WashPost -- Dean Offers Health Care Plan

Dean, a medical doctor who has made expanding health care coverage one of the pillars of his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, said the proposal would provide as much or more coverage at less than half the cost of the plan proposed by rival Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.).

With other major candidates set to offer their proposals -- Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) plans to announce his Thursday -- Democrats face a serious intraparty debate over health care that could influence both the outcome of the nomination battle and the viability of their desire to make the issue a major point of difference with President Bush in the 2004 election.