Kucinich is '100 per cent on board' with health care reform, says Michael Moore

Other Dem candidates have taken more than $3 million in contributions from the health care industry

A week before award-winning film-maker Michael Moore will begin to ask Presidential candidates to sign a pledge to make dramatic reforms in the U.S. health care system, Democratic candidate Dennis Kucinich -- in Moore's own words -- "is 100 percent on board."

Speaking at a health care town meeting here following a screening of his new movie, "SICKO," Moore said he will be asking candidates to sign his four-part pledge and urged his audience to "hold the candidates' feet to the fire" on the issue of health care reform.

In addition to supporting a national, non-profit health care system, Moore said "true" universal health care demands the removal of for-profit insurance companies from the health care delivery system and the regulation of pharmaceutical companies much in the same way that public utilities are regulated. Candidates should not take any campaign funds from insurance companies, drug companies, hospitals, HMOs, or other health care industry groups, Moore said.

Moore was critical of other Democratic Presidential candidates who, he said, have raised more than $3 million so far this year from individuals and political action committees representing the for-profit companies in the health care industry. By contrast, Kucinich’s contributions have come from individuals supporting a bill sponsored by Kucinich and U.S. Rep. John Conyers to create a national, not-for-profit health plan that would cover all medical, dental, mental health and long-term care for all Americans. Moore endorsed that legislation earlier this week.

In advocating for candidates to sign his pledge, Moore did not say whether he would require those candidates who have taken money from the health care industry to return those funds in exchange for his support.

Saying he was not ready to endorse any specific candidate, Moore said he would be closely reading the health care plans of the other candidates. "I'll look at Clinton's plan if she produces one. And I can tell you why the Edwards’ plan won't work, and why the Obama plan won't work."

Moore also cautioned health care advocates and voters to be wary of insurance companies and other health care providers that claim to be "non-profit" because "Some of the biggest insurance companies out there are technically non-profit." Moore said.

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