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What happens if you fall sick and are one of 47 million people in American without health insurance?

That's the central question posed by Critical Condition, a documentary that aired last night on PBS as part of the P.O.V. independent film series (P.O.V. is a cinema term for 'point of view').  The documentary follows the stories of four individuals who find, as the site states, that "being uninsured can cost them their jobs, health, homes, savings, and even their lives."

P.O.V. has made a name for itself on the web by developing smart, creative content to complement the films it showcases on-air. So I was eager to find out how they went about creating a website on a topic that is already covered in so many places online. Theresa Riley, director of P.O.V. Interactive, explained her team's approach:

"The POV team spent a lot of time talking with Critical Condition filmmaker Roger Weisberg about his goals for the film and for the website, and about the likely reaction to the film different audiences might have. Then the Web staff and P.O.V.'s outreach team spent time poring over all the great health resources already available online. We never want to duplicate anyone else's efforts in the work that we do on the P.O.V. site, so we linked to the best articles, studies, analysis, polls and organizations… After we felt we had a good lay of the land in terms of what was already available, we began brainstorming special features for the Critical Condition website."

Indeed, the site links to a range of support services and advocacy group websites, as well as information about U.S. health policies and other news and background information.  Riley notes that she'll soon add an interactive map that P.O.V. developed that allows visitors to search for health care centers in their towns.

With the film airing in an election year, it's hard not to think about how the outcome of the election will affect the plight of the people profiled, and of the uninsured population as a whole. Accordingly, Riley notes that one of the site's goals is to help people learn about the candidates' healthcare plans, and points to a page of the site showcasing "sites that analyze the candidates' plans in great detail with charts, interactive questions and other side-by-side comparisons."

One of the most interesting resources featured is "You Decide," an "online devil's advocate quiz" produced by PBS/NPR station KQED that explores the pros and cons of adopting a single-payer, universal healthcare plan.

Here is the setup: "How secure are you in your opinion? During the course of this activity, we will ask you four times: Should the United States adopt a single-payer, universal health care plan? Based on your responses, we will argue the opposite points of view. Only your final vote will count toward the results of this poll."

Each time I voted, a new page of fact-based considerations popped up for me to mull over.  I tried to answer the questions based on the stories told in Critical Condition: Karen's medical debt, the astronomical cost of Joe's prescription drugs, Hector's struggle to pay hospital bills. 

The poll accompanying the quiz shows that 63% of those who complete the activity think that yes, the United States should adopt a single-payer, universal healthcare plan.  

I asked Riley if she thought Critical Condition provides any hope that people who are underinsured or uninsured can grasp onto. She replied, "We hope that by raising public awareness — and perhaps public outrage — viewers will become more engaged in this important debate at an opportune moment when the country is seriously debating health care reform."

What do you think? What is the role of documentary films and/or interactive media in public debate?  Do you think America needs a universal healthcare plan? Join the discussion.