In this final debate between them, Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama once again agreed upon a need for more affordable health insurance, and debated the necessity of a mandate that would require all Americans to get coverage.

The Wall Street Journal's health blog reports that "Obama and Clinton both have plans that would change the health insurance landscape in a big (and largely similar) way — most notably, perhaps, by giving everyone the option of buying into Medicare-like insurance. At last night’s debate, Obama said, as he has said before, that his plan and Clinton's plan are 95% similar."

So where do they differ? Mostly in the issue of mandates. Both candidates agree that a lack of affordable health insurance is medically and economically devastating to millions of Americans, but only Clinton wants to make it a law that every American gets coverage. She plans to make coverage more affordable by offering tax incentives and forcing insurance agencies to accept everyone, regardless of pre-existing conditions.

The fundamental question is this: will people purchase coverage if affordable health insurance becomes a reality? Sure, the sick, older Americans, and the more responsible among us would, but would everyone pay into the system?

Obama believes that they would, or at least that they should have the option but not be forced to do so. Clinton doesn't have such faith that the young, reckless, and irresponsible won't just try to save the money and hope for the best.

But one thing remains true; today the vast majority of those who don't have medical coverage don't have it because they can't afford it, a situation that all presidential contenders agree is a serious problem.