Description: An essay suggesting a health care financing system.

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 from major US payers describes palliative care as a scaleable means of improving quality and reducing costs during serious and complex illness.

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 is a submission to a Leadership Inspiration contest.

Description: Essays show a new system that will encompass minor changes to the current health insurance system, it will allow consumers to sign up for Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan and be administered like Medicare but with more benefits and emphasis on preventive care.

Description: Essay where payers desiring to optimize health gains per dollar spent should avoid “across the board” cost sharing, and instead implement a “value based” design that removes barriers/provides incentives to encourage desired behaviors for patients and providers.

Description: Medical insurance today is more like pre-paid medical payments. Medical insurance should be bought for protection, but rarely used, like auto insurance.

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.

Description: Update on Health Section research projects and topics, including health care reform, complexity science, and strategic planning.