Washington, D.C. ? John Edwards is pitching his universal health care plan with a bit of realism: He says he’d have to raise taxes to pay for it.

The Democratic presidential candidate said the proposal would cost up to $120 billion year, and “We’re asking everybody to share in the responsibility of making health care work in this country.”

Edwards said his plan would aim to provide health care coverage for the 47 million people who currently lack it and reduce the cost of health care coverage for middle-class families.