For Baltimore's health commissioner, talk of policy change in D.C. brings 'great stress' (Baltimore Business Journal)

Monday Jan 30th, 2017

Baltimore's health department could face drastic funding cuts under policy overhauls in Washington, D.C., proposals that has the city's health chief Dr. Leana Wen experiencing "great stress and anxiety."

Wen is nervous the change in priorities could impact her department's ability to continue operating the same public health programs and services in Baltimore.

The Baltimore City Health Department operates under a $130 million dollar budget, with over 80 percent of that money coming from state and federal funds.

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When I’ve asked experts about these approaches, it’s not that any of them are bad. It’s that they fall short. For instance, Leana Wen, the former health commissioner of Baltimore (and soon-to-be president of Planned Parenthood), said that the Support for Patients and Communities Act “is simply tinkering around the edges.”

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