Description: This article talks about the ultimate health care cost trend rate ssumption in retiree medical liability valuation work. Issue No. 59

Description: Recap of National Academy of Social Insurance NASI annual conference “Getting to Universal Health Insurance Coverage”

Description: This article summarizes a joint SOA/Kaiser Family Foundation initiative focused on addressing the rising cost of health care in the United States.

Description: Two years ago, before COVID-19 changed everything about how we provide and receive health care, telehealth was largely provided by third-party vendors to treat a narrow range of acute one-and-done conditions. The value proposition was simple: a fast and easy member experience would drive satisfaction and engagement; high member satisfaction and engagement would drive health plan savings and member retention. Clearly, from the perspective of utilization, telehealth—as a viable alternative to in-person care during a pandemic—worked. And with COVID-19’s nudge—or was that a push?—toward cultural acceptance, the health care system is in a better position to capitalize on telehealth’s original promise of expanded access, lower cost and better outcomes than it was two years ago. But in the wake of the pandemic, it is just as clear to us that if telehealth is to live up to its full potential, some changes are needed. The rest of this article presents five ideas for improving the delivery of telehealth going forward.

Description: Overview of the book: Overtreated, Why Too Much Medicine Is Making Us Sicker and Poorer.

Description: Health Care Cost Trends 2002 - prescription drug, base and leveraged trend. From Health Section News, January 2002, Issue No. 42.

Description: This article details the medical stop-loss coverages purchased by HMOs, small insurers and providers taking delegated financial risk in payor agreements. Along the way we will identify strategies purchasers often use to save money on medical stop-loss.

Description: Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of Health Affairs, discusses health care and health policy.

Description: Introduction to additional actuarial research into development of and regulatory impact, economic impact and consumer impact of prescription drugs in the United States. Intended to further educate actuaries and others who work in this area and motivate more actuarial involvement to increase transparency, increase competition, better align stakeholder incentives and better mitigate total cost of care increases

Description: Read the November 26 2019 issue of Health Watch, published by the Health Section. Practical information for actuaries, articles impact sections, section activities.