2008 Presidential Candidate Health Care Proposals: Side-by-Side Summary

Voters have identified health care as the leading domestic issue for the government to address and for the presidential candidates to discuss in the 2008 campaign. In particular, voters would like to hear the candidates’ positions on reducing the cost of health care and health insurance and expanding coverage to the 47 million uninsured Americans.

This side-by-side comparison of the candidates’ positions on health care was prepared by the Kaiser Family Foundation with the assistance of Health Policy Alternatives, Inc. and is based on information appearing on the candidates’ websites as supplemented by information from candidate speeches, the campaign debates and news reports. The sources of information are identified for each candidate’s summary (with links to the Internet). The comparison highlights information on the candidates’ positions related to access to health care coverage, cost containment, improving the quality of care and financing. Information will be updated regularly as the campaign unfolds.

View PDF of Both Final Candidates (PDF) View Proposals from Former and Additional ’08 Candidates (PDF)

View the new Health Care Issues Side-by-Side to compare the candidates’ proposals and positions on 15 topics, including Medicaid and SCHIP, Medicare, prescription drugs, racial and ethnic disparities, women’s health, and HIV/AIDS and global health.

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