State health officials provide overview of operations, challenges

Minnesota ranks among the healthiest states in the country in a number of categories, but there is still work to be done.

That was one of the messages delivered Wednesday to the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee.

Department of Health representatives provided members an overview of its budget and the health challenges the state faces. Some of these include diabetes, opioid addiction and obesity.

WATCH Full video of Wednesday's committee hearing

To fund the work it does, the department will have a base budget of $1.2 billion in fiscal years 2018-19.  

Dr. Edward P. Ehlinger, the state’s health commissioner, was also on hand to answer questions from the committee.