House members discuss SCHIP, Medicare, Medicaid during debate in Cincinnati

A bipartisan group of eight House members on Monday discussed several health care issues -- such as SCHIP, Medicare and Medicaid -- during a debate at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, The Hill reports.

The debate marked the second of three events scheduled as part of the "Congress Debates" series sponsored by the Democratic Caucus, the Republican Conference, the Congressional Institute and the Democratic Leadership Council (Kucinich, The Hill, 4/28). NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner moderated the debate (Lang, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/29). Debate participants included Reps. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), Marion Berry (D-Ark.), Charles Boustany (R-La.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Nathan Deal (R-Ga.), Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) and John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) (The Hill, 4/28).

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the debate participants "agreed on a common goal of access for all Americans to good, affordable health care," but they "clashed repeatedly on how to accomplish it" and "skirted specifics on how they would pay for it." Republicans, who praised the health care proposal of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), argued against the expansion of federal health insurance programs and in favor of tax credits to help consumers purchase private coverage. Democrats "scoffed at that idea and claimed the Republicans had eight years to deliver such credits," the Enquirer reports. In addition, Democrats cited the need to shift more residents into health insurance pools to reduce costs. Schwartz said, "We need more of us in the same pool," adding, "Buying coverage individually is the most expensive way to do it" (Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/29).

In a discussion on SCHIP, Shadegg defended efforts by Republicans earlier this year to prevent the passage of legislation supported by Democrats that would have reauthorized and expanded the program. He said, "We think it is a mistake to divide children from families." However, Schwartz said that Republicans opposed the legislation in part because the bill would have allowed SCHIP to cover some adults. In a discussion on Medicare and Medicaid, Berry said that Republicans favored health insurers over consumers. Deal responded, "Marion, that kind of comment really demeans this debate" (The Hill, 4/28).