Thomas Goetz, author of The Decision Tree: Taking Control of Your Health in the New Era of Personalized Medicine, on taking control of your own health

Conversations on Health Care® this week focuses on the confluence of ideas and technology and how to engage people in their health and involving them as decision-makers. Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter talk with Thomas Goetz, Executive Editor of Wired Magazine and author of “The Decision Tree: Taking Control of Your Health in the New Era of Personalized Medicine.”

Why the Path to Mental Health Goes Beyond Science: America’s Former Top Mental Health Leader Explains

Former National Institute of Mental Health director Dr. Thomas Insel discusses how he’s combining his long-standing neuroscience and genetics studies with advocacy for better patient services, which is a topic in his new book, “Healing: Our Path from Mental Illness to Mental Health."

Conversations on Health Care hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter ask him about efforts to build public awareness and support for those with mental health issues. He says, “The real tragedy here isn’t that we’re stigmatizing [those with issues], it’s that we have great stuff to offer that we’re not giving them even though it’s hiding in plain sight.”

Dr. Timothy Ferris, medical director of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization at Mass General and director of its Care Management Program.

This week, Conversations on Health Care® highlights a demonstration project that’s been reducing costs for high-risk, chronically ill patients with the use of intensive primary care. Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Dr. Timothy Ferris, director of the Care Management Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, about how this model of care has been effective and what the next steps are translating it nationally.

Professor Timothy Jost, Washington and Lee University School of Law

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Professor Timothy Jost, Law Professor and Legal Scholar on Public Health Policy and the Affordable Care Act. Professor Jost, a frequent legal contributor to Health Affairs and NPR, discusses the Supreme Court Hearing on the Affordable Care Act; the constitutional implications and the potential outcomes of the Court's decision on the legality of the individual mandate.

Professor Timothy Jost, Washington and Lee University School of Law

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Timothy Jost, Attorney and Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University School of Law. Mr. Jost is an expert on health law and the Affordable Care Act and examines challenges with the roll-out of the exchanges, and potential legal threats moving forward.

Health Policy Expert Timothy Jost Anticipates Significant Setbacks With Repeal of ACA

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with health policy expert Timothy Jost, Emeritus Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University School of Law, and frequent contributor to Health Affairs. Professor Jost examines multiple gains made in health insurance coverage and access to care under the Affordable Care Act and the potential losses to millions of Americans with repeal and replace of the ACA.

Health Law Scholar Professor Tim Jost: Roadmap After the Election

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Timothy Jost, Professor Emeritus at the Washington and Lee School of Law. Professor Jost is considered one of the preeminent analysts of health law in America, particularly the Affordable Care Act. He discusses the rocky road ahead for the health law with a Biden presidency blocked by a GOP controlled Senate and a heavily conservative-leaning Supreme Court which will soon hear another case aimed at repealing some, or all, of the ACA.

Tina Tchen, White House Director of the Council on Women and Girls and the Office of Public Engagement.

Conversations on Health Care® focuses this week on health care for women and families. Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Tina Tchen, executive director of the White House Council on Women and Girls and White House director of the Office of Public Engagement, about health reform and the broader issues of economic and social equality for women and girls.

Dr. Toby Cosgrove - President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Dr. Toby Cosgrove, President and CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, one of the top ranked health institutions in the world. Dr. Cosgrove discusses Cleveland Clinic's model of patient centered care as well as its innovation hub, which provides a framework for bringing clinical inventions into the marketplace to transform health care.

Innovations Cleveland Clinic's Toby Cosgrove Brings to Trump's Healthcare Transition Team

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Dr. Toby Cosgrove, President and CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, one of the top ranked hospital systems in the world. Dr. Cosgrove discusses the Cleveland Clinic Model of Innovation, their approach to 21st century health care, and Cleveland Clinic's expansion around the globe.

Todd Park, Chief Technology Officer at the Department of Health and Human Services, using data and technology to improve America’s health.

Conversations on Health Care® focuses this week on some of the most current and unique health care innovations. Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with HHS Chief Technology Officer, Todd Park, leader of a federal effort to “liberate” data and make government more open and transparent.

Senator Tom Daschle, former Senate Majority Leader and author of Getting it Done: How Obama and Congress Finally Broke the Stalemate to Make Way for Healthcare Reform.

This week, Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Senator Tom Daschle about the Obama administration's goals for health care, the public's response to healthcare reform and the likely path forward to implementation. Senator Daschle's new book is called Getting it Done: How Obama and Congress Finally Broke the Stalemate to Make Way for Healthcare Reform.

Former Senator Tom Daschle, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center

This week hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with former Senate Majority Leader, Tom Daschle, now co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center. Senator Daschle discusses the Center's recent report, "Transforming Healthcare: The Role of Health IT". He outlines the steps that need to be taken to speed up the transition to universal use of electronic health records and digitized health information as a fundamental preface to real health care reform.

Dr. Tom Frieden, Director of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention

This week on Conversations on Health Care hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Dr. Tom Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since 2009. Dr. Frieden discusses the most pressing challenges at the CDC including antibiotic-resistant infections, the opioid abuse epidemic and the recent Ebola epidemic as well as the efforts underway to combat these public health threats.

Thomas Miller, Health Analyst for American Enterprise Institute Discusses Market-Driven Approach to Health Reform

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with health industry analyst and Resident Fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute which has analyzed a market-based and consumer-driven approach to health reform. Mr. Miller analyzes likely next steps in Congress surrounding the American Health Care Act, as well as the hallmarks of market driven health care.

On a Quest to Save 100 Million Lives, Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden on His New Global Venture

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tom Frieden on his new role as CEO of Resolve To Save Lives, committed to saving 100 million lives globally by focusing on cardiovascular disease and epidemics. This project, sponsored by Vital Strategies, seeks to improve prevention efforts around the world, and better track and monitor infectious disease outbreaks that can lead to deadly pandemics.

America's Addiction Crisis: Treatment Research Institute Founder Dr. Tom McLellan on Science-Based Approach to Drug Treatment and Policy

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with renowned addiction expert Dr. Tom McLellan, Founder and CEO of the Treatment Research Institute, committed to promoting evidence-based approaches to drug treatment and drug policy. He discusses addiction as a chronic disorder, the effectiveness of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid and alcohol addiction, and the need to improve addiction medicine training for clinicians and health care providers.

40 Million Patients Strong: Dr. Tom Delbanco on Success of OpenNotes

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter welcome OpenNotes founder Dr. Tom Delbanco on his movement to make clinicians' notes visible to patients through their electronic health records. They discuss the early reluctance of clinicians to participate, the high level of satisfaction from patients gaining access to their notes, with 40 million patients now utilizing OpenNotes.

Primary Care Transformation Pioneer Dr. Tom Bodenheimer on Need for More Team-Based Health Care

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter welcome a giant in the world of primary care transformation, Dr. Tom Bodenheimer, Co-Director of the Center for Excellence in Primary Care at the University of California San Francisco. They discuss Dr. Bodenheimer's "Ten Building Blocks for High-Performing Primary Care" which offers essential guidelines for improving primary care practices and patient health outcomes through better use of teams, data, health coaching and reducing administrative burdens in the clinical setting.

Understanding Vaccine Resistance Among Conservative Voters: Dr. Tom Frieden

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies seeking to save 100 million lives globally by addressing cardiovascular disease and preventing pandemics. Dr. Frieden discusses their report on building a stronger global health infrastructure that can deploy rapidly to contain the next threat. He talks about work with GOP pollster Frank Luntz to develop messaging to tackle vaccine resistance, and applauds the FDA’s recent decision to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes as a bold public health move.