About 47 million Americans don't have health insurance. Nearly 9 million of the uninsured are children. Insurance helps people pay for doctor visits, prescription drugs, hospital stays and other care. Some people get health insurance at a reduced rate through their employer. Others have to buy it, often paying more than $900 a month. The cost of health insurance continues to rise, and many people just can't afford it.

Polls show that voters consider health care to be among the most important issues of the 2008 presidential race. Republican senator John McCain and Democratic senator Barack Obama have ideas about how to make sure all Americans have access to affordable health care. Here are some of the questions facing the candidates:

• How can the government make sure everyone has access to doctors at affordable prices?
• What should the government do to help people pay for expensive prescription medicine?
• Why are prices for medical care so high and what can be done to control these costs?

Barack Obama wants to lower health care costs and require coverage for all children. He would like to simplify the paperwork and make the system more efficient. His plan would require large businesses to help pay for employee insurance. For individuals and families without insurance, the government would be required to provide financial assistance. Here are some of Obama's other priorities:

• Make insurance companies spend more on patient care.
• Expand eligibility to more people for existing government-funded health-care programs.
• Give the general public the option to choose health plans similar to that of government employees.

John McCain's plan would reduce health care costs and make health insurance more affordable. It would provide individuals and families with tax credits to help pay for coverage costs. McCain would also allow people to take their health plan with them when changing jobs. Here are some of McCain's other priorities:

• Make patients the center of care and give them a larger role in both disease prevention and care.
• Fund more federal research of chronic diseases.
• Promote competition throughout the health care system, between providers and among alternative treatments.