Description: Article from The Actuary regarding the medical malpractice crisis. could a macro system be the answer to a reduction in medical malpractice costs? Information in this article points in that direction.

Description: Ideas to improve claim practices, thereby improving public perception of the LTCI industry.

Description: The chairperson reports on Health Section activities: papers by the joint workgroups with the AAA's Health Practice Council to inform the public and congressional staff, papers on capital requirements under proposed health care reform and on proposed taxing of Cadillac plans, new research on IBNR reserving methods and on measuring the quality and efficiency of health care delivery systems.

Description: Recently, the SCAN Foundation, AARP, LeadingAge, and HHS funded economic modeling conducted by Milliman and the Urban Institute around LTC reform elements. The LTC industry has over the years also generated ideas to address the on-coming expansion of LTC needs in the U.S. For this article, we have brought together three individuals who have long involvement with LTC financing to discuss some of the recent ideas and provide some perspectives on their pluses and minuses.

Description: The Health Section chairperson discusses the past year's activity, especially the Visions for the Future of the U.S. Health Care System essay contest, and an update on the Untapped Opportunities for Actuaries in Health initiative.

Description: Discusses various aspects of allowing a health insurance policy approved in one state to be sold in another state without the latter's approval or oversight.

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.

Description: Budget concerns should not be allowed to override sound actuarial rate development in setting Medicaid capitation rates.

Description: Introduction to population health, a collaborative discipline that seeks to leverage all the determinants of health personal behaviors, medical care and the public health infrastructure, as well as the social and economic context at the community and national level to maximize the health of populations.

Description: Updates on the efforts of the Academy’s health practice council. its work groups and task forces, to conduct research and educate health care policymakers on issues including principles for market reform, individual insurance, and risk factors.