Monday evening, the Probasco auditorium inside Erlanger Health System’s Baroness campus was nearly filled with medical professionals who had come to hear U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and five of his challengers—Democrats Dr. Mary Headrick and Bill Taylor, and Republicans Ron Bhalla, Scottie Mayfield, and Weston Wamp—answer questions about the current and future state of health care. The Chattanooga Times Free Press co-sponsored and moderated the forum. Here’s their coverage:

New health care law has little support at 3rd District candidate forum in Chattanooga (with video)Candidates address health care In surprising bits of bipartisan agreement, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., and five challengers sai…

Following is a selection of Twitter updates by Nooga.com’s James Harrison and myself during the event.

Here’s a pic of @MayfieldScottie making his opening remarks with @RepChuck, @westonwamp and @BillTaylor3rd looking on: http://t.co/CZnPzfU3James Harrison

Mayfield says he will work to "keep patient & doctor relationship where it ought to be" if elected in #TN03.TennesseeTicket

Responding to question on how TennCare may have prepped TN for new law, Mayfield talks about how he thinks ACA will hurt small businesses.James Harrison

Democrat Bill Taylor says he’s for leaving the health care law in place, and modifying it over time to make it better.James Harrison

On ACA ruling: Wamp says 1st step is repeal; then give tax credits to spend as needed on healthcare; promotes exchangesTennesseeTicket

Before offering solution, @RepChuck says he’s already voted to repeal Obamacare, and will do so again this week.James Harrison

Bill Taylor says some parts of ACA need repeal, others improved; hits large medical insurersTennesseeTicket

Bhalla: ACA will hurt small businesses; need ins cos to reduce premium and deductiblesTennesseeTicket

Headrick: been fighting for healthcare reform, the ACA is not her favorite, but would not vote to repeal. Need wider focus than insurance.TennesseeTicket

Fleischmann: I have and will vote to repeal. Looking for tort reform as part of free market healthcare reformsTennesseeTicket

Flessner: should TN expand Medicaid, proceed with healthcare exchange? Taylor: yes, but ins cos will not participate if rate not desirableTennesseeTicket

Mayfield: yes exchanges, to preempt fedgov action (if ACA not repealed)TennesseeTicket

Mayfield says he has faith in #TNLeg to oversee health care exchanges resulting from ACA because of their recent work on tort reform.James Harrison

Headrick: "Let’s not spend money on health insurance, let’s spend on healthcare." wants public option among exchange choices; single payerTennesseeTicket

On TennCare: Mayfield says 1st 10 yrs was harbinger of what will happen under ACA. Not affordable.TennesseeTicket

Headrick: TennCare was implemented without "sound actuarial principles" but has helped move state fwd after fixesTennesseeTicket

Fleischmann says tort reform has helped stem costs of TennCare; says state should go further, enact "loser pays"TennesseeTicket

Fleischmann and Mayfield say they’d both be for tort reform on the federal level. Wamp "likes the idea" of it being a state by state issue.James Harrison

None of the candidates raised a hand when asked if healthcare is a right. Only Taylor believes citizens shd be required to buy coverage.TennesseeTicket

Headrick says "a right is something you don’t have to pay for, like free speech."TennesseeTicket

Taylor: requiring purchase (or subsidy or providing) is about risk mgt. 1 reason health ins is expensive is customers pay for uninsuredTennesseeTicket

Headrick, wearing white lab coat, says TennCare has paved the road for an exchange structure. Thinks Tennessee is ahead in that regard.James Harrison

Should contracts be allowed btwn physicians and Medicare recipients? Discussions have turned to Medicare reform itself.TennesseeTicket

Both Fleischmann and Wamp dance around the question if whether private contracting should be allowed between physicians and beneficiaries.James Harrison

Bhalla said he’d be against it, Headrick said she’d be for it, as did Taylor. Mayfield also says "that should be the way it works."James Harrison

Taylor gets applause for pointing out that in prescription drug benefit, prices were not negotiated with drug cos as with drs and hospitalsTennesseeTicket

Taylor: "privatizing Medicare is a bad idea" since insurance companies would put paperwork burden on drs to recoup higher reimb 4 themselvesTennesseeTicket

Taylor says it should be a "societal burden" that we all take care of our own health. "We’ve got to control our trips to McDonald’s."James Harrison

.@westonwamp decries Fleischmann and Mayfield ads for "demagoguery" instead of finding common ground on issues such as pre-exTennesseeTicket

Given chance to respond if their TV ads are "being too critical of the president," Mayfield and Fleischmann offer no comment.James Harrison

Strong statements against IPAB’s potential abuse of power, other perceived ills by all #TN03 candidates but Bhalla (who wasn’t sure of ?)TennesseeTicket

On support to end the Independent Payment Advisory Board, Bill Taylor says: "Finally, something Chuck Fleischmann and I agree about."James Harrison

On how to get more physicians into system, @RepChuck says tax credits to help with debt from medical school would help.TennesseeTicket

Mayfield and Taylor agree that residency expansion is necessary, but funding will be a challenge. Taylor says ins cos don’t contrib to edTennesseeTicket

On issue of physicians being paid more than mid-level providers, Wamp and Fleischmann say "no," Mayfield says "it depends on the situation."James Harrison

Debate wraps after one hour 47 minutes. Never strayed from health care, Wamp only candidate to call out others by name.James Harrison