Description: Article is about a new course developed in actuarial science taught at Columbia University. Course covers traditional health actuarial projects but is expanded to cover issues for a health insurance company executive (e.g., CEO, CFO, etc.). The course also includes studying of other international healthcare systems plus healthcare reform (PPACA). Students were involved in research projects, including healthcare reform and international health systems. Students also had to teach a course as part of their final exam.

Description: The author describes a course he and his colleague designed and taught at Columbia University called "A Global Perspective of the Health Insurance Market."

Description: Critical illness CI products are gaining in popularity in North America. These products have been available for close to 20 years in many countries around the world, including South Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom and most of Asia. Many of the lessons learned in these countries concerning product design, pricing, underwriting and claims adjudication are relevant to the U.S. market. This session reviews the latest trends around the world. Attendees gain insight into the key issues driving the profitability of the product and are better positioned to determine the main considerations in deciding whether or not to introduce such a product in their market. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 1, Washington, D.C., Spring Meeting, May 29–30, 2003, Session 60PD.

Description: Background on U.K. insurance products, and overview of recent developments that are stimulating the previously stagnant U.K. insurance market.

Description: The letter from the president features an excerpt of SOA President Mark J. Freedman’s address to members at the 2013 SOA Annual Meeting & Exhibit calling for the profession to embrace international development, seek out new opportunities for growth, and become involved in research and public policy.

Description: This article is a continuance of a series on Canadian federal government statistical agencies. From The Actuary Vol. 24, No. 4

Description: This essay examines several key factors that have contributed to China’s success in the economic reform spanning the past three decades and the double-edged nature of these factors going forward.

Description: This article presents recent perspectives on the understanding and measurement of pandemic risk.

Description: Companies operating in international markets have additional issues to consider from a risk management point of view. Fluctuations in exchange rates, political and sovereign risks, regulatory issues, capital management and human resources considerations are among these. This session gives attendees the opportunity to understand how multinationals currently deal with these issues and how they are functionally structured to handle the risk management process. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 1: Washington, D.C. Spring Meeting, May 29–30, 2003, Session 30PD.