy private health insurance and follow up on their yearly appointments are much less likely to get sick, need emergency care, or fall into medical debt.

However, we do have a problem here that Canadians and Europeans don't have: we aren't very healthy to begin with. With 60% of Americans overweight or obese, our medical costs are skyrocketing. And whether it's private health insurance or universal healthcare, the billions of dollars we pay for being unhealthy are keeping insurance costs out of reach.

Moore's topic of discussion is a good one that deserves national and political attention. But as this article makes clear, this is a complicated problem that will need a lot of hard work to keep America healthy.