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: Panelists discuss the pros and cons of using a care manager in order to receive either benefits or enhanced benefits in long term care plans. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 2.

Description: Panel discusses the effects of reduced payment levels to many Medicare managed care organizations. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 2.

Description: Identifying and submitting all appropriate ICD-9 diagnosis codes to CMS will result in a higher risk score for the member and increased payments to Medicare Advantage plans. Milliman's HCC prevalence study illustrates the significant variations in HCC prevalence rates by age/gender, geography, and population type and will assist plans in benchmarking the effectiveness of their own diagnosis code capture efforts.

Description: Panelists discuss different aspects of self-selection among Medicare options. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 2.

Description: Book review for An American Philosophy of Social Security written by the chairman for the original Social Security Advisory Council and discusses the original and subsequent thinking about social security.

Description: Budget concerns should not be allowed to override sound actuarial rate development in setting Medicaid capitation rates.

Description: This article describes the Health Insurance Providers Fee implemented through Section 9010 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and discusses how the fee will creates challenges in Managed Medicaid Rate development. It also offers some suggested ways to include the fee in Managed Medicaid rates.

Description: These are the exhibits and appendices accompanying the paper Estimated Impact of Medicare Part D on Retiree Prescription Drug Costs.

Description: The paper addresses the issue of cost-sharing reductions under the Affordable Care Act.