Description: Healthcare costs have been rising faster than general inflation for many years. Early models that predicted this past pattern projected healthcare expenditure growth that continued to outpace total expenditure growth leading to the fallacious position that the whole of the US economy would ultimately be consumed by healthcare. This paper presents a long term healthcare trends resource model, prepared for the Society of Actuaries by Professor Thomas Getzen, that includes capacity constraints to ensure the long-term projection is rational. The motivation for creation of the model was driven by its potential usage as a resource for the estimation of reportable liabilities for retiree healthcare benefits as specified under FAS 106 and GASB 45 accounting statements.

Description: Healthcare costs have been rising faster than general inflation for many years. Early models that predicted this past pattern projected healthcare expenditure growth that continued to outpace total expenditure growth leading to the fallacious position that the whole of the US economy would ultimately be consumed by healthcare. The Society of Actuaries' Pension Section and Health Section Research teams commissioned Professor Thomas E. Getzen of Temple University to construct a resource model for the projection of long term healthcare cost trends that includes capacity constraints to ensure the long-term projection is rational. The motivation for creation of the model was driven by its potential usage as a resource for the estimation of reportable liabilities for retiree healthcare benefits as specified under FAS 106 and GASB 45 accounting statements. This is a zip file containing the following: 1. A background paper on the creation of the health trend model, 2. The model, programmed in Microsoft Excel [xls format], that projects per-person expenditures and growth rates through 2099 using baseline assumptions, but also permits the flexibility for user–inputted alternative assumptions, and 3. Technical documentation providing transparency and support for the ultimate results.

Description: This paper documents recent medicare utilization experience from 1975-1977 extracted from a large statistical data file developed by the Department of Health and Human Services. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1982, Vol. 34.

Description: The purpose of this paper is to examine the underlying issues of replacement rates for the benefit of retirement security stakeholders, particularly public policy makers, pension plan sponsors, advisors, financial product providers, and individuals planning for retirement. Additionally, guidance is provided on building replacement rate measures. From the Society of Actuaries - 2011.

Description: This model arose from a project to evaluate the cost of a health care access' program to provide comprehensive medical care to uninsureds in Minnesota, for the Minnesota Health Care Access Commission. The project was to provide estimates of the impact on per-person and aggregate costs for various participation percentages in the access program. In order to evaluate those costs, the antiselection model described in this was developed. Of note, this was the ACTUARIAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FUND 1991 PRACTITIONERS AWARD WINNER. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1991, VOL. 2.

Description: This is the Phase I report of a two–phase effort. Phase I consists of defining relevant and actionable consumer segments among middle–income/mid–level net worth households. The Phase II report, defining a basic approach that could lead to a set of answers or 'solutions' that addresses the retirement risks faced by each segment, was released in September 2010.

Description: This paper is written totally under present Indian conditions, but keeping an eye on the future, when there will be number of insurers, and this model can be applied to any condition where a number of insurers already exist. The purpose of this paper is to attempt to measure, from the point of view of a potential life insurance policyholder, the quality of the insurers and the variability between them so that it will be helpful for potential policyholders to choose their insurers according to their requirements.

Description: This report compares health care utilization and expenditures between individuals with Crohn’s disease who had used infliximab and those who had not. Claims data from the 1999-2003 Thomson Reuters MarketScan commercial claims and encounters databases and inpatient, outpatient, and prescription drug claims data of individuals older than 18 years of age with a diagnosis of Crohn’s were included.

Description: Compilation of the answers gathered through the survey, Will Retirement Assets Last a Lifetime?

Description: This report presents the results of a 2005 telephone study among Americans ages 45 to 80. The purpose of the study was to evaluate Americans' awareness of potential financial risks, how this awareness impacts the management of their finances with respect to retirement and how Americans are managing the process of leaving the workforce.