According to the article at The Kansas City Star, the leading presidential candidates' proposals on health insurance reform are more detailed - and perhaps more realistic - than those of past elections.

And this could mean that real change is on the horizon for the first time in decades.

In the Democratic presidential primary, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois have both vowed to make health insurance reform a priority, with the stated goal of providing coverage for everyone.

And Senator John McCain of Arizona, the Republican front-runner, has put forth a detailed proposal that could make health insurance more affordable for a large number of the uninsured.

All of the candidates' proposals include subsidies to help people with modest incomes buy health insurance. And McCain, Clinton and Obama all support a long list of initiatives to make the health care system more efficient, including modernization, more preventative medicine, reforming the medical malpractice system, and requiring hospitals and doctors to disclose information on prices and quality.

Let's hope that Kansascity.com is correct, and that we have a healthy and happy 2009 to look forward to.