Maryland is a national leader in health care, Governor Larry Hogan proclaimed during Wednesday’s State of the State address.

He held up Maryland’s success under its unique health care financing model against what he described as the health care failures at the federal level.

Governor Hogan also praised our state’s efforts to stabilize the insurance markets, stop steep hikes in insurance rates, and protect coverage for many Marylanders.

We are pleased that Governor Hogan highlighted the pioneering efforts by Maryland’s health care field in his address before both chambers of the General Assembly.

We’re also heartened that after touting proposed tax-relief measures, funding for public schools, expanded job training, and the need to address violence in our communities, Governor Hogan dedicated a portion of his address to the ongoing opioid crisis.

Governor Hogan rightly says that he was the first governor in the country to declare a full state of emergency over the scourge of opioids. He said the state has invested $800 million in education, treatment, and other interventions aimed at curbing the effects of heroin, opioids, and substance use.

And he echoed what the hospital field has long known: It will take an “all hands on deck approach” to address this crisis.