2008 Presidential Candidates: Health Care Issues Side-by-Side

Health care has been an important issue in the 2008 presidential campaign and the candidates have staked out positions on key health care issues. Both major party candidates have developed comprehensive health care reform proposals addressing health coverage and access, rising health care costs and health care quality.

The side-by-side comparison available here focuses on important health care issues not necessarily addressed in the candidates’ health care reform proposals. It was prepared by the Kaiser Family Foundation with the assistance of Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., and it allows users to compare the candidates proposals and positions on a range of health care issues. The comparisons are based on information compiled from the candidates’ Web sites, speeches and campaign debates. When we were unable to find a public statement from a candidate on a particular issue, we indicated this with “campaign has not addressed.” Prior to posting, the campaigns were given the opportunity to review and comment on the content of this side-by-side.