Description: Updates on the efforts of the Academy’s health practice council. its work groups and task forces, to educate health care policymakers on issues including principles for reform, Medicare, the individual insurance market, and risk factors.

Description: A proposal to reform current health care market, from a 'preferred payer' system, in which Medicare and Medicaid pay less than the true cost while others must then pay more, to a 'value for money' system. This would be achieved by requiring providers to bill all patients the same rate for the same services, with a standard bundling format to make all providers' rate differences transparent. Differences between billed charges and what Medicare pays would be made up by the Medicare patient, rather than subsidized by those outside of Medicare.

Description: Updates on the efforts of the Academy’s health practice council. its work groups and task forces, to educate health care policymakers on issues including health care reform, Medicare, loss ratios, premium review, reinsurance, benefit and eligibility changes, exchanges, and risk based capital.

Description: This article summarizes 2012 AAA activities relating to the Affordable Care Act implementation, including work on the Amicus Brief for the Supreme Court Decision, MLR regulations, Actuarial Value, Rate Review, Essential Health Benefits and work with the NAIC.

Description: We propose using premiums and tax revenue to fund high-cost individuals in the Individual ACA market.

Description: Discussion of direct primary care and how it helps with several challenges in health care today. DPC improves care coordination, improves outcomes, improves doctor and patient satisfaction, and reduces spending. DPC successes promote the view that primary care should not be covered by insurance; rather, it should be paid for directly.

Description: An overview of the issues behind reimbursing providers on a bundled or packaged basis. The article presents the potential advantages offered by the proponents as well as the criticisms and obstacles to implementing this type of payment system.

Description: Toole encourages actuaries to volunteer for local public health departments.

Description: A look at the career and accomplishments of Julia Philips, the only health actuary employed at the Minnesota Department of Commerce. She believes her learn-by-doing attitude has allowed her to build a career she enjoys, which includes her to work to promote consumer protection, volunteer with many organizations, and implement health reform.

Description: An economics professor and a health care consumer advocate weigh in on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including implementation issues, directions for the future and what role actuaries shoudl take.