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: Essential Health Benefits and Actuarial Value

Description: Affordable Care Act and Payment Reform

Description: This article summarizes the presentations by the Society of Actuaries and the Academy of Actuaries at the January 2015 National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) Roundtables in Washington DC. SOA presented on the 2014 SOA monograph series "The Link between Retirement Security and Long-Term Care."

Description: The presenters will compare and contrast the Canadian public (and, to a lesser extent, private) health care system in juxtaposition to U.S. health care. Specialized knowledge of either system is not required. The presentation will focus on cost containment strategies balanced against effective health care services. Differentiation of strategies, such as wellness and prevention in contrast to diagnosis and treatment, will be discussed.

Description: This article provides a detailed description of the unbalanced subsidy provisions in the Affordable Care Act with easy to follow numerical illustrations. An understanding of the illustrative calculations is necessary to understand the subsidy implications. The article highlights some surprising and likely unintended results that will be interest to issuers, employers, consumers, regulators and policymakers. Actuaries can add expertise to their clients and to the public discussion with a proper understanding of the subsidy calculations and the resulting implications.

Description: This paper introduces a single measure combining cost and quality of healthcare. This is used to demonstrate the magnitude of the challenge of the increasing dependency rate. It is then used in assessing a number of alternative financing models, including user fees and alternative compensation methods for physicians. The paper documents implementation issues and evaluates the desirability of implementing these approaches in Canada.

Description: The presenters will discuss recent regulatory changes that allow some long-term care benefits to be included in Medicare Advantage plans. Hear an overview of what has become available in the market and what might happen in the near future.

Description: Rising drug—and, to a lesser extent, health care—costs in Canada are creating long-term challenges for not only governments and employers across Canada but for individuals as well, with no easy answers.