Description: This article presents a view of health care as an economic system, suggests a framework for classifying current criticisms of the system, and offers references for further reading.

Description: A rethinking of current provider reimbursement, focusing on incentives instead of simply cutting fees. The recommended 2-pronged approach would feature integrated provider organizations as well as evidence-based decision making organized around episodes of care.

Description: An update on HMO market trends and reinsurance products, and services supporting them.

Description: An article that illustrates an actuary's finding that that federal and state governments spend more dollars for health care than employers and individuals spend for health insurance plans.

Description: The editors of Health Watch have made health care reform the focus of the Sepctember 2009 issue, and provide an introduction to the issue's contents.

Description: This article from major US payers describes palliative care as a scaleable means of improving quality and reducing costs during serious and complex illness.

Description: A suggestion to review and reassess LTC pricing of the last three decades, in light of dangerously inadequate ratesetting in the early years, and the NAIC's introduction of a model rate stability law.

Description: This article examines the history, theory, and effectiveness of high-deductible health plans and health savings accounts.

Description: Data on morbidity, loss ratios, actual-to-expected continuance rates, and lapse rates for disability insurance, and discussion of the implications with respect to legislation, product design, pricing, underwriting, and marketing. This presentation was made at the 1975 SOA Los Angeles Spring Meeting.

Description: Presenter discusses issues related to alternative care, as well as SOA activity in regard to alternative care. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 1.