Oregon Public Broadcasting

Health care is one of the key issues in the presidential race. And with less than one week before the Democratic convention Barack Obama and John McCain sent two surrogates to debate the question in Portland Tuesday.

About 150 health care professionals attended the event that was organized by the Oregon Health Forum.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer spoke for Barack Obama. He says Obama's plan focused on private insurance and expanding public programs will best achieve the goal of universal health care.

Earl Blumenauer: “It is a better system, guaranteed coverage, focus on the kids, give the families an opportunity to be able to have access to it, make it more affordable, be able to have a system that puts those pieces in place and move forward.”

Blumenauer’s opponent in the debate was Republican State Representative Ron Maurer. He advocated McCain's plan, which relies heavily on health care tax credits for workers and families.

Maurer also said Obama’s health care plan would be too expensive.

Both Blumenauer and Maurer agreed that the current system needs reform.  They also said that no change in the health care system would create a perfect solution for everybody.