About that amputated finger in Sicko

A hand surgeon comments on this vignette in the movie:

As a hand surgeon who treats many traumatic injuries, Moore’s portrayal of a patient who amputated his middle fingertip captured my interest. He depicted this uninsured man as required to pay $23,000 to have his finger “saved.” Moore lost considerable credibility here. Most hand surgeons would never consider micro-surgically replanting this table saw injury at the finger nail base. Rather, this unfortunate injury would have been comfortably and safely treated — without reattachment of the severed bit of finger — in an office procedure room for $1,000 or less.

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