Description: Social determinants of health (SDoH) have been a topic of growing interest in recent years, yet consensus about what the phrase represents and how health-related social needs should be studied or addressed by employers, health plans, providers and other stakeholders in the business of health care have been lacking. For many, low-income populations come to mind when considering the topic, yet SDoH include a wide range of factors beyond income. Many types of data are available, yet each presents distinct challenges and opportunities for analysis. In this article, we describe some of the underlying context for considering SDoH, as well as some of the potential data sources to consult and challenges to grapple with on this important topic.

Description: This research report, sponsored by the Society of Actuaries' Health Section, measures the annual frequency of medical errors in the United States and the total measurable cost to the United States economy of these errors.

Description: The Health Section Research Team is pleased to make available the following research study and Excel model that provide a framework for estimating the financial impact of health plan provider network risk. The Excel workbook allows the user to assess cost implications of aspects of network risk under various assumptions.