The U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world but is not getting the best outcomes as a result -- particularly for U.S. seniors, whose health outcomes lag behind those of senior citizens in other industrialized countries. California’s Master Plan for Aging provides a blueprint for other states on how to address this healthcare crisis for a diverse population that is both urban and rural. West Health’s Shelley Lyford, president and chief executive officer, and Dr. Zia Agha, chief medical officer and executive vice president, join the podcast to discuss the master plan and how West Health’s approach can address different needs and sectors that touch a senior citizen’s life.

Returning to the office has become trickier than anticipated with the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19. What do Gallup’s latest data reveal about U.S. employees’ attitudes -- and what steps can employers take amid this uncertainty? Gallup’s Lydia Saad, director of U.S. social research, and Ben Wigert, director of research and strategy for workplace management, join the podcast to break down the latest in our research.

What is at stake in Germany's coming election? Constanze Stelzenmueller -- expert on German, European, and trans-Atlantic foreign and security policy and strategy, as well as the inaugural Fritz Stern chair on Germany and trans-Atlantic Relations in the Center on the U.S. and Europe at Brookings -- joins the podcast to discuss outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel, the candidates for her succession and the "whiplash" of events leading up to Election Day. "We've not seen anything quite like this in German postwar political history," she says.

What is “Straight to Business”? Larry Kleinman, executive vice president and chief human resources officer for Highmark Health, joins the podcast to discuss a new and innovative pathway to career success. How does this new career pipeline benefit companies and communities alike?

How did the attacks on 9/11 impact public opinion 20 years ago -- and what legacy did they leave on Americans’ views in the decades since? Gallup senior editors Jeff Jones and Megan Brenan join the podcast to discuss the post-9/11 “rallying event.” Will we ever see one again?

Noam Chomsky -- linguist, scholar and historian -- joins the podcast to discuss the state of confidence in U.S. institutions. Chomsky talks about growing despair in American life, U.S. foreign relations and more.

What do recent events in Afghanistan mean for the United States’ position in the world? George Friedman, founder of Geopolitical Futures, joins the podcast to discuss the current situation and how this saga has unfolded over multiple U.S. presidencies.

Dr. Robin R. Sanders, former U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Congo and Nigeria as well as CEO and Founder of FEEEDS Advocacy Initiative, joins the podcast to talk about her work in measuring and impacting human development in Africa -- and the role women play in the process.

Negative emotions, including stress, are rising around the world. But news about how the world is feeling isn’t all grim, and leaders need to be paying attention to both the good and the bad. John Helliwell -- editor of the World Happiness Report and professor emeritus of economics at the University of British Columbia -- joins the podcast to talk about the state of global happiness.

Americans were becoming more optimistic about the COVID-19 situation in the U.S. -- but that has taken a dramatic turn recently, as the delta variant has spread. Gallup Senior Editor Jeff Jones joins the podcast to break down the latest findings.