CBS "48 Hours" Correspondent Anne-Marie Green to Moderate High-Stakes Debate on U.S. Healthcare Crisis at the Summit on Cancer Health Disparities

Introduction

Anne-Marie Green, an esteemed journalist and correspondent at CBS News, will moderate a debate session at the premier annual event—the Summit on Cancer Health Disparities (SCHD)—taking place in Seattle on April 25, 2025. With over two decades of broadcast journalism experience, Green brings a depth of expertise in navigating complex topics like healthcare, adding an invaluable dimension to SCHD25.

SCHD25 is a continuing medical education event organized by the global oncology nonprofit Binaytara, designed to address disparities in cancer care. It is an action-oriented conference that brings together healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds to explore interconnected challenges in cancer care that are often overlooked.

Core Issues To Be Explored At The Debate

Questions such as: Do targeted populations have access to newer treatments? Are healthcare providers in rural communities aware of emerging, life-saving therapies? What is the cost of the gap between bench and bedside?—will be explored through scholarship and thought-provoking discussion.

The debate is especially timely given the current climate in the United States. Today, over 330 million residents rely on one of the most complex healthcare systems in the world. The intertwining relationships between providers, insurers, and patients have thrown the system into a state of ongoing crisis. As a mixed healthcare model, comprised of public, private, for-profit, and non-profit insurers and providers, there are many moving parts that must be examined and addressed. Although the federal and state government funds national programs like Medicare and Medicaid to support vulnerable populations, including adults over 65, people with disabilities, veterans, and low-income individuals, up to 26 million Americans remain uninsured. This highlights a critical need to develop a more sustainable and affordable model of healthcare.

Meet The Debate Panelists

This groundbreaking debate at SCHD25 will feature panelists renowned in their respective fields. Among the panelists are Dr. Alan Balch, the Chief Executive Officer of the Patient Advocate Foundation, Dr. Anders Kolb, the president of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Dr. Larry Kessler, former chair of the Department of Health Services. These individuals bring deep and diverse expertise to the stage as they tackle an important topic that affects millions of Americans. This debate will spark unique discussions and provide insights that can transform healthcare as we know it.

Meet The Debate Moderator: Anne-Marie Green

As a fitting close to the conference, Anne-Marie Green will moderate the debate, “Crisis in Care: Can the U.S. Find a Sustainable Model for Affordable Healthcare?” Ann-Marie Green is an award-winning journalist and trusted news anchor with CBS News, where she delivers breaking news and in-depth reporting with clarity and authority. She has anchored for CBS News Streaming, CBSN, and WCBS-TV, covering major national and global events.

Known for her sharp interviewing skills and balanced approach, Green has moderated high-profile discussions on politics, social issues, and public health, making her a natural fit for SCHD’s healthcare debate. At SCHD25, she will introduce the panelists and provide context for the debate. In addition to setting the tone, Green will manage time, guide the discussion to elicit meaningful insights, facilitate clarity, moderate audience questions, and summarize the key points discussed.

Anne-Marie Green, 48 Hours Correspondent, CBS

Why Is This Debate Crucial?

The significance of this debate lies in its relevance, not only to the current changes in U.S. leadership but also to the ongoing challenges in cancer care. Only recently has the term financial toxicity emerged in the context of cancer treatment, highlighting the potentially debilitating impact of treatment costs on individuals, an impact that can be as severe as physical side effects. The hidden costs of cancer care can be devastating, yet they are not discussed enough.

With new treatments and technologies evolving rapidly, Binaytara poses a critical question: Are other dimensions of cancer care, like access, affordability, and support, advancing at the same pace as medical innovation?

As Dr. Binay Shah, president of Binaytara and program director of SCHD25, noted,

“The question of sustainable healthcare is not just a United States issue. It is a global issue, and it must be challenged. In the United States, we see rising costs, unequal access to care, and disparities in outcomes, even in the most resource-rich healthcare system. It must change."

This theme echoes Binaytara’s recent work in Nepal, where the organization hosted a national health insurance policy debate to address systemic gaps in the country’s healthcare framework. Dr. Shah emphasized the global relevance of the SCHD25 debate, adding:

“We are building a comprehensive cancer hospital in a country with limited resources, which requires us to be innovative in creating solutions that support access to care without sacrificing quality.”

Ultimately, these fundamental issues in the U.S. and internationally challenge us to rethink who receives care, how it is delivered, and how we can build a more sustainable healthcare system.

Conclusion

The closing session debate will bring the central theme of SCHD25 programming to life. This important conversation will be guided by the skilled and accomplished journalist Anne-Marie Green, whose experience will add depth and clarity to the discussion. Green is set to enhance the conference experience, leaving attendees with meaningful insights and actionable strategies to apply in their practice.

Consequently, SCHD25 invites oncologists, researchers, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders committed to minimizing cancer disparities to join the conversation and help revolutionize how patients are treated and managed.

Yes, there is a crisis in U.S. healthcare. But one powerful step toward change is bringing together leaders at the forefront of cancer care to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and collaborate on actionable solutions. When experts and advocates unite with a shared commitment to equity, acquired knowledge turns into action. And if one patient’s life is improved because of the conversations sparked at this conference, then SCHD25 will have fulfilled its purpose.