PHYSICIAN SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE

A study out of Indiana University says 59% of doctors support national health insurance, up ten percentage points over the last five years. Dr. David Himmelstein, with Physicians for a National Health Program, says "doctors see a crisis, not just for uninsured patients, but for insured patients, physicians and nurses as well." The report, in today's Annals of Internal Medicine, is based on a survey of 2, 193 doctors. It finds that 55% of physicians support incremental reforms, which the report says includes tax incentives tied to employee coverage and insurance mandates.