Description: The author gives his opinions of the cause of the health care financing crisis and ever increasing health care costs.

Description: This is a book review of 'The Rising Cost of Hospital Care' by Martin S. Feldstein, Ph.D. In general, the book proceeds from an analysis of how and how much hospital costs have risen to why they have risen.

Description: This editorial gives an overview of articles in this edition of The Actuary including actuarial exams and health care management issues.

Description: This article discusses fringe benefits for the retired from a 1967 meeting of the Canadian Pension Conference.

Description: Summary of the National Conference on Medical Costs, held in Washington, D.C. on June 28-29, 1967.

Description: This article is about our dependence on prescription drugs, their cost and the desire for insurance coverage of drugs.

Description: This is an article that highlights recommended reading by the Health Practice area communications committee. The readings cover a broad subject matter from risk assessment, medical technology to uninsured.

Description: A discussion about regulators, lawmakers, actuaries and insurers working together to keep health insurance costs affordable to the consumer but also profitable enough for insurers to continue to offer the product.

Description: The author takes exception to criticism from the AMA about hospital discharge guidelines as being set by actuaries when, in fact, they are set by physicians based on actual practice.

Description: There are growing concerns that the Asian bird flu virus will evolve into a form that can be transmitted from human to human, thus unleashing a new global flu pandemic. This article uses the Spanish flu epidemic and the German life insurance portfolio to analyze the additional claims expenditure due to a pandemic.