Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue each took a quick jab.

At the UNC-TV debate tonight, Moore argued that the Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission has a spotty record, especially on teen smoking.

"It's been a hit and miss on a lot of different small programs," he said. "It's kind of hard to say that we really have made any substantive improvement."

That echoes Moore's recent attacks on government commissions, which he says are wasteful. 

Perdue serves on the commission and chaired a task force on health run in part by it.

Later, Perdue turned the tables, noting that Moore said during his unsuccessful 1994 Congressional run that he would consider cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid funding to balance the budget.

"If you do that, then the seniors who are moving into this state, certainly have many more challenges than they would otherwise have," she said.

After the jump, what Moore said in 1994.

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Beverly Perdue told a story about a rural doctor at today's debate.

While speaking about her experience fighting health care disparities, the lieutenant governor shared the story of a Robeson County doctor she met recently.

Perdue said she went to Robeson County this week to present a N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund grant, part of the Eliminating Health Disparities initiative. She is chairwoman of the fund.

Dr. Robin Peace, chief medical officer for Robeson Health Care Corporation, told Perdue that she came to rural North Carolina to pay back her medical school debts, much like the doctor in the T.V. show "Northern Exposure."

"She told me that because of this little grant that she had that she was going to change the lives of her patients—16,000 patients a year," Perdue said. "She said, 'Bev, I am going to make a difference. Folks here are going to understand that diabetes is beatable in Robeson County.'"

Dan Besse says the lieutenant governor has an important job.

In a live-blog on the liberal BlueNC site, the candidate for the Democratic nomination said that the job comes with certain legislative and executive powers that can be "used judiciously" to alter the debate.

As a independently elected, statewide official, the lg has the "bully pulpit" potential to a degree above most others. If special interests have an important proposal (such as expansion of children's health care coverage) bottled up in committee; or are pushing a bad proposal (such as ratepayer subsidy for excess power plant construction) through the process too quickly for full consideration; the lg can step outside the quiet negotiations and call in the media.

On the issues, he said he opposes the lottery but supports efforts to redirect revenue toward different educational programs.

He also said he would use the Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission to fight obesity and smoking; provide more Internet streaming of the legislature, do more to protect water quality and would work to fix the mental health system.

How can the state get uninsured kids into existing programs?

As noted on Dome last month, two-thirds of North Carolina's uninsured already qualify for either Medicaid or Health Choice plans for low-income children.

A July report from the Task Force for a Healthier North Carolina has more than a dozen recommendations to enroll those children. The task force, a partnership between the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund and UNC-Chapel Hill, was co-chaired by state Sen. Bill Purcell, Rep. Verla Insko and Trust Fund Commissioner Carole Bruce.

In a position paper on health care, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue's gubernatorial campaign said the state "needs to implement" the report's recommendations.

They include targeting families on reduced-lunch and food-stamp programs, enrolling children who show up in emergency rooms, allowing parents to apply for benefits online, providing preprinted renewal forms, and reimbursing counties for each child enrolled.

The report also recommends tracking health insurance eligibility through existing computer databases for the state's social workers.

Beverly Perdue has asked the state auditor to look into public records requests.

In a letter to Les Merritt today, the lieutenant governor's legal counsel writes that her office has received several e-mails from a computer in the state treasurer's office requesting public records.

"While it is every citizen's right to request public records, I am concerned that someone was using state computer resources in the office of the State Treasurer to conduct political campaign opposition research," writes her staff attorney, Will Polk.

Perdue is running against Treasurer Richard Moore for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

She writes that Cliff Bennett, who is not listed as a state employee, has asked for public records on the Task Force for a Healthier NC, a special committee established by the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission she chairs.

In addition, she writes that he asked the information be sent to a Raleigh address that is listed as one of Moore's campaign workers'.

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated who signed the letter. 

* Health care: Gov. Mike Easley has reappointed Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue to the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund, which she's chaired since it started in 2001. A former director of geriatrics, Perdue is expected to make health care reform a centerpiece of her campaign for governor.

* Veterans: Perdue will be keynote speaker at a luncheon in Lenoir County for the groundbreaking of a new veterans nursing home. The county originally planned to spend $20,000, but it scaled back after criticism. Perdue is expected to make military relations another focus.

* Gubernatorial campaign: Predictably, Perdue plans barbecue for her campaign kick-off. Odds are now running 50-50 on bluegrass for entertainment. Her campaign is opening an office on St. Mary's Street in Raleigh this week.

The N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund is aiming an anti-smoking ad campaign at 18- to 24-year-olds.

The new "Call it Quits" campaign includes TV, radio, print and interactive ads that promote Quitline NC. The toll-free phone service connects smokers with coaches for advice, support and referrals to local cessation services. Quitline NC (1-800-QUIT-NOW) is available every day, 8 a.m. to midnight.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 28 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds in North Carolina smoke, and more than half have tried to quit in the past year, Jane Stancill reports.

The TV and radio ads started Monday. You can view them here.

The state House voted today to make North Carolina the 35th state to offer a government-backed insurance option to people with illnesses that price them out of the private market.

A bill approved by the House will establish an insurance pool for people with illnesses who cannot afford or do not qualify for private insurance, reports Lynn Bonner.

State money for the insurance will come from the Health and Wellness Trust Fund, part of a tax insurance companies already pay, and a surcharge on the state employees health plan, which the state will pay.

People who buy the insurance will pay 65 percent of the cost.

The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature.