With the baby boomer generation aging, health insurance is taking center stage in this presidential election.

Steffen Schmidt, university professor of political science, said health care is going to be “a big issue” in the upcoming election.

“The politicians are talking about health insurance because a lot of Americans are worried about it,” Schmidt said. “I think students are less aware because they’re still covered.”

Schmidt said students can be covered by their parents’ insurance until a certain age; some colleges also offer health insurance through student fees. After college, many Americans are covered by employers’ group health plans. However, 43.6 million Americans still have no health insurance, according to the 2006 National Health Interview Survey.

We interviewed supporters of the three presidential candidates to find out what they thought of their candidate’s health plan.

Sen. John McCain

Jon Turk, sophomore in political science and McCain supporter, likes the employer-based health insurance model but feels employers should be assisted by the government.

“We should do more to assist private employers in their ability to provide cheap insurance for their employees,” Turk said. “Providing credit to employers to provide individual health plans for employees.”

Turk believes in privatized health care and does not want the government to control the health care system.

“I do fear socialized medicine. It would result in poor care overall,” Turk said. “You need to put more money into preventing obesity, chronic illness.”

Turk said health care systems in countries with socialized medicine, such as England, are inefficient and people often have to sit on a waiting list before they can receive care.

McCain seems to agree. McCain’s Web site said he wants families to “be in charge of their health care dollars and have more control over their care.”

McCain also wants to bring “costs under control in order to stop the wearing away of reasonable health insurance.”

For more information about John McCain’s health plan, visit his Web site, www.johnmccain.com.

Sen. Barack Obama

Drew Garrison, senior in history and vice president of ISU Students for Barack Obama, said he supports Obama’s health plan over Clinton’s primarily because Clinton’s plan would require citizens to buy insurance.

“I do not believe the United States government should make it illegal if someone chooses not to have health insurance,” Garrison said. “The central part of his plan is to offer a method of offering universal health insurance.”

Because Garrison is graduating this year and won’t be covered under his parents’ plan, he has become more aware of his health insurance options.

“[Obama’s plan] would enable me to navigate and figure out what’s next for me,” Garrison said.

Under Obama’s plan, consumers would have the option of buying health insurance from the U.S. government and the option of buying from a private company, so the U.S. would not “take over,” Garrison said.

According to Obama’s Web site, his plan includes making “a new national health plan available” that would allow any individual to buy into a health insurance plan similar to the insurance members of Congress have.

For more information about Barack Obama’s health plan, visit his Web site, www.barackobama.com.

Sen. Hillary Clinton

Former state Sen. Johnie Hammond favors Clinton’s health care plan because it includes “coverage of everyone immediately.”

“I agree with [Clinton’s plan] as long as those congressional appropriations are there for those that can’t afford health care plans,” Hammond said.

Hammond said Obama’s plan “leaves out 15 million people who won’t be covered” right away.

Hammond favors a single-payer plan such as that currently in place in Canada – but not without its difficulties, she said.

“It takes some courage because you have the entire insurance industry against you,” Hammond said.

A benefit of a single-payer plan, Hammond said, is “you just need to break even” and “if the payer is the government, then no profit, advertising are needed.”

Hammond also likes Clinton’s plan because Clinton “addresses the issue of redoing the Medicare Pharmaceutical Benefits Plan.”

According to Clinton’s Web site, her plan includes the option of having “the same choice of health plan options that members of Congress receive” and having “a guarantee of quality coverage.”

For more information about Hillary Clinton’s health plan, visit her Web site, www.hillaryclinton.com.

Some similarities

Both Clinton’s and Obama’s plans include an option similar to that of members of Congress.

All three candidates want to make health care accessible to everyone. Also, both Obama’s and Clinton’s plans offer private insurance plans. This information is presented in Obama’s National Health Insurance Exchange and through Clinton’s American Health Choices Plan.