Description: Updates on HPC activities, including new work groups for providing input to key players as health care reform moves on from the legislative phase into the regulatory phase, as well as ongoing activities of existing workgroups in financial reporting, long term care, stop loss, disease management, Medicare SUpplement, sovency, cancer claims experience, and risk adjustment.

Description: This discussion looks at ways non-government actuaries have served their government, the methods followed for recruitment of actuarial personnel for government service, recently developed mortality experiences and/or tables under government insurance, insurance department reviews of valuations, pensions plans and medical/hospital organization, and benefits for government actuaries.

Description: This article is the second in a two part series that summarizes a longer paper that can be downloaded from the website of the Social Insurance and Public Finance Section. Both articles take the form of a point-counterpoint dialogue addressing important aspects of social insurance programs. The first part discussed their nature, desirability and advantages, as well as whether they can form a framework to achieve sustainable inter-generational equity. This article focuses on whether pre-funding of a social insurance program can occur and can contribute to the financial security of the participants. Fundamental differences of opinion exist regarding these programs, not only due to different personal and political values, but also as a result of the viewpoint taken (for example, assessment of the program in isolation, consideration of the sponsoring government's financial situation, or the overall national economy).

Description: Challenge to actuarial business as usual in re public pension plans with a focus on setting actuarial standards of practice

Description: An interview with Jennifer Gillespie, chairperson of SOA Public Policy Strategy Task Force.

Description: Feature article from the January 2010 issue of In The Public Interest discussing the need for actuarial leadership in the reform of the U.S. health care system.

Description: Republicans have promised to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act for years. Now that they have power, what will Republican health care reform look like?

Description: Recently, the SCAN Foundation, AARP, LeadingAge, and HHS funded economic modeling conducted by Milliman and the Urban Institute around LTC reform elements. The LTC industry has over the years also generated ideas to address the on-coming expansion of LTC needs in the U.S. For this article, we have brought together three individuals who have long involvement with LTC financing to discuss some of the recent ideas and provide some perspectives on their pluses and minuses.

Description: Task Force report on life insurance company sales illustration practices from the perspective of the consumer. The study analyzes how well current illustration practices serve their primary functions of: 1. showing the consumer their policy values and premium payments over time, and 2. projecting best estimates of future performance and providing cost and performance comparisons with other policies.

Description: Essay recommending establishing a consistent and actuarially sound foundation for assessing the costs and benefits of each and every current and new Medicare or other healthcare proposal.