“Recouping the Costs of Outbreak Investigations and Prevention,” an article on whether Environmental Health Agencies and Health Departments should seek reimbursement for costs involved in outbreak investigations and prevention appeared in the January/February 2006 Journal of Environmental Health. Two key issues influence a public health agency’s decision to seek reimbursement:  Replenishing the agency’s budget to continue its primary functions and the fear that seeking reimbursement could lead to decreased cooperation from the entity responsible for the outbreak.