Description: This report has been written to provide a primer on the measurement known as R0 (pronounced “R-naught”), which is commonly used in epidemiology. The R0 metric has received extensive press coverage since the outbreak due to its importance in the measurement of the spread of COVID-19.

Description: Electronic Health Records, or EHRs, are a major worldwide initiative to eliminate paper recordings – including Attending Physician Statements (APSs) – of an individual’s medical history and current treatment.

Description: The Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) recently released their annual health care cost and utilization report on February 13, 2020. This report illustrates employer group commercial health care costs and trends from 2014 – 2018.

Description: Prescription drug affordability remains a critical concern for consumers, payers and policymakers alike. This paper discusses an alternative to policy solutions: reimagining commercial pharmacy financing using a value-based reimbursement model to increase transparency, encourage pharmaceutical competition, align stakeholder incentives and mitigate total cost of care (TCOC) increases.

Description: In this video led by Mitchell Momanyi, FSA, MAAA, the types of Medicare products available is discussed. This two major types are traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. It discusses how traditional Medicare encompasses Parts A and B, covering various inpatient and outpatient services but not long-term care or prescription drugs, which fall under Part D. The video details deductibles, cost-sharing structures, and options like Medigap plans that assist with Traditional Medicare’s out-of-pocket expenses. Mitchell emphasizes clarity and understanding while sharing his expertise in this comprehensive overview.

Description: The health care sector in general, and physicians in particular, are a large and important part of the market for group and individual insurance products. Explore a variety of subjects related to physicians and disability insurance, including experience trends, purchasing trends, external factors affecting physicians, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Description: Report to give actuaries practical information and guidance on LTD claim credibility for case level pricing and underwriting.

Description: The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on all aspects of daily life and its impact extends to how disability incidence may play out in the future. Product profitability will be shaped by how morbidity patterns, interest rate levels and other key drivers will play out into the future. In this session, our panel will discuss COVID’s impact on IDI morbidity experience as observed over the past 18 months, offer comparisons and insights in light of other insurance lines of business, and share emerging information on the on-going effects of Long COVID. Highlights will also include how regional differences and implications for insurers as the industry moves further into the COVID vaccine era.

Description: Actuaries are currently familiar with the impact of new technologies used primarily by clinicians and health care providers, such as new drugs and devices. The common theme emerging from many of the articles points to a technological revolution in health care accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis this year. Actuaries need to understand these technologies, their impact, learn how to drive this technological change and guide the response of their profession and their own health care organizations.

Description: Chris Smith, vice chair of the Actuary of the Future section, had the privilege of attending the SOA Health meeting in Seattle for the first time this year. Read about his experience and thoughts on why you should plan to attend an SOA-sponsored conference for your career growth.