Conversations on Health Care

There are 24 states that have legalized recreational marijuana in recent years and a man who once was at the center of the nation’s drug control efforts says he’s “really disturbed” at what he’s seeing as a result. “The health impacts on [people]…the increasing psychosis…the visits to emergency rooms,” says former Acting Drug Czar Richard […]

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Americans have more economic anxiety about health care costs than anything else, according to a KFF poll. “Conversations on Health Care” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter are at the Reporters’ Roundtable to break down the policy debates and real-world impacts behind those concerns. Joining the roundtable are: Nada Hassanein of Stateline, Michael McAuliff of […]

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Research just out shows new blood tests can now detect Alzheimer’s-related changes years before symptoms begin. Dr. Suzanne Schindler says these findings help estimate how long that window may be. Once Alzheimer’s-related changes begin to rise in the blood, “it creates kind of a clock for us,” Schindler, a clinical neurologist at Washington University School […]

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Six years after the pandemic began, millions are still living with Long COVID. New research shows why recovery looks so different from person to person. Dr. Bruce Levy and Tanayott Thaweethai, Ph.D., of Mass General Brigham, speak with hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter about their National Institutes of Health-funded RECOVER study published in Nature […]

The post Long COVID Latest: What are the Unique Patterns? appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

A total of $10 billion of federal dollars is flowing to states right now as they seek to implement the first year of the new Rural Health Transformation Program. The early reports from the National Rural Health Association show promise and concerns. Carrie Cochran-McClain, NRHA’s Chief Policy Officer, says, “I’ll be honest. We were hearing […]

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One of the first steps in creating your “digital twin” is already taking place at innovative medical centers across the U.S. Boston Children’s Hospital and 20 other centers like it are using 3D cardiac models to improve pediatric heart surgery and help families better understand their child’s care. The 3D visualization program creates patient-specific digital […]

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Dr. Zeke Emanuel, a renowned bioethicist who helped draft the Affordable Care Act, is turning his attention to a new goal: helping us live longer. His new best-selling book is “Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life.”  He believes some of the recent federal changes to the food dietary […]

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Join “Conversations on Health Care” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to learn why Dr. Dorsey believes cleaning up our environment may be one of the most powerful public health tools we have right now.

The post Is Parkinson’s Preventable? Our Guest Says Yes appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

We’ve invited noted health care leader Dr. Sachin Jain back to “Conversations on Health Care” to share his predictions for the year after many came true last year. 👉 Click the interview to get his take on: Hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter also examine why his many fears about DOGE didn’t materialize and why […]

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The new Rural Health Transformation Program aims to improve “healthcare access, quality, and outcomes” with $50 billion aimed at making changes to the healthcare delivery ecosystem. Keeping an eye on the state applications, the federal money awarded and how it will be used is Sarah Jane Tribble, lead rural health reporter at KFF Health News. […]

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The new Rural Health Transformation Program aims to improve “healthcare access, quality, and outcomes” with $50 billion aimed at making changes to the healthcare delivery ecosystem. Keeping an eye on the state applications, the federal money awarded and how it will be used is Sarah Jane Tribble, lead rural health reporter at KFF Health News. On this episode of “Conversations on Health Care,” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Tribble as she offers a clear-eyed look at what...

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New research. New technology. New possibilities. On this special 2025 Rewind and Look Ahead episode of “Conversations on Health Care,” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter turn their focus to the breakthroughs, discoveries and innovators shaping what comes next. “Health innovations and breakthroughs that seemed impossible years ago became closer to reality in 2025,” says Mark. We revisit pivotal conversations with leaders driving real-world change, including: We also learned about major developments in Long COVID research, including global studies and...

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New research. New technology. New possibilities. On this special 2025 Rewind and Look Ahead episode of “Conversations on Health Care,” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter turn their focus to the breakthroughs, discoveries and innovators shaping what comes next. “Health innovations and breakthroughs that seemed impossible years ago became closer to reality in 2025,” says […]

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Health care policy faced major upheavals during the past 12 months and the effects are already being felt. On this special 2025 Rewind and Look Ahead episode of “Conversations on Health Care,” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter reflect on the moments that defined the year and what may come next. This episode is Part 1 of a two-part 2025 rewind. The conversation revisits the passage of H.R. 1, which was the largest Medicaid reduction in the program’s history, and...

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Health care policy faced major upheavals during the past 12 months and the effects are already being felt. On this special 2025 Rewind and Look Ahead episode of “Conversations on Health Care,” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter reflect on the moments that defined the year and what may come next. This episode is Part […]

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Eighty percent of maternal deaths in the United States are considered preventable. So why do they keep happening? On this episode of “Conversations on Health Care,” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter are joined by award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Irin Carmon for a thoughtful conversation about pregnancy, care, and what gets lost when she says systems stop listening. Carmon’s new book, “Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America,” draws on 15 years of...

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Eighty percent of maternal deaths in the United States are considered preventable. So why do they keep happening? On this episode of “Conversations on Health Care,” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter are joined by award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Irin Carmon for a thoughtful conversation about pregnancy, care, and what gets […]

The post “Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America”: Author Conversation appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

Originally broadcast December 11, 2025 Congress is scrambling to find a solution to the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of the year. Without action, premiums are set to rise sharply for millions of Americans, creating a major health care cliff as 2026 approaches. Congressional reporters Sandhya Raman (CQ Roll Call) and Robert King (Politico) join hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to help make sense of the fast-moving negotiations and what is likely to happen...

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Originally broadcast December 11, 2025 Congress is scrambling to find a solution to the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of the year. Without action, premiums are set to rise sharply for millions of Americans, creating a major health care cliff as 2026 approaches. Congressional reporters Sandhya Raman (CQ Roll Call) […]

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Originally broadcast December 4, 2025 The doctor who once led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sees trouble ahead: “It’s not good…what we have seen from Europe is a very early and very severe flu season, something that could mean more hospitalizations.” Dr. Tom Frieden says confusing vaccine guidance, limited access and weakened public health systems are contributing to fewer shots in arms. He also shares insights from his new book, “The Formula for Better Health: How to Save...

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The post Flu Cases Rising: “It’s Not Good,” Says Former CDC Dir. Dr. Tom...

Originally broadcast December 4, 2025 The doctor who once led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sees trouble ahead: “It’s not good…what we have seen from Europe is a very early and very severe flu season, something that could mean more hospitalizations.” Dr. Tom Frieden says confusing vaccine guidance, limited access and weakened public […]

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Leading nutritionist Marion Nestle, Ph.D., has a sobering message as we get ready for Thanksgiving: America’s food system delivers twice the calories we need while wasting 40%. “Thanksgiving provides five times the calories we need,” she points out. Her advice? “It is a week in which you just have to do the best you can.” But once we’ve cleared the dishes after Thursday’s meal, Nestle offers practical advice for people trying to make healthy, budget-conscious choices as food prices continue...

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The post Can You Have a ‘Healthy’ Thanksgiving? How the Food Indus...

Leading nutritionist Marion Nestle, Ph.D., has a sobering message as we get ready for Thanksgiving: America’s food system delivers twice the calories we need while wasting 40%. “Thanksgiving provides five times the calories we need,” she points out. Her advice? “It is a week in which you just have to do the best you can.” […]

The post Can You Have a ‘Healthy’ Thanksgiving? How the Food Industry Conspires Against Us appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

People around the world are living longer and healthier lives because of an innovative idea that became a global force for change. On this episode of Conversations on Health Care, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter welcome back Dr. Sanjeev Arora, founder of Project ECHO, an approach that has already improved care for more than 200 million patients worldwide. Project ECHO was born from one question Dr. Arora asked himself more than 20 years ago: How do we make sure...

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People around the world are living longer and healthier lives because of an innovative idea that became a global force for change. On this episode of Conversations on Health Care, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter welcome back Dr. Sanjeev Arora, founder of Project ECHO, an approach that has already improved care for more than […]

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Originally broadcast November 13, 2025 What if health care for moms and babies came with a cash prescription for them? In this Conversations on Health Care episode, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter welcome back Dr. Mona Hanna, the Flint pediatrician whose research exposed the city’s water crisis and sparked a national reckoning on environmental justice. Now, Dr. Hanna returns to share powerful results from Rx Kids, the nation’s first community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program. By providing unconditional...

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Originally broadcast November 13, 2025 What if health care for moms and babies came with a cash prescription for them? In this Conversations on Health Care episode, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter welcome back Dr. Mona Hanna, the Flint pediatrician whose research exposed the city’s water crisis and sparked a national reckoning on environmental […]

The post “Cash for Moms and Babies”: How it Works & Why   appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

Originally broadcast November 6, 2025 Intimate partner violence affects more women in the United States than breast cancer and diabetes combined. Health care providers can be a lifeline for survivors, yet many still struggle to know how to talk about it or where to begin. In this Conversations on Health Care episode, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Virginia Duplessis, associate director at Futures Without Violence and director of the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence. Duplessis...

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Originally broadcast November 6, 2025 Intimate partner violence affects more women in the United States than breast cancer and diabetes combined. Health care providers can be a lifeline for survivors, yet many still struggle to know how to talk about it or where to begin. In this Conversations on Health Care episode, hosts Mark Masselli […]

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Food insecurity could soon worsen for millions of families and result in devastating health outcomes. American Academy of Family Physicians CEO Shawn Martin joins hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to discuss how the government shutdown is putting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in jeopardy. Beginning on Saturday, Nov. 1, food assistance could end for up to 22 million recipients. Martin and his 128,000 members are calling for bipartisan action to reopen the government and protect families from unnecessary...

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Food insecurity could soon worsen for millions of families and result in devastating health outcomes. American Academy of Family Physicians CEO Shawn Martin joins hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to discuss how the government shutdown is putting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in jeopardy. Beginning on Saturday, Nov. 1, food assistance could end […]

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Originally broadcast June 5, 2024. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that several Southeastern states continue to report the highest rates of late-pregnancy fetal death in the country. This is the kind of research that energizes Nurse-Family Partnership supporters to build on their mission to positively impact and transform the lives of first-time moms and their babies through a proven home visiting model. The NFP model connects specially trained nurses with first-time mothers from...

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The post New Research Bolsters Model for Preventing Infant Mortality appeared first on...

Originally broadcast June 5, 2024. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that several Southeastern states continue to report the highest rates of late-pregnancy fetal death in the country. This is the kind of research that energizes Nurse-Family Partnership supporters to build on their mission to positively impact and transform […]

The post New Research Bolsters Model for Preventing Infant Mortality appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

Veterans Day, which is less than a month away, is a time to honor and reflect on those who’ve served. Yet statistics reveal a troubling reality: Veterans are dying by suicide at 1.5 times the rate of the general population. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among veterans under 45. Craig Bryan, clinical psychologist, Iraq War veteran, and author of “Rethinking Suicide: Why Prevention Fails and How We Can Do Better,” joined hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret...

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Veterans Day, which is less than a month away, is a time to honor and reflect on those who’ve served. Yet statistics reveal a troubling reality: Veterans are dying by suicide at 1.5 times the rate of the general population. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among veterans under 45. Craig Bryan, […]

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Originally broadcast October 9, 2025 $44 billion in drugs that help Americans are purchased through a little-known federal discount program called 340B. The program is recognized for successfully helping hospitals, community health centers and others that fund care for low-income patients.   But that program is now facing big challenges from drugmakers, and the current government shutdown has brought new uncertainty. Reporter William Newton of 340B Report tells hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter that the shutdown has delayed approvals...

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Originally broadcast October 9, 2025 $44 billion in drugs that help Americans are purchased through a little-known federal discount program called 340B. The program is recognized for successfully helping hospitals, community health centers and others that fund care for low-income patients.   But that program is now facing big challenges from drugmakers, and the current […]

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Originally broadcast October 2, 2025 The federal government is shut down and the ripple effects are being felt. Legislation tied to the budget impasse also means Medicare telehealth flexibilities and the Acute Hospital Care at Home program expired early Wednesday morning. “Most providers and hospital systems are taking calculated risks to continue care during this time, but long-term continuity depends on action by our telehealth champions in Washington to restore these flexibilities and ensure retroactive reimbursement,” says Kyle Zebley, senior...

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Originally broadcast October 2, 2025 The federal government is shut down and the ripple effects are being felt. Legislation tied to the budget impasse also means Medicare telehealth flexibilities and the Acute Hospital Care at Home program expired early Wednesday morning. “Most providers and hospital systems are taking calculated risks to continue care during this […]

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Originally broadcast Tuesday, September 23, 2025 Happy anniversary to “Conversations on Health Care”! We posted our first program 16 years ago on Sept. 23, 2009. Now, we’re bringing back our first two guests to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going in health care. Nancy Pelosi was serving as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and trying to get the Affordable Care Act passed when she joined us on that inaugural show. Today, she continues to serve...

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