Description: Exploration of sources of volatility in retiree health valuations, noting how volatility arises and might be mitigated, with discussion of valuation parameters more problematic for retiree health benefits than for pensions. Three significant influences on retiree health valuation volatility are covered-- changes in benefit level, fluctuations in cost level, and alterations in eligibility for, or duration of, benefit – and attention focused on the last two. Specific conclusions result in recommendations, which are supported by practical examples contrasting volatile measurement results with those likely from the recommended practices. Theoretical discussion includes health claim variation, health trend usage, financial economics, option pricing, discount rates, and deterministic vs. stochastic modeling.

Description: Full version of Pension Section News, Issue 60, January 2006.

Description: A January 25, 2015 ruling by the US Supreme Court regarding retiree health benefits is the topical springboard for the author to discuss the history and future of retiree health benefits. Topics include actuarial valuation of uncertain benefits using discount rates with risk adjustments derived from equity investment markets.

Description: This study was sponsored by the Society of Actuaries Health Section. This paper explores the relative significance of aging as a determinant of financial cost of health care beyond age 50, with particular attention to the effect for ages 65 and older. The paper presents concepts of aging factors and aging curves, which define relative values between ages for utilization or cost of health care services. General conclusions are drawn from Medicare data that utilization and cost differ by age, but that aging factors vary across services and may be less significant at very old ages. The author then turns to the question of measuring the significance of an aging curve assumption and what accuracy is lost in the simpler alternative of a single value across an age range.

Description: This article gives an overview of retiree health aging curves. This overview is based on the author's paper entitled Aging Curves for Health Care Costs in Retirement which was published in the July, 2005 issue of the North American Actuarial Journal NAAJ. From Pension Section News, January 2006, No. 60.

Description: This session discussion is about the impact of Financial Accounting Standards Board FASB exposure draft, current regulatory environment, tax implications, techniques for estimating potential liabilities, design techniques for controlling liability. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 12, No. 1.

Description: Full version of Health Section News, Issue No. 51, January 2006.

Description: This paper discusses whether the use of relatively risk-free discount rates are appropriate under assumptions of substantial continuation of plan design and greatly increasing per capita payments, when the plan sponsor can dramatically change future cash flows. From Current Pension Actuarial Practice in Light of Financial Economics Symposium, M-RS04-1.

Description: Presented at October 1985 Annual Meeting. This session discussion is about trends in utilization review 'UR', preadmission certification, concurrent review, discharge planning, retrospective review, considerations in the design or purchase of UR services, normative data and monitoring UR, recent experience of UR programs and future expectations.