Candidates for Calif. congressional seat clash over health law

A Wednesday debate between Democrat Ami Bera and Republican Doug Ose was marked by tense talk about health policy issues and the economy. Additionally, Cover Oregon assigns Sen. Jeff Merkley, D- Ore., who earns $174,000 a year in the U.S. Senate, to Oregon's Medicaid plan -- reserved only for the poor. Elsewhere, Hillary Clinton sidestepped a tricky issue when delivering a paid speech to a trade group.

Sacramento Bee: Ami Bera, Doug Ose Clash In Testy Debate
Democrat Ami Bera and Republican Doug Ose engaged Wednesday in a detailed examination of the other's shortcomings, using their only scheduled debate to infuse the congressional contest with tension over health care and the economy. ... Ose, a 59-year-old developer and former three-term congressman, sought to put the incumbent on his heels early, ... offering a raised finger as he launched into a criticism of the health care overhaul. ... Bera, an Elk Grove physician serving his first term in Washington, accused Ose of lying about the health care law's impact on Medicare. ... The 49-year-old former county medical director and UC Davis medical school official said the law has provided more than 1 million Californians with health care coverage -- challenging Ose on his pledge to repeal the law and replace it with a policy that provides customers with more options (Cadelago and Siders, 10/8).

(Portland) Oregonian: Cover Oregon Health Exchange Enrolled U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley Into Low-Income Medicaid
As a U.S. senator, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., makes $174,000 a year. So imagine his surprise a few months ago, when he learned the Cover Oregon health insurance exchange had enrolled him in the Oregon Health Plan, which covers only the poorest of the poor. Chalk up another embarrassing glitch for Cover Oregon, which remains a troubled work-in-progress after months of triage and more than $300 million in taxpayer money (Budnick, 10/8).

The Washington Post: Hillary Clinton Skirts Obamacare Tax Issue In Paid Speech
Hillary Rodham Clinton is in her hometown Wednesday for a mix of business and politics. She started with the business: a paid speech to a conference of medical device manufacturers. A declared supporter of the Affordable Care Act, Clinton skirted the issue of whether she opposes efforts by the Advanced Medical Technologies Association to repeal the law's new tax on medical devices (Gearan, 10/8).

Meanwhile, in the background --

The Associated Press: Federal Budget Deficit Falls To $486 Billion, Report Says
The federal government's budget deficit has fallen to $486 billion, the smallest pool of red ink of President Obama's six-year span in office, a new report said Wednesday. The Congressional Budget Office's latest estimate shows better results than earlier projections by both CBO and the White House budget office. ... The good news may be temporary. CBO and budget hawks warn that the retirement of workers in the baby boom generation will balloon deficits in coming years unless Washington can bridge its divides and curb the growth of expensive programs like Medicare (10/8).