Description: Explanation of Medicare Advantage STAR rating program as it relates to payment rates for MA bids. Also describes important features of the program from an actuarial perspective, how the components of the STAR rating are calculated and implications and considerations for actuaries.

Description: This paper will examine why CSR defunding produces pricing uncertainty and how regulators can alleviate these risks when insurers price 2020 premiums.

Description: A new health insurance pricing model takes external market prices into account, as well as regulatory rate restrictions and other traditional pricing factors. Rather than being assumed at the outset, lapse rates emerge from the model, along with assessment spiral & loss ratio projections. Under the model optimal pricing strategy depends on whether the class being rated has a healthier than average mix of risks.

Description: A proposal to reform the health care provider payment system through: a national fee schedule, shifting more reimbursements to primary care providers, better integration of hospital & physician fees, evidence based care, pay for performance, and a better provider risk sharing mechanism.

Description: This article summarizes some of the operational considerations necessary to optimize the usefulness and impact of a predictive model, such as cross-functional support and involvement in model build, adequate training and reporting, and strategic model build.

Description: Summary of common mistakes made by actuaries developing ACA rate filings. Outlines correct approach to ACA rate filing process. Suggests Peer Review process.

Description: Identifying and submitting all appropriate ICD-9 diagnosis codes to CMS will result in a higher risk score for the member and increased payments to Medicare Advantage plans. Milliman's HCC prevalence study illustrates the significant variations in HCC prevalence rates by age/gender, geography, and population type and will assist plans in benchmarking the effectiveness of their own diagnosis code capture efforts.

Description: A closer look at family tier factor rating assumptions, and how well they reflect actual claim cost data.