This week, the Baltimore City Health Department had the honor of hosting Director Michael Botticelli of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

During the visit, we discussed the tireless frontline efforts we have taken in the city to overcome the opioid overdose epidemic, remove stigma around substance use disorder, and improve access to drug treatment. We met with members of the Work Group on Drug Treatment Access and Neighborhood Relations and visited our Needle Exchange Program to allow our guests to witness the great work we are doing in our communities.

On behalf of Baltimore City’s residents, I extended our greatest gratitude for all of the support from the Obama Administration, including ONDCP and the White House Taskforce for Baltimore City. While the path ahead is uncertain, we cannot tire in our fight to safeguard health and reduce disparities. Recently, I convened health leaders representing over 31 million people and wrote an open letter to the Presidential Transition Team in which we urge them to invest in public health.

A critical accomplishment of President Obama and his administration was the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which extended healthcare coverage to millions of Americans and saved countless lives. As Baltimore City’s doctor, the discussion around repealing the ACA is about the 40,000 people in my city who would be uninsured if not for the ACA. As I shared last week in an op-ed in The Hill, the ACA has provided a safety net for millions and a mechanism to ensure a healthier, more secure, and financially stable future for America.

Earlier this week, I joined Senator Van Hollen, other legislators and local leaders, and over 2,000 Marylanders at a rally to talk about the importance of the ACA. This conversation continued on Wednesday during the Maryland Health Connection “Extol & Enroll” event, with Senator Van Hollen, Representative Sarbanes, Vincent DeMarco, President of the Healthcare for All! Coalition, Rev. Dr. Cleveland Mason, President of the United Baptist Missionary Convention of Maryland, Jonathan Kromm, acting Executive Director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, and Wandra Ashley-Williams, Vice President of the Maryland State Conference of the NAACP.

Access to healthcare is a human right and we must protect our most vulnerable. Open enrollment to obtain healthcare coverage through the Maryland Health Connection is open until January 31, 2017. I urge you to share this vital information with anyone who is still uninsured because you could help change their lives. We must all do our part to safeguard health, because access to health is access to life.

Sincerely, 

Leana Wen, M.D., M.Sc.