Description: The panelists in this session discuss recent developments impacting the actuarial valuation of retiree health benefits. Topics include Medicare prescription drug reform, FAS 106, and proposed GASB statements. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 30, No. 1, Session 19

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: This discussion is about post-retirement health benefits, plan design, retiree eligibility criteria and premiums, controlling costs for pre-Medicare retirees and valuation of liabilities. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 15, No. 1.

Description: This panel will present a discussion of retiree health issues with a special focus on current developments with respect to Financial Accounting Standard FAS 106. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 4b.

Description: Overview of research project to investigate the extent of funding of public government retiree health programs.

Description: This research paper investigates health care costs in the last year of life. This paper looks specifically at the issues of measurement of retiree health care costs when the baseline healthcare costs are measured in terms of the last year of life costs and maintenance costs.

Description: This is a discussion about employee benefit plans after retirement. The following questions are addressed: 1. To what extent are death benefits and medical benefits for employees and dependents kept in force after the employee retires?, 2. Where there is a continuation of such benefits for a retired employee or his dependent, what special problems can result from remarriage or reemployment, or in the event of the enactment of a federal plan?, 3. What methods of paying for or funding such costs are used?, and 4. What are the tax implications to both the employee and employer of the various approaches? Also discussed are insured vs. non-insured plans and valuation standards for pension plans. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1964, Vol. 16 Pt. 2

Description: This is a discussion about employee benefit plans after retirement. The following questions are addressed: 1. To what extent are death benefits and medical benefits for employees and dependents kept in force after the employee retires?, 2. Where there is a continuation of such benefits for a retired employee or his dependent, what special problems can result from remarriage or reemployment, or in the event of the enactment of a federal plan?, 3. What methods of paying for or funding such costs are used?, and 4. What are the tax implications to both the employee and employer of the various approaches? Also discussed are insured vs. non-insured plans and valuation standards for pension plans. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1964, Vol. 16 Pt. 2.

Description: This paper models the extent of the tax dollars being lost by the government today because of Qualified Pension Plans and IRAs, and then goes on to project the extra revenue that will accrue to the government from these same pension plans when the baby boomers retire.

Description: This session is about the contrasting views between a health actuary and a pension actuary performing the final analysis required under FAS 106 for postretirement medical benefits. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 20, No. 3A.