Description: "Through both informed policy debate and opinionated social media, there are many current event health topics actively discussed and debated. The question remains... how does one separate out subjective information, seek objective analysis, and at the same time consider where there might be more research needed to come to conclusions? This session will use several current event topicsas examples and discover insights as to where research has been performed, what it may or may not cover, and also note where lines are still blurred and may need further details to be studied. Topics that may be discussed include: How valuable and exact is the use of risk-adjustment for Medicare Advantage What is the health and mortality impact of receiving COVID-19 vaccinations"

Description: Stakeholders in a specific state (Minnesota) were interviewed about the potential value -- and obstacles -- of a catastrophic backstop program to handle long term care (LTC) financing needs. The design would entail a payroll deduction which would produce a fund to pay LTC expenses once a deductible period (of 1 to 4 years, depending on income) was reached. This design was believed to encourage enrollees to cover the front end better than done today, whether by private insurance or other means.

Description: Review of paper describing Collective Defined Contribution Plans. the elimination of traditional pensions by many companies have left employees without easy access to reliable retirement income Collective Defined Contribution plans which are used to a small extent in the US but more broadly used elsewhere offer an option for consideration.

Description: This newsletter provides a regulation outlook for the use of AI/ML in insurance industry, interpretations of regulatory expectations and what insurers should consider when managing risks associated with the development, implementation and use of AI/ML models/tools.

Description: At the end of December 2020, Congress enacted the Consolidated Appropriates Act, 2021, which included revisions to Section 7702. Effective for policies issued after December 31, 2020, the fixed 4% and 6% minimum annual effective rates under these tests were changed to refer to a market-based rate called the “insurance interest rate”. For contracts issued in 2021, the insurance rate was set to 2% - defined as the lower of the Section 7702 applicable federal interest rate based on the 60-month period ending December 2019 (2%) and the Section 7702 valuation interest rate in effect for 2020 (3.5%). This reduction in the rates used for compliance testing required significant product, operational, and technology changes for companies to reach product compliance. After 2021, the insurance interest rate is redetermined annually with a minimum change floor.

Description: Environmental, Social, and Governance ('ESG') frameworks have been evolving over the last several decades in industries across the globe. The Life and Annuity insurance industry has traditionally not been viewed to be largely impacted by various ESG requirements and frameworks, but as these mature and evolve, L&A carriers need to understand potential implications on their industry.This panel discussion will focus on how experiences in other industries can inform impacts and solutions to the L&A industry.

Description: For actuaries, finance and IT professionals, the long-duration targeted improvements (LDTI) implementation has been a career milestone. These projects were often the most significant undertaking of individuals’ careers, with respect to scale, complexity and duration. Join this session and participate in small groups, with consideration given to ensure each group has representation from both 2023 and 2025 filers., with moderators presenting questions to encourage small group discussion.

Description: Bringing together industry experts spanning investment management and property/casualty insurance, this panel discussion will take the audience beyond spelling ESG correctly and will share their insights about what Environmental Social Governance is.

Description: Misalignment in value-based care approaches between payers and market segments (Medicare, Medicaid, self-funded employer groups, and commercial insurance) creates significant headwinds and friction for health care providers seeking to succeed in an environment that is moving toward more value-based care models and payment approaches. However, while multi-payer approaches in value-based care are critical to eliminating these misalignments, uptake in such programs has been lagging for a variety of reasons. Hear about lessons learned from a selection of specific multi-payer initiatives to understand what went well and what challenges were encountered in expanding these initiatives more broadly. You should be able to walk away from this session with an appreciation of the potential for multi-payer approaches and the challenges faced in gaining traction with them.

Description: Can we learn anything about business success, or better yet about life, from the world of politics? One would presume not, given the seeming vast gulf between these realms. Yet perhaps this personal tale of a challenge I undertook decades ago might shed some light on how independent actuaries (and entrepreneurs in other corners of business) might adopt a refreshing perspective that advances, or even transforms, their current actuarial practice’s trajectory.