Description: The 1977 Amendments to the Social Security Act provided for a one-time National Commission on Social Security with broad mandate to study the OASDI and Medicare programs. The author discusses the substantial proposals put forth by the Commission in its report released in January 1981, which would affect both OASDI and Medicare.

Description: This study was sponsored by the Society of Actuaries Health Section. This paper explores the relative significance of aging as a determinant of financial cost of health care beyond age 50, with particular attention to the effect for ages 65 and older. The paper presents concepts of aging factors and aging curves, which define relative values between ages for utilization or cost of health care services. General conclusions are drawn from Medicare data that utilization and cost differ by age, but that aging factors vary across services and may be less significant at very old ages. The author then turns to the question of measuring the significance of an aging curve assumption and what accuracy is lost in the simpler alternative of a single value across an age range.

Description: Book Review: Within the System: My Half Century in Social Security by Robert Myers . 'This splendid book' tells of Mr. Myers remarkable public service career and appraises the influence of many American politicians.

Description: This article is a summary and analysis of the 1977 Annual Reports of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds, of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund. The author notes that an excellent introduction to these reports may be obtained by reading the Commentary Prepared to Assist in the Reading and Interpretation of the Reports, prepared by A. Haeworth Robertson, Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration. Note: A more extensive review of the Reports will appear in the Transactions.

Description: This session is about the U. S. Social Security System undergoing a period of critical reappraisal with the costs and future of the system in question, and about how the actuarial profession should be involved in the process.

Description: A description of the changes to Social Security that will occur in 2020.

Description: This article is a review of the book “Social Security” by Robert J. Myers, published in 1975 by Richard D. Irwin, Inc. The reviewer calls the book a “marvelous reference source from which to draw in getting a fix on literally hundreds of the finer points relating to eligibility, the method of calculating benefits, in fact the whole background and evolution of these benefits and methods,” and notes the book will be of value to anyone who works with employee benefits that relate in some way to the Social Security system.

Description: A feature article discussing how ZIP codes can affect longevity.

Description: Social Security Disability Insurance DI experience in 1980 is continuing most recent trends, but changing somewhat in a few others.

Description: A response to American Legislative Exchange Council's report "Unaccountable and Unaffordable" in light of applicable Actuarial Standards of Practice.