Description: This article describes the pre-HIPAA small group market and identify some of the key changes to this market resulting from HIPAA particularly guaranteed issue and renewal and restriction of pre-existing conditions and.

Description: This article discusses new developments on the regulatory front. Under the new agreement, insurance company management and boards will be required to issue a statement that reflects their judgment about the firm’s viability, including its capital adequacy. The required opinion will have five elements - identifying risks, measuring risks, a risk feedback loop, a risk tolerance statement, and a risk policy.

Description: Manufacturers Life on January 1, 1981 unilaterally raised the death benefits on its non-participating permanent life policies issued before 1965 in North America. This article describes why and how this process was accomplished.

Description: On Dec. 29, 1973 President Nixon signed into law the Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973, which authorizes $375 million to be used by the DHEW to stimulate the establishment and development of HMO's over the next five years. This article describes the status of the regulations and the development of additional HMO's.

Description: Part 3 of Gray's summary of the Canadian report on taxation by the Carter Commission. One of the provisions would impose a 50% insurance company tax rate on the excess of surplus earnings over policy dividends disbursed.

Description: An editorial on the insurance crisis with regards to liability insurance, and the breakdown of the liability system.

Description: This article is about junk assets. Insurance companies own over one third of the junk assets in the U.S. which has raised concerns and caused certain states to enact laws or regulations regarding junk investments.

Description: This article from SOA president David Holland, speaks to the need of the actuarial profession to consistently evolve with the needs of the 21st century.

Description: Discussion as to whether within an organization an actuary's regulatory role can conflict with his business-oriented role or be aligned with the strategic goals of the company.

Description: This article discusses three litigation issues: 1. Shelter Framing Corp. v. PBGC: This is a case recently placed on the Appellate Docket of the U.S. Supreme Court being appealed from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. That Circuit Court held that the Multiemployer Pension Plan amendments Act, which imposes liability on employers who withdrew from multiemployer plans, is unconstitutional as applied to employers who withdraw before the Act’s enactment but after its retroactively effective date. 2. Federal Trade Commission: The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has held that an investigation by the FTC into whether finance companies and auto dealerships were engaging in unfair and deceptive practices by representing that purchase of credit life insurance was required as a condition to obtain financing, was not outside the FTC’s power. 3. Baldwin-United Case: Under the rehabilitation plan for Baldwin-United, the Company would refund $3.7 billion to the annuity holders. Several groups are challenging this decision.