HuffPost's Sam Stein Joins "Ed Show" Panel To Discuss Mark Sanford, Health Care Reform Prospects (VIDEO)

HuffPost reporter Sam Stein joined an "Ed Show" panel, along with Laura Flanders, host of Grittv.org, and John Feehery, GOP strategist, to discuss the political fallout from South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's affair, and if he should step down, and the prospects for health care reform now that the Democrats have reached 60 votes in the Senate (including two Independents who regularly vote with the Democrats).

Part 1 (panel starts at 6:35)

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Part 2

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Comments

[phylliscooper1]

I have private insurance, bc/bs. I recently received explanations of benefits for a surgery and it is interesting to note that the allowable charges paid by my insurance company to my medical providers, are the same as the amounts customarily paid by medicare and medicaid.

All private plans with many insured negotiate with the providers to accept these amounts as payments. So it is just as the President is saying, the exorbitant premiums are going to pay third party administrators and insurance executives. Physicians, medical clinics, hospitals and pharmacies are not reaping the benefits. Cutting out the middlemen will not lessen the medical care we receive and our collective modest premiums should assure coverage for all.

[KennethBowen]

I'm middle class and insured. But, where are these mythical Americans who love their health insurance? Everyone I know has horror story after horror story about dealing with their providers. The voters gave a clear mandate: we want single payer health care.

The Right keep braying about these scared of losing 'fabulous' insurance Americans, who are less real than the morals, ethics, and values of Sanford, Palin, et. al.

[2pt]

Note politicians always say 'the people I've talked to say...' not 'the people who voted for me' or 'the people in general say.' It's always the people they've talked to, which I assume are just lobbyists and other Republicans, because I'm middle-class and insured and I don't know anyone who loves their insurance better than the government either. Maybe it's trading devil for devil but at least we have the illusion of getting to vote for the government.

[psch]

Watched the Ed show for the first time yesterday and loved it. Ed voices the outrage that so many of us want to, but can't because we don't have the same forum.

They, Sam, Laura etc. made up a really good panel last night.

[claudiam]

Sam is doing a great job on the Ed Show. I love Ed's passion and the fact that he is speaking out on behalf of the American people. Ed voices an opinion that I often feel. I am but a small voice. claudiatucsonaz

[dayala]

it would be great if Sam, Ed and the Republican Strategist(sorry can't remember his name) went to Toronto and did an investigative expose on the healthcare service in Canada and brought that back to the American people. Sam Stein is cool and thoughtful in his comments and remarks.

love The Ed Show.

[rxvette]

Just because the dems have reached 60 doesn't mean healthcare is a done deal. A lot of fellow dems don't have enough balls to stand up for what is right with meaningful reform - http://bit.ly/9QLV8

[justoverit333]

The Repubs are always contradicting themselves.
Is competition good or bad? Well I guess that depends
on who contributes to my campaign. Is fooling around
on your wife and being missing in action for 5 days
a way to portray good family values?

[GeorgeP922]

Any liberal with a head should turn this on for there apathetic Dem friends who think the party has the agenda by the reins, we don't.

Thank god we got folks on our side in the media not afraid of Republicans, and even more important, not afraid of Democrats.

[Jeany]

Private for-profit health insurers have had 15 years to fix the known problems with our health care system and they did c rap for every one of them. After 15 years, it's time to hit the gong and get rid of them. They can still sell policies for luxury and vanity procedures, but for basic health care, they get the death sentence they deserve.

They've had long enough.

[RRoadrunner]

Ed can take ANYONE on. Head to Head he will make mince meat out of them! He’s a great champion for us.

[MyrtleJune]

Dear Laura...... YES Let's talk about the Arizona nonsense!!! Why? Because other states are going to do the same thing. This Arizona legislature act they're putting on is trying to take away Arizonan's RIGHT to partake in the PUBLIC option of the FEDERAL government.

Ed, I'm in Arizona. I WANT, DEMAND, VOTED FOR a public single payor OPTION. I do NOT want to pay $600 per month for bcbs of AZ. NO I don't think that's reasonable AT ALL. The truth is Arizona legislators want to follow the private only option of the republicans. Guess why. Because they're republicans!!! And crazy as well.

Will the voters of Arizona pass a law, a constitutional amendment, that preclues ALL Arizonans from choosing the public option. I have no idea. But it seems it isn't legal if they do.

Didn't realize that was Sam Stein really. Usually my posts do not seem to post on his threads...... dunno why that is. Good job just the same.

[Clayton139]

I really hope they do go to Canada and other country's to see how there Health care is ran !!!
Go ED Go !

[beaupritchard]

Go Sam go ... great job.

[113]

lol the conservative on the show said it best ..."the government plan would outcompete the private insurers"....aren't the conservatives always the one's claiming competition is the best way to settle everything....so if a government plan outcompetes/wins in the insurance wars then it's A BETTER PLAN....once again, conservative hypocrisy shines it's ugly head.

[Clayton139]

Well Said !

[guajiro]

you got that right!!! Believe it or not, there was actually some conservative numbskull on here last night saying it wasn't fair for one competitor if the other competitor was some monstrous, outsized behemoth competing for the same customer. Honestly, these conservatives are akin to Brits; rotten teeth, ill-bred, and low-browed.

[chronic]

Exactly!!

[Chris B]

In Australia we have Medicare, a public system. Conservatives continually try too change it. But have found it is political dynamite. The health care industry is using the same sort of scare tactics used here in Australia. Don't settle for a second rate system! Make sure the Democrats know you mean business!

[Exexecution]

Damn straight, same goes for Canada.
The Cons want to drown it in the bathtub alongside education and any other public service that they can find a way to privatize.
Canada has had single-payer publicly-funded health care since 1966.
If it didn't function cost-effectively, would it still be operative? Certainly not.
Why would you not want to pay a mere $50.00/month and never be declined coverage for a 'pre-existing condition'?
Canada's health care costs are 1/3 per capita of those in the US because private 'insurers' are not in the equation.

[toggan]

Hi, Mr. Stein, I am a fan of course---you were great on Ed. Go with him on the trip and report back to us on healthcare outside the US. Okay? Remember Ed says he is paying for the trip plus meals.

[CherryIce1988]

Am I the only one who thinks Sam is kinda cute?

[BMK]

I see your "...kinda cute" statement and raise you a "I'm in love with Sam Stein, Nico Pitney and Jason Linkins" ménage à trois.