This article lists the healthcare statements of some candidates for president during the 2008 US presidential election. Barack Obama On January 24, 2007, Mr. Obama spoke about his position on health care at Families USA, a health care advocacy group. Obama said: "The time has come for universal health care in America . . . I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country." Obama went on to say that he believed that it was wrong that forty-six million Americans are uninsured, noting that taxpayers already pay over $15 billion annually to care for the uninsured. Mitt Romney Health insurance: As governor of Massachusetts, Romney signed legislation that required that nearly all Massachusetts residents obtain health insurance coverage by establishing means-tested state subsidies for people without adequate employer insurance, by directing funds designated to compensate for the health costs of the uninsured, and also specified penalties for those who fail to obtain coverage. Legislation, effective on July 1, 2007, requires health insurance for all state residents, provided a plan is available to the individual that is deemed affordable according to state standards. Employers with eleven or more employees are mandated to offer approved insurance plans for employees. Romney had vetoed eight sections of the health care legislation, including a $295 per person fee on businesses with 11 employees or more that do not provide health insurance. Romney also vetoed provisions providing dental and eyeglass benefits to poor residents on the Medicaid program, and providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid. However, the state legislature overrode all of the vetoes. It remains to be seen if the resulting law can be fully implemented because of conflicts with the Federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) that limits state regulation of employer health insurance. Ron Paul Paul has called for passage of tax relief bills to reduce health care costs for families: He would support a tax credit for senior citizens who need to pay for costly prescription drugs. He would also allow them to import drugs from other countries at lower prices. He has called for health savings accounts that allow for tax-free savings to be used to pay for prescriptions. H.R. 3075 allows families to claim a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for health insurance premiums. H.R. 3076 provides