Former New York City Health Commissioner Mary Bassett is reportedly on the short list to replace outgoing Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker.
As city health commissioner, her agency was highly regarded and she increased health resources to low income communities to combat high rates of obesity and diabetes. Controversy followed when Bassett resigned following an investigation into unreported elevated blood levels in kids living in public housing. At the time Bassett said her departure from the de Blasio administration had nothing to do with the controversy.