Description: This article provides a contemporary perspective of direct-to-consumer, defines what it is, and offers several considerations for D2C strategies.

Description: NewsDirect September 2012 issue

Description: Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a newer model of primary care delivery in which patients or employers pay for care directly on a membership basis; insurance and other third-party payment is not used. Early studies show significantly improved patient health outcomes and lower expenditures for DPC patients compared with similar patients receiving traditionally delivered primary care. Additional research is needed to better understand physician perspectives about the model and the role of patient selection in early results.In this session we discuss research projects that may shed light on the DPC model and on whether early results indicate more about the model or about the patients who use it.We discuss an SoA research project that interviews DPC physicians to better understand their views about the model and its early results. We also discuss a paper that analyzes characteristics of patients who receive primary care from a DPC physician and compares them to characteristics of patients who receive primary care in more traditional ways. This cross-sectional study surveys all adult patients of a convenience sample of several DPC practices. Variables include demographics, socio-economic status (SES), type of additional coverage (if any), whether DPC fees are paid by an employer, and self-reported health status. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey is the main source of comparison data. For a given cohort of demographics and additional coverage, we determine whether DPC patients have similar health status, demographics and SES as non-DPC patients. This study will provide insight into the degree of selection into DPC by observable patient characteristics.

Description: From a panel discussion session at the Spring regional meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in Atlanta, Georgia, May 24-25, 1999 Panelists discuss two of the measurements actuaries are using to evaluate direct response products: customer lifetime value and embedded values.

Description: This article looks at the attitudes of insurance companies toward using technology for assisting in sales and marketing of insurance.

Description: This article describes some of the traditional profit measurement standards for direct marketing and then presents a more comprehensive and up-to-date foundation for insurance direct marketers and actuaries to use when reviewing individual direct marketing campaigns or total marketing programs.

Description: This session discussion is about the new niches in direct response marketing such as new products, database marketing and relationship marketing. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 15, No. 2.

Description: This article is about the relationship of brand advertising to direct marketing and how to bridge the gap.

Description: This report, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA] ‘Experience Studies – Business Practice Surveys,’ presents the results of the survey on foreign travel underwriting practices of direct companies, prepared by the SOA Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys - Foreign Travel [Direct Writer] Survey Subcommittee.

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.