Description: Discussion of state medicaid expansion due to provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Description: Coverage of Medicaid home and community-based services under the 1915(i) state plan option: Attractive features and important considerations

Description: Actuaries have the business acumen, problem-solving capabilities, and technical skills to develop innovative and data-driven solutions in the social insurance space. It is time we expand our scope and embrace an increased role in making a positive impact within the health care ecosystem. The primary focus of this paper is on social insurance programs dedicated to the most vulnerable population: low-income families accessing care through Medicaid. While there are numerous challenges that require other subject matter experts to take the lead, this article highlights topics where actuaries can be key players in developing and implementing tangible solutions to improve the care for the most vulnerable. Issues and solutions in this paper focus on the following three areas: 1. Access to appropriate care, 2. continuity of care, and 3. social determinants of health.

Description: This article points out actuarial issues surrounding provisions in the ACA that impact financial reporting.

Description: As the topic of affordable long-term care (LTC) insurance comes into focus in political conversations, we often find ourselves thinking, “What is going to happen to the private LTC insurance industry going forward?” The need for LTC in the United States is not going away, especially as the population continues to age. With this in mind, this article explores three possible future paths for LTC insurance funding and the associated implications for the private LTC industry.

Description: This article is a book review of Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism written by Anne Case and Angus Deaton. The book highlights factors that have attributed to the decline in life expectancy in the U.S. over the past two decades. Overall, there has been a significant increase in deaths of despair from drug overdoses, suicides, and alcoholic liver disease that has impacted life expectancy. The review of this book highlights key points and factors in this increase in deaths of despair based on the research of the authors. From an actuarial perspective, this book identifies areas within the U.S. society and economy that would continue this trend and impact future mortality rates and improvement scales.

Description: In this article the author chides the authors of the 'SUMMARY OF THE 2010 ANNUAL REPORTS SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE BOARDS OF TRUSTEES' for presenting biased 'misinformation and disinformation in their Message to the Public, and for their contribution to public ignorance about Social Security and Medicare financing.' He attributes this to the fact that the Boards are devoid of public trustees, and consist solely of partisan political appointees.

Description: Discusses the recent firing of the Social Security Commissioner and the president's legal authority to do so.

Description: Compares the healthcare system of the US to the universal systems of selected other countries. Relies primarily on information compiled annually by The Commonwealth Fund. Will give the reader an understanding of the difference between universal healthcare, socialized medicine, and single-payer healthcare and how various national systems fall within these categories.

Description: In April, 2009, the Chinese government launched the most comprehensive Health Care System Reform ever. The goal: to establish and improve the basic health care system covering most urban and rural residents, and to provide the people with safe, effective, convenient and affordable health care. There is no doubt that this 'Made in China' health care reform will become the world’s most extensive health care system reform because it will inevitably affect many players in the game such as the local governments who currently administrate the program, the medical professionals who provide the care, the pharmaceutical manufacturers who provide the medicines, and the very large population who participate in the program, etc. This article summarizes the highlights of China's health care reform program.