Episodes

Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s FitnessGram is on the ropes. President Trump recently reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test; over 10 years ago, the government replaced the test with Dr. Cooper’s FitnessGram, “the first student fitness report card.”

Dr. Cooper has a cautious reaction. “Whether they’re going to be using exactly as the test [in the new process] is not really known. I am delighted to see that they realize the importance of childhood fitness.” To him, it just makes sense to measure fitness levels to help inform schools and families about how to help children get healthier. “Why don’t they test fitness like they test the mind? Data drives decisions.”   

At 94, Dr. Cooper remains a passionate advocate for reshaping our national approach to health, particularly through the lens of prevention — a theme at the center of his new book, “Grow Healthier as You Grow Older.” He tells host Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter, “We’ve got to stop and spend the money for the prevention of disease, rather than waiting for too much care, too late.”

Click to hear the full conversation.

Originally broadcast August 14, 2025

One in five U.S. adults lives with a mental illness, yet only a fraction of philanthropic dollars goes toward mental health, addiction, and well-being. Alyson Niemann, CEO of Mindful Philanthropy, joined Conversations on Health Care hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to share how her organization is closing this gap and inspiring bold new investments.

“We issued a challenge … to increase the funding to mental health, addiction, and well-being to $35 billion annually by 2035,” Niemann explained during the interview at the Aspen Ideas: Health conference. “If invested in the right places, it can produce incredible savings, economic productivity, and well-being across our entire ecosystem.”

Mindful Philanthropy is convening more than 1,100 funders across all 50 states; launching state-based collaboratives; and connecting funders, uplifting community-led solutions, and providing strategic guidance to break down silos and scale impact.

“We’re hoping to have all of those [funder collaboratives] learn from one another,” Niemann said, underscoring the power of collaboration to advance lasting change.

Whether it’s strengthening the mental health workforce, supporting youth from birth to young adulthood, or investing in community-rooted solutions, this conversation offers practical and inspiring insights for anyone passionate about building a healthier future.

Originally broadcast August 7, 2025

Experts who believe in the “food is medicine” concept say recent decisions made in Washington could have a devastating effect. Dr. Hilary Seligman, a nationally recognized expert on food insecurity and health outcomes at the University of California San Francisco, spoke to “Conversations on Health Care.” The interview highlighted that cutbacks to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are projected to reduce federal spending by $186 billion over the next decade. She believes this could result in more people getting sicker and then ending up in emergency departments with severe conditions.

Yet Dr. Seligman also sees some rays of optimism. “This administration has done a really deep dive into chronic disease. There is a desire to help make the population of the U.S. healthier again. And there is an interest in supporting better dietary intake. The challenge is to amplify those efforts in a way that is based in science, that is based in evidence and that will support everyone in the U.S. equally. That really is the opportunity that we have,” she told hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter.

 Click to hear this conversation, recorded during the Aspen Ideas: Health conference.  

Americans are living longer for many reasons and experts credit Medicare and Medicaid for some of this success. This week, these federal programs are celebrating their own birthdays. Sixty years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law.

However, recent moves are expected to result in decreased enrollment and payments to health care providers. “Conversations on Health Care” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Mark Updegrove about this situation. Updegrove is the president and CEO of the LBJ Foundation, presidential historian for ABC News and a recent guest on “The View.”   

Join us for this important conversation, which examines the history and continuing impact of how we pay for health care for some of our most vulnerable neighbors. 

“I would have never, ever in my whole life have said, ‘we’re going to cure addiction.’ I think we now have knowledge and tools that could potentially, definitely lead us to a cure for addiction.”

—  Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse

Dr. Volkow shared her attention-getting belief with “Conversations on Health” at Aspen Ideas: Health. Healthcare providers and society at large have spent decades dealing with substance use disorders and the loss of life has been staggering. Dr. Volkow leads NIDA, the world’s largest funder of biomedical research on addiction, and she explains why she’s so confident with her assessment:

The wider availability of naloxone and knowledge about how to quickly use it when needed;

Neuroplasticity as a pathway to recovery; and

Perhaps surprisingly, smartphones and video games are so distracting to some young people that they no longer need to seek other forms of escape.

Join hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter as Dr. Volkow also explains the challenges and opportunities for NIDA within the National Institutes of Health. 

Dr. Betancourt, president of the influential The Commonwealth Fund, is committed to “Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.” Hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter interviewed him at Aspen Ideas: Health at the Aspen Institute.

Here are some of the Fund’s top concerns right now:

• Private equity: The Commonwealth Fund is examining how private equity engages in healthcare delivery and what impact it’s having on cost, quality and safety. Dr. Betancourt explains that its new strategic plan will focus on commercial drivers and the tension between patients and profits.
• Primary care: There’s a growing crisis, exacerbated by fewer primary care medical students and a culture that doesn’t appreciate their contributions.
• Outcomes: The Fund’s Scorecard on State Health System Performance found the number of children who have received all doses of the seven recommended early childhood vaccines is below 75% in most states.

Dr. Betancourt, the first Latino to lead the Fund, is also proud of health equity as he defines it:

“My lived experience informs a lot of my ideas around how our foundation can go forward…it’s about respect and making sure we’re not leaving anyone behind, that we and I do the best for everyone. Those are the values I bring personally. Those are the values I bring as a clinician. And those are the values that are very well aligned with the Commonwealth Fund,” he says.