Proposed Solutions

Health care ranks second only to the economy among the issues that voters say will be most important in their choice for president, according to The Washington Post-ABC News tracking poll. Nearly 46 million Americans were uninsured last year. Almost one-third of Americans say someone in their family has had trouble paying medical bills in the past year, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

Here is a look at how Barack Obama and John McCain propose to help cure the health-care system.

Expanding Access to Coverage

· Would require all children, but not adults, to have health insurance.

· Would require employers to offer health benefits or to pay into a national insurance fund.

· Would expand Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

· Would create a national health insurance exchange through which individuals and small companies could buy coverage from approved private insurance plans or a new government insurance option.

· Would provide people who are currently uninsured an unspecified tax credit to help buy insurance.

· Would provide refundable tax credits of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to encourage them to get insurance or keep their current coverage.

· Would eliminate federal tax exclusion for workers on health benefits they get through their jobs.

· Would allow insurance carriers to sell across state lines to create a more competitive market, preempting state insurance regulations of rates and benefits.