2018 Board Member Candidate
Sara Corrough Teppema, FSA 2008, MAAA
Health Care Service Corporation (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas)
DVP and Actuary, Provider Payment Innovation and Analytics
Chicago, IL
Election Message
I'm honored and excited to be on the slate of candidates for the SOA Board. Thanks for taking the time to read all the candidates' messages and for thoughtfully voting in the election. If elected to the Board, I plan first and foremost to represent our members by using a strategic lens to anticipate the future of our profession. The pace of change in our businesses is rapid and the future path will not be cushy or easy; it is the obligation of the board to help our members look ahead and navigate that path.
I am particularly passionate about actuarial research and as chair of the Research Executive Committee (REC), I was part of the task force to develop the new Strategic Research Program Initiative (SRPI). I would look forward to providing board oversight as it continues to evolve.
Another 2018 strategic initiative is predictive analytics -- an area of immense opportunity for us. We need to find the sweet spot of leveraging our existing skills and mining new methods and opportunities without diluting our brand.
Finally, the SOA's push for diversity and inclusion is starting to make a dent and I would strive to keep the momentum going. We need to follow the evidence that diverse teams and experiences result in greater success.
Brief description of current work
I lead a team that designs payment models to enable us to pay our health care provider partners for value and not volume. My career has spanned many areas of health practice, but the one common thread is that I'm at my best when I get to work on a team, playing with data and developing actuarial models.
Primary Area of Practice
Health
Bio
I currently work for Health Care Service Corporation, also known as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, where I lead a team that develops new models for paying providers, using data and analytics. Over my 25-plus year career as a health actuary, past roles have mostly been in health care consulting, leading projects and teams for provider, payer, employer and government entity clients, and leading research & development teams. I was also on the staff of the Society of Actuaries for four years, where I served as Senior Research Fellow and Health Fellow.
My actuarial volunteer activities include the following:
- Chair of the SOA Research Executive Committee (REC), as well as member at large of the REC
- Chair of the SOA Health Section's Public Health strategic initiative
- Member of the Advisory Board of the University of Illinois' actuarial program
- Participant in the recent 18:11 initiative, jointly sponsored by the SOA and Kaiser Family Foundation
- Associate Editor of the 7th and upcoming 8th Edition of the "Group Insurance" textbook, part of the syllabus for the Health FSA exam track
- Media representative for SOA research on the Affordable Care Act
- Frequent speaker at SOA and other conferences
- Contributing author for several articles in "The Actuary" and "Health Watch"
- Contributor to AAA papers on payment model reform
Other recent volunteer activities have included service with the following organizations:
- A faith-based summer retreat (executive committee member and registrar);
- a second-hand shop that fundraises for a local community health care clinic;
- A local women's health clinic;
- a Chicago arts organization that promotes music of under-represented global cultures
- My children's schools and arts organizations
When I am not working and volunteering, I spend time with my husband and three young-adult daughters, sing in a community choir, play the piano, attend concerts, hike and practice yoga.