Description: Shannon Brownlee shares her perspectives on the current health care crisis, including: inconsistent treatment patterns across providers and geographic regions, providers lacking evidence-based guidelines, the need for better independent clinical research to establish those guidelines, and the limits to consumerism's potential to fix the crisis.

Description: A discussion of issues to consider in selecting and contracting with a PBM.

Description: Recap of Q&A sessions held to discuss the findings and methodology of a SOA study on the cost of the newly insured under the ACA.

Description: Discussion and Opinion on how randomness affects measurement of provider contracting risk-sharing agreements

Description: New NCQA Quality Assessment Program for PPOs discussing rationale and performance meansurements, Issue No. 38.

Description: Methods and assumptions used in the valuation of savings by external care vendors

Description: Presenter discusses issues related to alternative care, as well as SOA activity in regard to alternative care. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 1.

Description: Panelists discuss major reforms of health care financing and delivery systems around the world. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 2.

Description: The presenters will compare and contrast the Canadian public (and, to a lesser extent, private) health care system in juxtaposition to U.S. health care. Specialized knowledge of either system is not required. The presentation will focus on cost containment strategies balanced against effective health care services. Differentiation of strategies, such as wellness and prevention in contrast to diagnosis and treatment, will be discussed.

Description: An overview of the issues behind reimbursing providers on a bundled or packaged basis. The article presents the potential advantages offered by the proponents as well as the criticisms and obstacles to implementing this type of payment system.