Description: This report provides highlights of a weekly survey of practices regarding the mitigation of the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. during the second half of January 2021 along with comparisons to prior half-month time periods. The survey asks about the degree to which the respondents perceive that people in their community are following 21 common mitigation practices. The responses are separated by state and compared to state level statistics regarding the level of COVID-19 infections from the Johns Hopkins COVID database for the same time period.

Description: Climate change has the potential to wreak havoc on ecosystems worldwide. One anticipated repercussion is the change in suitable habitats of vectors, such as mosquitos and ticks, who can transmit serious and even life-threatening diseases to humans. In this report, we outline major vector-borne diseases, discuss their symptoms and treatment costs, and present the relevant research regarding their evolving spatial patterns due to climate change.

Description: This paper is a primer for actuaries with limited experience in accessing and using public data sets. From Small Talk Newsletter, November 2005, Issue No. 25.

Description: Employers who purchase disability insurance are increasingly interested in obtaining assistance with broader absence management services. At the same time, paid family leave is gaining in popularity both as a government-mandated benefit and in the context of private insurance plans. The speakers in this session review recent developments in the full spectrum of leave programs, including plan design, pricing and administration.

Description: Predictive Analytics and Epigenetics are two of the most impactful driving forces for the future of healthcare, precision medicine, and insurance. Learn why this is true, how if will change the way our industry operates, and how you can stay viable and contribute to the betterment of humanity while also protecting the actuarial profession from obsolescence. Learn how personalized medicine keying off genetic testing is saving life insurers big dollars. The only limit seems to be testing access for their insureds.

Description: In this session we will discuss the impact of regulation changes that will allow members with End State Renal Disease (ESRD) to sign up for Medicare Advantage in 2021 for the first time. We will delve into the current basics of how ESRD works, the characteristics of the population that is currently on original medicare today, and a comprehensive look at what plan sponsors should be thinking about going into 2021.

Description: The article provides insights about the need for revolutionary actuaries in Saudi Arabia due to the reform that is happening across the kingdom under all sectors. Then I talk briefly about the health sector and the transformation that is happing in the sector, and how qualified health actuaries can contribute to this health reform.

Description: Managed care networks are important to control rising health care costs . these need to be priced appropriately to produce the right results for all stakeholders . This includes analysis of utilization and costs for both in and out of network claims . A variety of risk and administrative service options exist for entities assuming such risk .

Description: The impact of Medicare on retiree medical. Issue No. 44.

Description: Session 2A: Navigating Medicaid Single Preferred Drug Lists (PDLs) - A Deep Dive