Description: This study used commercial data held by the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) and Medicare fee-for-service data to analyze health care cost differences by age and their contribution to overall health care cost change. The commercial data includes claims from 2002 through 2010 and the Medicare data includes claims from 2006 through 2010.

Description: This session discussion is about controls on utilization, eligibility control, pricing considerations, benefit design, mail order programs and physician dispensing. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 15, No. 1.

Description: This session discussion is about high cost claimants in medical benefit plans and how to control costs and anti-selection. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 15, No. 3B.

Description: This discussion looks at recent claim experience in group accident and health, experience rating criteria, the advantages and disadvantages of providing medical coverage with a schedule of benefits, and the extent to which total and permanent disability income clauses are being offered in new group life policies.

Description: This is a table from an article in The Actuary Magazine entitled A Strategic Analysis of the U.S. Life Insurance Industry Part II: Products.

Description: This analysis provides an overview of the functional components of the managed care system. It discusses the market forces underlying the United States’ system for health care financing and delivery and suggests how market forces impact the health care industry. The analysis focuses on societal goals for health care delivery and on managed care’s effectiveness in enabling achievement of those goals. The analysis develops and uses an innovative model developed to summarize the complex interplay among the many stakeholders, or participants, in the health care system. The model provides a framework for analysis of the many relationships among stakeholders. The analysis also highlights current issues in managed care, particularly the barriers that impede collaboration among stakeholders.

Description: This is the abstract to the paper, How the Current System Fails People With Chronic Illnesses by Reinhard Priester, Robert L. Kane, Annette M. Totten.

Description: Because of the expected dramatic rise in chronic disease prevalence due to aging and obesity, and increased cost per case due to new technology and drugs, there has been intense focus on managing the cost of treating chronic diseases. From Financing Chronic Care Monograph, M-HB05-1.

Description: An actuarial perspective on a book review of Biological Imperatives a book written by biologist Allan Chase. An interesting perspective which may be of interest as the United States evaluates its health care reform options.

Description: This is a book review of 'The Rising Cost of Hospital Care' by Martin S. Feldstein, Ph.D. In general, the book proceeds from an analysis of how and how much hospital costs have risen to why they have risen.