As I have written here and here, the only thing more disingenuous than SiCKO is the coverage it has received from the establishment media. A particularly egregious case in point is CNN’s faux analysis of Moore’s schlockumentary:

Our team investigated some of the claims put forth in his film. We found that his numbers were mostly right … we found surprisingly few inaccuracies in the film.

Among the assertions found to be “mostly right” by CNN’s crack “team” is Moore’s claim that “fifty million” Americans are uninsured:

For the most part, that’s true. The latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say 43.6 million … uninsured in 2006.

In addition to overlooking the obvious fact that Moore’s figure is 12% higher than the CDC number, CNN missed this study showing that the “uninsured crisis” is a chimera. David Gratzer explores the implications of the study here.

Also certified by CNN’s “investigators” is Moore’s claim that Americans pay too much for a substandard health system:

Like Moore, we also found that more money does not equal better care. Both the French and Canadian systems rank in the Top 10 of the world’s best health-care systems, according to the World Health Organization. The United States comes in at No. 37.

CNN’s “experts” evidently don’t understand that the W.H.O. rankings are partially based on a dubious criterion called “fairness financing” that heavily favors government-run health care systems. David Hogberg provides more detail on that issue here.

Yet another dubious datum swallowed whole by CNN is Moore’s claim that thousands of people die every year because they lack health insurance:

According to the Institute of Medicine, 18,000 people do die each year mainly because they are less likely to receive screening and preventive care for chronic diseases.

But if the point is to save lives, CNN has overlooked important research that shows a much better way to do so is to reduce government regulation. According to this 2004 study, our current regulatory burden kills 23% more patients than are allegedly done in by the lack of coverage.

4,000 more Americans die every year from costs associated with health services regulation (22,000) than from lack of health insurance (18,000).

And so it goes. CNN has not “investigated” SiCKO’s disingenuous claims. It has, instead, perpetuated them by recycling debunked talking points routinely deployed by the evangelists of government-run health care.

Which leaves me again wondering: When will the establishment “news” media start doing their job?