2014 KY Senate debate: on Health Care

Alison Grimes: Kynect heroically for expanding Medicaid under ObamaCare

She warned that McConnell would take away coverage from half a million people who can now get prescriptions and visit doctor.

Interestingly, while "ObamaCare" is unpopular, the state's health expansion, called "Kynect," actually is. McConnell has gotten himself in hot water before by trying to draw a distinction between the federal law and the state program. While he criticized Medicaid expansion, he responded when asked if he would do away with Kynect: "It's a state decision. That's fine. I think it's fine to have a website. Yeah."

Mitch McConnell: ObamaCare's Kynect is a state decision, but yeah, it's ok

McConnell also disputed the idea that Beshear's program has covered 500,000 more people, arguing that many of them are now paying more for lower-quality coverage. Democrats pounced, with Beshear saying in a post-debate statement: "Tonight, Mitch McConnell looked into the camera and misled Kentucky about his plan to take Kynect from more than 500,000 Kentuckians who have gained health care in the last year."

Mitch McConnell: ObamaCare is a train wreck; do what we can to repeal it

McCONNELL: Well, I certainly agree with Senator Cruz that ObamaCare is indeed a train wreck. People--even if they could access the website--can't get quotes. Even those who may be fortunate enough to sign up are going to find that the premiums are higher and the choices are fewer. One thing that all Republicans agreed on back in 2009 is that we thought ObamaCare was a terrible mistake for the country. We still think that, and we're going to do everything we can in the future to try to repeal it. But that requires a Republican Senate and a different president. We have a math problem in the Senate in getting rid of ObamaCare: 55 Democrats and 45 Republicans. I'd like to have 51.

Alison Grimes: Delay mandated coverage, but keep ObamaCare

Her suggestion: delay the imposition of the coverage mandate on small business, as the president already has done for larger corporations. "The mandate will not work for many small businesses in Kentucky," she said, "so I believe that a delay is the right course so that changes can be made."

She also blasted McConnell for wanting to abandon the law altogether, pointing out that the state's health ratings are among the worst in the nation, and that other provisions in the law will extend coverage to an estimated 600,000 more Kentuckians. "Unlike Sen. McConnell, I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water," she said.