Description: According to the Actuarial Standards Board’s Actuarial Standard of Practice No. 49 (ASOP 49), actuarially sound Medicaid managed care capitation rates will include a provision for underwriting gain in order to provide compensation for the risks assumed by an MCO. However, there is no generally accepted method for quantifying underwriting gain in managed Medicaid capitation rates. This article discusses a new model developed to address this void and calculate underwriting gain. The model was developed by researching existing financial literature and performing a statistical analysis of industry data to build out a framework that can be leveraged to estimate underwriting gain.

Description: Review of events and highlights from the Spring 2019 SOA Health Meeting in Phoenix, AZ.

Description: Feature article discussing the power of psychosocial data.

Description: This article, another in the popular series devoted to tax basics, provides an overview of how the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the law governing employment-based retirement and health plans, impacts the use of annuities in pension and 401(k) plans. The article explains which types of plans are subject to ERISA, and which are not; why the concept of "plan assets" is critical; what duties an insurance company or distributor might take on when an annuity is placed with a retirement plan; and finally what disclosures may be required. The article also includes a brief introduction to terminal funding annuities. This article is intended for those with no prior experience in ERISA. Because the vast majority of retirement assets are saved originally in employment based plans like pension and 401(k) plans, understanding the basics of ERISA is important for anyone who will have a career in annuities and life insurance.

Description: The Society's Group Disability Insurance Experience Committee has completed their study of termination experience for the period 2009-2017. Included is a preliminary report, consolidated database (CDB), pivot tables and appendices.

Description: The Society's Group Disability Insurance Experience Committee has completed their study of termination experience for the period 2009-2017. Included is a preliminary report, consolidated database (CDB), pivot tables and appendices.

Description: After the bid process, desk review, rebate reallocation, an “enjoyable” audit, and open enrollment; the Medicare plan year starts. Throughout the year, organizations find it pertinent to get an accurate picture of their Part D liability as reinsurance, LICS (Low Income Cost-Sharing) subsidy, and risk corridors are accrued. Attendees will learn about the basics of Part D accruals, how future accrual amounts are estimated based on patterns in the data, and how bid assumptions versus actual results impact plan sponsor profitability. We will also discuss financial statement treatment of these items. Real-life examples from bids to outcomes will be provided to enhance the discussion. Ultimately, attendees will come away with a deeper understanding how their bid assumptions play out, and how they can use Part D accruals to plan for future bid development.

Description: Summary of the modeling-related sessions from some of the major 2018 Society of Actuaries (SOA) meetings: Life & Annuity Symposium, Health Meeting and the Valuation Actuary Symposium.

Description: As sponsored by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA), Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), and Society of Actuaries (SOA), the study looks at causes of insolvency and decisions made by management, regulators, and policyholders over the life cycle of the insolvency. Further, this study considers ways the profession can be equipped to prevent or mitigate future insolvencies. In addition to directly benefitting the profession, the work is also intended to assist other insurance industry practitioners in understanding the complexities of insurance company solvency and the benefit of keeping the actuarial profession in the forefront of company management, operations, and regulatory communication

Description: This research, based on data from regulatory filings in Ontario, with supplementary information from British Columbia and the United States, examines funding valuation discount rates.