Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama talks with Raymond Bisher, from St. John, Mo., Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.
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Barack Obama
Citing the 47 million Americans—including nearly 9 million children—who are living without health insurance, Barack Obama has vowed to create a national health plan that will be available to all Americans. Under Obama’s plan, every American child would be required to have health insurance, and young people up to age 25 could continue to be covered under their parents’ plans.

Obama says his plan would provide all Americans, including small businesses, the opportunity to buy affordable health coverage comparable to the plan available to members of Congress. Obama’s plan would be paid for by eliminating President Bush’s tax cuts for households earning more than $250,000 a year.