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A national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues; a core program of @KFF. Also publishes @CalHealthline.

Jul 1, 2020, 6 tweets

NEW: 3/4 of Americans live in states that spend under $100 per person on #PublicHealth annually. A @KHNews @AP investigation tracks the systematic underfunding that left the U.S. ill-equipped for #covid19.
#UnderfundedUnderThreat

🔗: khn.org/MTEyNzAyNw

Public health workers sometimes earn so little, they qualify for public aid programs like #Medicaid. They rely on faxes to share #COVID19 records. They work seven-day weeks, yet fear losing their jobs. #UnderfundedUnderThreat

At least 38,000 state and local public health jobs have disappeared since the 2008 recession. #UnderfundedUnderThreat

KHN and @AP interviewed more than 150 people, analyzed spending records from hundreds of state and local health departments, and surveyed statehouses. The investigation found the system is #UnderfundedUnderThreat.

Over time, state and local health departments received so little support that they have found themselves without direction, ignored, even vilified. Now, they face furloughs and potential layoffs. #UnderfundedUnderThreat

But the public doesn’t see the disasters that #PublicHealth workforces thwart. And it’s easy to neglect the invisible. @LaurenWeberHP @laura_ungar @MRSmithAP @hannah_recht @annabarryjester investigate. #UnderfundedUnderThreat apnews.com/e28724a125a127…

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