The health care issue is a matter of ideology for many candidates. Their positions depend on how they view the role of government.

To prepare for the primary election, 10/11 brings you a week-long look at where the candidates stand on a number of issues. Today's issue is health care.

As far as health care is concerned, Republican Pat Flynn would return responsibility for purchasing coverage back to individuals. He'd provide a tax credit to help low-income people pay for insurance, and he'd make sure coverage stays with an individual if they change jobs, but he opposes nationalized health care.

"The health care industry is the fight between socialism and capitalism in this country. That's how passionate I am about this subject, because all I ever hear for a solution against national health care is no national health care. Well, that's not gonna sell. We're closer to the nationalization of health care than I want to admit, but I know how close we are, and we need to come out with a conservative privatization solution that actually works," Flynn said.

Republican Mike Johanns said maintaining consumer choice of coverage and treatment options is a priority for him. He favors a tax deduction to help individuals who purchase health insurance, and he'd like small businesses to be able to join together to provide coverage for workers. He opposes a government-run health care system.

"There are many who are jumping on the universal health care bandwagon. There are many who are jumping on the single payer bandwagon. Let me translate that. That's a federal government program. What happens with federal government program? You will create a very large federal bureaucracy.

This could be a disaster for our state. And very, very clearly I think this is going to be an issue, and I think it might be a case where you need somebody that just simply has the strength of conviction to stand behind Nebraska and just say, 'Look, universal health care is not the solution to our state's issues," Johanns said.

Democratic candidate Tony Raimondo said health care is the biggest issue facing most Nebraska families and businesses.

Raimondo said government has a role in improving the health care system, but he does not support federal control. He said it's important to look for ways to control costs, simplify billing for consumers,and he wants to improve access for those who don't have health insurance.

"I do see good ideas coming up from the right and good ideas coming from the left. I do want to put my real-world experience to work in a bipartisan way, to end up with viable solutions to take health care and move it into the 21st century.

I really believe health care has to be portable, if someone changes jobs they don't have to worry about pre-existing conditions. If someone is in a company that goes out of business in the 21st century, they don't have to worry about losing their health care for their families," Raimondo said.

Democrat Scott Kleeb also favors portable, affordable coverage for everyone. He wants tax breaks to help small businesses pay for health insurance, and he said government ought to help provide coverage for those who can't afford it, but not take over health care coverage.

"It means that everyone needs to have insurance. We need to make sure we keep the other thing we like about our system that we do like, is the choice aspect. So, of course there's going to be a private sector involved in insurance coverage, but there needs to be, making sure that the private sector's not allowed to kick out people at the very time they need health insurance the most. You gotta keep 'em in because that's how insurance works. So no, there's gonna be private sector involved, it's gonna be both private and public, working together," Kleeb said.