Description: The objective of this project is to summarize the existing literature on end of life issues of interest to actuaries, and to document a broad list of such articles. The end of life issues explored are multi-dimensional and from multiple perspectives. When considering cost implications of end of life care, it is necessary to consider cost in a broad context as it is a measure that cannot solely be defined by dollars. Other dimensions of cost, such as quality of care, family care giving, communication, patient preferences and access to care, should also be explored.

Description: This article discusses the details of being classified as cognitively impaired, particularly the relationship between being classified as cognitively impaired and subsequent mortality experience and the effect of cognitive impairment on mortality rates.

Description: Using the Delphi method, this study explores the opinions of various Long-Term Care experts and stakeholders on a wide range of LTC financing issues and potential solutions.

Description: This paper presents population hospital utilization data concerning the proportion of total hospital days that is due to injury and the proportion of total hospital days that is spent in intensive care units for use in obtaining reserve factors. The paper also presents continuation data for hospitalizations. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1979, Vol. 31.

Description: This is a panel discussion about social insurance programs for health care in Canada and the United States and new developments in benefits and costs of the programs.

Description: The SOA’s research objective is to provide guidance to state exchange officials and administrators, federal officials and administrators, and actuaries assisting states and health plans. The goal of the project is to estimate the morbidity and/or cost for newly insured individuals in the individual market (and to some degree, the small group exchange) relative to the morbidity and/or cost for the current commercially insured population. This analysis will primarily focus on the individual, non-group market. In order to plan for the impact that these currently uninsured individuals will have on the health insurance markets, it will be important to understand their costs relative to the costs for people already enrolled, for whom many health insurers have experience and data.

Description: PowerPoint slides of presentation given at Gerontological Society of America.

Description: In this paper several probability models for the random amounts of needed long-term care are explained, and one model is used to provide an alternate premium calculation method for certain long-term care coverages. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1990, VOL. 2.

Description: This report presents the results of a demographic study of Continuing Care Retirement Communities - CCRC. The study presents information on decrement rates by facility & resident payment contract, selection patterns, voluntary withdrawal rates, and length of stay.

Description: This research report is sponsored by The Society of Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries on the Canadian health care system. Performed by Stéphane Levert, FSA, FCIA, the study (available in French and English) estimated the future costs of the Canadian health care system, assessed the sustainability of the system over a 25-year horizon, and analyzed the implications of the changes to the Canada Health Transfer proposed on Dec. 19, 2011 by the federal government. The report summarizing the findings indicates that, without significant government intervention, the Canadian health care system in its current form is not sustainable.