Description: Answers to questions that have surfaced with regard to recent trends in the use of psychiatric medications, including relative effectiveness compared to prescribing patterns, drivers of prescribing patterns, classification and indications for recently publicized drugs, role of primary care providers, preventive use ofdementia medications, and new developments in the field.

Description: Since health care reform has made accountable care organizations a hot topic, an SOA workgroup is addressing relevant questions, including provider risk under various ACO models, limitations of the Medicare model for motivating change in the health care delivery system, strategic priorities, attribution of members, meaurement, and the roles actuaries can play.

Description: A discussion of how the tax law changes of 2003 might affect the attractiveness of variable annuity business relative to mutual funds and direct investments in dividend paying equities.

Description: Will the Medicare Modernization Act Jump Start Growth in Employer-Sponsored Long- Term Care Insurance? by Allen J. Schmitz, FSA and Scott A. Weltz, FSA from Long-Term Care Newsletter, April 2004, Issue No. 11.

Description: From a session at the annual meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in Chicago, Illinois, October 15-18, 2000 Discussion of how products and services are tailored for in-bank insurance sales. Particular emphasis is placed on the middle-income market. Particular issues include product design, underwriting, policy issue, sales support, and field and customer access to the home office for service.

Description: From a session at a meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in San Diego, CA, June 22-23, 2000 Topics covered in this session included: 1. Which customer segments may or may not be Internet-literate and how they can be identified, 2. How to determine the needs of identified customer segments and which of these needs can be served through the Internet, 3. Product consideration given Internet distribution, including design, agent involvement, and regulatory/compliance considerations.

Description: Panel discussion from the April 1982 Society of Actuaries meeting in Houston on the topic of the financial services industry and its response to inflation and deregulation. Topics included: 1. Industry reconfiguration, relative competitiveness of various segments of the industry. 2. New products and technological advance 3. Impacts on the life insurance industry. a. Bank marketing of insurance products b. Investment and bank products marketed by insurers

Description: From a session at the 2000 Valuation Actuary Symposium held in Washington DC, September 14-15, 2000 Prior to 1999, Glass-Steagall legally separated banking, brokerage, and insurance activities. Enactment of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Modernization Act brings “down the walls,” separating these financial industries. This session talks about the financial services modernization law and the impact it will have.

Description: Discussion from the April 1982 Society of Actuaries meeting in Orlando on the diversification of life insurance companies including recent experience in acquisitions, and changes in corporate structure of life insurance companies. This panel from the April 1982 Society of Actuaries meeting in Orlando discussed the diversification of life insurance companies. Topics included: 1. Recent experience in the acquisitions, diversification and corporate structure of life insurance companies. 2. Factors causing companies to change the forms of their operations. 3. Process for life insurance companies deciding on their paths.

Description: Discussion of recent economic, social and political environment and trends and the impact they have had on insurance regulation and needed changes in the regulations and regulatory process.