NBC News Runs Week-Long Series on Health Challenges

NBC's "Nightly News with Tom Brokaw" yesterday began a five-part series about health care challenges in the United States. The first segment focused on the 5 million uninsured Americans who are over age 50 but too young to qualify for Medicare coverage. Upcoming topics will include:

• Tuesday: Physicians' criticism of Medicare reimbursement rates;
• Wednesday: "Boutique" medical care;
• Thursday: Mental patients and ER overcrowding;
• Friday: The nursing shortage.