Landrieu, Terrell Address Health Insurance Expansion, Prescription Drugs in Louisiana Senate Debate
In one of several debates before their Dec. 7 runoff, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Republican Suzanne Haik Terrell, Louisiana's election commissioner, on Nov. 25 tried to "highlight their differences" on several issues, including ways to improve access to health insurance and a Medicare prescription drug benefit, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. During the debate, Landrieu said she favors expanding LaCHIP, the state's CHIP program, to provide health coverage to more children. She said, "The federal government stepped up to create LaCHIP. We need to expand on that program as funds become available." Terrell said she favors a market-based approach to expanding access to health insurance. She said the federal government should provide tax deductions help small businesses and individuals purchase insurance. In addition, Terrell said physicians should receive charitable tax credits for treating indigent patients, a plan she said would reduce the financial strain on the state's Charity Hospital System.
Debating Rx Drug Coverage
The most "heated exchange" during the debate came during a discussion about adding a prescription drug benefit to Medicare, the Times-Picayune reports. Landrieu questioned Terrell's commitment to reducing prescription drug costs, noting that she lobbied for a pharmaceutical company while working for a law firm in New Orleans. In response, Terrell said that she never "billed an hour for any drug company," and pointed out that Landrieu has received $45,000 in campaign contributions from drug companies, including $1,000 from the company she said Terrell represented. Landrieu said that those contributions did not have any impact on her voting record, noting that she voted for several measures that would have reduced drug prices (New Orleans Times-Picayune, 11/27). In the four-candidate Nov. 5 primary, Landrieu and Terrell received the most votes, 46% and 27%, respectively, but because neither candidate received more than 51%, state law requires a runoff (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/6).
