Description: Update on Health Section research projects and topics, including health care reform, complexity science, and strategic planning.

Description: MSAs, HRAs HSAs—what are they? This session 34 PD of the 2004 Valuation Actuary Symposium compares and contrasts consumer-driven health plans pre- and post-enactment of the new Medicare legislation. The issues involved in these plans are discussed from a managed-care company, employer and consumer perspective.

Description: In session 26PD of the 2004 Valuation Actuary Symposium, discussed is how the new Medicare prescription drug legislation creates a number of issues for employers and managed-care plans. Employers must determine the impact of the legislation on their retiree prescription drug costs, evaluate options for plan design and make decisions about how to reflect the effect of the legislation in their FAS 106 valuations. Managed-care plans need to review the effect of the legislation on plan design, statutory filings and financial reporting for their Medicare products.

Description: This session 4 OF of the 2004 Valuation Actuary Symposium discusses the links among shareholder value, investor trust and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Approaches to designing, documenting and implementing sustainable control structures as required by Sarbanes-Oxley will be explored. Uses of these control systems to monitor, sustain and improve performance are discussed.

Description: Through a case study, this session at the 2004 Valuation Actuary Symposium explores the issues e.g., grouping, expenses, time period, etc. involved in determining deficiencies reserves for health products. Accounting guidance and standard industry procedures are discussed.

Description: Presenter of session 48OF of the New York Annual Meeting discusses the psychology of investing. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 3.