Candidates each tout health plans

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Barack Obama and John McCain picked apart each other's healthcare plans Wednesday during their final U.S. presidential debate.

Obama said McCain's plan, which includes a $5,000 tax credit for healthcare, carries with it "a strong risk that people would lose their employer-based healthcare."

McCain said the Illinois Democrat's plan would fine small businesses if they don't "adopt the healthcare plan that Senator Obama mandates."

Obama said small businesses would pay no fines because his plan would exempt them "from the requirement for large businesses that can afford to provide healthcare to their employees, but are not doing it. ... But large businesses that can afford it, we've got a choice. Either they provide health insurance to their employees or somebody has to."

The Arizona Republican said that showed the differences between his healthcare plan and Obama's.

McCain said his healthcare plan would give people "a chance to choose their own futures, not have Senator Obama and government decide that for them."

"This really gets down to the fundamental difference in our philosophies. If you notice that, in all of this proposal, ... Senator Obama wants government to do the job."

Obama countered, "All I want to do, if you've already got healthcare, is lower your costs."