Description: Recently completed experience studies and research studies from the SOA.

Description: The recent outbreak of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in Brazil and in at least 29 other countries and territories is a stark reminder of the risks associated with new, emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. This article is intended to provide essential background information on the Zika virus in order to assist insurers’ understanding and risk assessment of the situation. Insurers must continually stay abreast of these risks and rapidly assess the potential impact on morbidity and mortality – often with only preliminary scientific or actuarial data

Description: A follow-up to the 2012 article “A Global Perspective of the Health Insurance Market” about teaching a course at the Columbia University Masters in Actuarial Science program. The course provided an overview of the health care insurance industry.

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: Analysis of the impact of disease progression and treatment on life expectancy provides perspective on the long term costs to the health care system of chronic medical conditions.

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: Provides an overview of a Columbia University graduate course in actuarial science called a Global Perspective of the Health Insurance Market. It includes an overview of this unique course and a summary of course content and completed research in the course. The course covers all financial aspects of US and international health insurance.

Description: This article is a submission to a Leadership Inspiration contest.

Description: The editorial shares observations and lessons learned from the process of implementing the Affordable Care Act.

Description: Since health care reform has made accountable care organizations a hot topic, an SOA workgroup is addressing relevant questions, including provider risk under various ACO models, limitations of the Medicare model for motivating change in the health care delivery system, strategic priorities, attribution of members, meaurement, and the roles actuaries can play.