A doctor on the front lines describes Medicaid’s role in the opioid crisis

For decades, the residents of Baltimore, have been dying from opioid overdoses and have been incarcerated due to addiction.

“There’s no doubt that the opioid epidemic is worse than before, but it’s not a new problem,” says Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen. “I do think there are elements of racial inequalities, racial disparities, racial discrimination, and that needs to be taken into account.”

Baltimore has been a leader among localitie...