Description: A summary of how the SAO plans to strengthen the role of the academic branch of the profession through Centers of Actuarial Excellence and Ph.D. stipends.

Description: The author chronicles the history of the actuarial profession and actuarial organizations around the world and discusses how globalization affects the actuarial profession today.

Description: This article summarizes the Society of Actuaries' Long-Term Care Insurance LTCI Section Think Tank event. This event focused on the most significant issues and trends that may impact long-term care LTC risks, care delivery and protection in the future.

Description: The risk/delivery/protection framework was first presented to participants in the SOA's Long-Term Care Think Tank seminar in a survey. That survey was designed to get participant opinions on how the system might evolve over the next five to 10 years. The results of the survey are summarized in the article.

Description: This is an article explaining the options employers have under the Medicare Part D, or the Prescription Drug Improvement and Medicare Modernization Act - MMA - that took effect in January 2006. The article discusses 4 options under the MMA with the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Description: The author's comments on the future outlook for actuaries and the insurance industry. He poses many thought provoking questions about the future.

Description: In 1986, the Society of Actuaries identified a number of external trends that could have a substantial impact on future retirement patterns. An analysis of demographic trends clearly indicated that more people would be reaching older ages and that they would live longer.

Description: An article that addresses the question: Do actuaries, the experts in future cost analysis, have a public responsibility to independently study the adequacy and costs of health care proposals?

Description: The SOA's health leadership met earlier this year for an all day meeting in New York. A significant portion of that meeting was spent discussing current challenges facing the U.S. health care system and how the SOA can best serve its members by addressing top priority issues. This article from The Actuary outlines four particular issues.