Description: Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of Health Affairs, discusses health care and health policy.

Description: A review of the 2009 Health Spring Meeting, which included speakers & sessions on the future of the SOA, U.S. health care reform, claims data issues & improvements, predictive modeling, underwriting principles, employer stoploss, cost trends, LTD & disability, and mental health parity regulations.

Description: This article provides an overview of the Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA) model act, and of enterprise risk management (ERM). Compared to other actuarial disciplines, health actuaries have not historically focused as much on ERM. But health coverages do have risks that can threaten an insurer's solvency, and ORSA (now in force in most states) will force health insurers to beef up their ERM capabilities.

Description: Interview with Paul Ginsburg, president of the Center for Studying Health System Change.

Description: Rick Foster, chief actuary at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services discusses public policy

Description: These past two years have been the most challenging of my professional career, and I’m certainly not unique in this regard. Fortunately, I’ve benefited from a little help from my friends in the actuarial community—no one sticks together like actuaries.

Description: Insights on the use of humor and fun in the work place as a tool for team-building, reducing stress, improving motivation and concentration, and increasing productivity.

Description: Interview with Mary Milla regarding tips for giving effective presentations.

Description: In this interview Dr. Reinhardt shares his thoughts on the role he believes actuaries should take in the health care system reforms.

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.