(AP) - Health care reform has become a major topicin New Jersey's gubernatorial race.

Democratic Gov. Jon S. Corzine and his Republican challenger,Chris Christie, have been sparring over whether to force insurancecompanies to cover screening tests like mammograms or waive themandates to cut costs.

New Jersey's 45 mandates - which include requiring insurers tocover pap tests, mammograms, prostate screenings for men, autismtesting for children and 48-hour hospital stays after birth - addan estimated 5 percent to the cost of health care in the state.

Corzine favors the mandates, while Christie wants to loosen theregulations and allow companies to offer no-frills policies.

A dozen states have more mandates than New Jersey.