TILTON - Sitting in a small faculty room at a child daycare center Tuesday, former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D-Madbury) purposed a five-point plan to help lower the cost of health care costs for small businesses.

Shaheen's plan would provide a tax credit to small businesses that provide health care to employees, lower the cost of prescription drugs, boost preventive care programs, increase the use of electronic medical records and reduce medication errors.

"As middle-class families have been squeezed and as small businesses find it harder to provide coverage to our employees, we haven't seen action on the federal level," Shaheen said at Tilton's Whole Child Center.

Shaheen also used the opportunity to argue that her opponent, U.S. Sen. John Sununu (R-Waterville Valley), is on the side of insurance companies.

"When it comes to New Hampshire and our representation, what we've seen from John Sununu is that he continues to put the needs of insurance companies over the needs of New Hampshire families."

Shaheen cited a 2006 Concord Monitor story which quoted Sununu telling business leaders to "stop complaining about health care."

"This may be the most bizarre recommendation, but I am sincere," Sununu was quoted as saying. "I'm not saying it's not an issue or it's not important, but proportionally speaking, stop complaining about health care."

Earlier this year Sununu co-sponsored legislation that he says would lower the cost of health care for small businesses.

The bill, "The Making Health Care More Affordable Act," would provide a tax credit to individuals and allow small businesses to join together and buy health coverage.