Description: This article examines the costs of mental health parity, presents the primary drivers of cost increases from legislation and shows evidence the initial cost projections were too high. From Health Section News, March 2005, Issue No. 49.

Description: As actuaries in health care, we spend most of our time focused on reviewing claims, enrollment and clinical data. That information is captured while patients are in health care facilities. Yet most people spend only a small fraction of their time in these facilities. This article explores what types of data are available to actuaries the provide a more holistic view of the member so that a members physical and emotional needs, the social determinants of health can be taken into consideration along with their clinical needs. Two uses cases are presented so actuaries can see how these types of analyses can be leveraged to improve clinical, operational, and financial performance of risk bearing health entities. Understanding the customer (member) not just the patient enables actuaries to provide new insights and values to our stakeholders across a wide range of business and risk applications.

Description: The momentum in value-based care has produced an opportunity for actuaries to become pioneers in health care

Description: This is the abstract to the paper, A Comparative Analysis of Chronic and Non-Chronic Insured Commercial Member Cost Trends.

Description: This article provides an overview of behavioral economic theory as it relates to health and welfare insurance plans and provides summaries of two sample applications of the theories: enrollment in health insurance exchanges created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and product design considerations in light of vast health illiteracy.

Description: Panelists discuss opportunities to improve medical cost trends through underwriting, healthcare benefit designs, contracting, network management, claims operations, and medical management. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 31, No. 2, Session 40

Description: 2001 SOA Annual Meeting, New Orleans. Health care cost trends have substantially increased in the past two years. Panelists discussed the factors contributing to these increased trends, the prospect for further increases in the future, and national health care issues.

Description: Panelists discuss recent developments that may impact health care costs over the next few years, such as: · Trends in research and treatment for various diseases · Advances in diagnoses, therapies, and medications · Various clinical trials From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 27, No. 1, Session 73

Description: Prescribers, payers, and patients must put a higher priority on the comparative cost-effectiveness of competing pharmaceutical products if society is ever going to achieve rational and affordable drug use for all. From Prescription Drugs Monograph, M-HB04-1.