Description: The Society of Actuaries, in conjunction with the Canadian Institute of Actuaries, recently commissioned a research project on Benefits at Risk and Jean-Francois Begin is conducting the research. Prepare to review Professor Begin's findings and review other work related to determining capital adequacy for benefits payable in non-insured pension payout schemes. This session will be of interest to actuaries working with non-insured defined contribution solutions and to actuaries working in trusteed defined benefit pension plans.

Description: With the persistent low interest rate environment, fast pace of regulatory changes and the size of insurers' back-books relative to new business, it is no surprise that insurers have become increasingly focused on their management of non-guaranteed elements ('NGE') for life and annuity business. Come explore the opportunities and challenges offered by NGE management, with consideration for market trends, regulation, the new ASOP 2 and emerging case law.

Description: In the time since the original proposal to move healthwriting companies from the blue blank to the orange blank, there have been several incremental updates to the blue blank by the NAIC Blanks Working Group to integrate portions of the orange blank into the blue blank. Meanwhile, the NAIC RBC Working Group has issued their proposal to change the health test for comment and appear to be moving forward with the proposal to revise the health test. This would obligate companies that write predominantly health business onto the orange blank rather than the blue blank, which they have historically used for reporting. Discover background of the revised health test, the incremental updates to the blue blank that have been implemented recently, additional incremental updates proposed for upcoming blue blanks, and the current status of the Health RBC Working Group proposal to revise the health test. Hear observations about companies that have opted to 'take the plunge' and move to the orange blank ahead of the revised health test as well as companies that have opted to remain on the blue blank and incrementally update as new requirements are integrated into the Blue blank. By attending the session, you will be able to: • Understand the context of the initiative to revise the NAIC health test. • Summarize the recent changes to the blue blank implemented by the Blanks Working Group that integrate portions of the orange blank into the blue blank. • Summarize the upcoming proposed changes to the blue blank by the Blanks Working Group that integrate additional portions of the orange blank into the blue blank. • Summarize the current status of the Health RBC Working Group proposal to revise the health test. • Provide industry perspective on companies that have opted to move to the orange blank ahead of the revised health test and companies that have opted to remain on the blue blank until the NAIC requires it.

Description: The rules governing the framework of Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces continue to be refined at the state and federal level. The catalyst for such changes has been a desire to improve markets, which has been primarily informed by data and experience in the ACA's first decade. This session will feature a panel of consulting actuaries, a state policy advisor who has influenced ACA legislation, and an attorney deeply involved in ACA risk adjustment litigation. Discussion will include new federal proposals, efforts to strengthen enforcement of rating compliance, new actuarial insights from public data, and the anticipated future implications for ACA markets. By attending this session, you will be able to: • Understand what precipitated risk adjustment lawsuits and how proposed federal rules address these concerns. • Identify how state regulators are addressing premium misalignment between metal levels and shaping local policies. • Develop new insights on publicly available data. • Understand the implications these policy changes will have on the future of pricing health insurance benefits, consumer value and enrollment distributions in ACA marketplaces. • Understand the primary factors leading to ACA market success.

Description: Internal audit (IA) projects typically focus on evaluating the risks and operational effectiveness of a company’s technological, regulatory/compliance, and/or financial processes and procedures. Because LDTI and IFRS 17 compliance will require extensive rewiring of existing and possibly the implementation of new processes and procedures to comply with the new accounting requirements, IA will be critical in conducting the initial risk assessment of these changes, monitoring of the process changeover, and conducting a post-implementation validation after conversion. Explore many specific areas that will be impacted, highlight those aspects likely to be under the IA magnifying glass, and find out how you can best prepare your IA teams to understand the changes and expedite the testing timeframes of their audits. By attending the session, you will be able to: • Understand general IA testing approach and framework. • Identify and address the key processes and procedures likely to be impacted by accounting change. • Build a communication plan that tailors the level of detail of documentation to the intended audience. (e.g., Leadership and BOD) • Document decisions made and implemented with IA in mind.

Description: This session series is sponsored by Hannover Re Session 2 - COVID-19: Financial Impacts and Re-shaping Risk and Capital Management Practices COVID-19 has posed significant challenges to health insurers and providers to meet profit targets and maintain strong balance sheets and capitalization levels. As a result, companies are facing an ever-increasing need to better integrate their risk and capital management practices across the enterprise and evaluate a broader set of tools to manage and optimize their capital and liquidity needs. This second session of the COVID-19 series will help you examine the financial impact that COVID-19 has had on the health industry and review how companies are evolving their financial and capital management practices to achieve their strategic goals. It will also outline how structured reinsurance has emerged as an increasingly utilized form of managing capital. By attending this session, you will be able to explain how COVID-19 has impacted the financial performance and capitalization of the health insurance industry, and will gain a basic understanding of alternative ways of managing and optimizing capital, including the use of structired reinsurance.

Description: In the game of chess, both players have perfect knowledge of the board. In poker, however, players deal with asymmetric information as well as the fact that your opponent can lie. There is an old expression that smart people are “playing chess when their opponents are playing checkers.” However, playing chess when your opponent is playing poker is a recipe for disaster (for the chess player, that is). Parameter risk is more akin to poker than chess, and it is often overlooked in favor of volatility risk in stop loss and reinsurance pricing. Unlike volatility risk, however, parameter risk does not necessarily decrease as the group size increases. Understanding the impact of parameter risk can help avoid mispricing the risk at hand as well as the impulse to provide false precision. False precision can lead to poor underwriting decisions and financial losses. In this session, the presenters will provide examples of parameter risk as well as potential solutions to incorporate when building simulation models. By attending this session you will be able to recognize potential areas of parameter risk and understand techniques to incorporate parameter risk in simulation modeling.

Description: "Issues surrounding end-of-life and palliative care are not well understood and there is little research in the actuarial literature. From an actuarial perspective, however, end-of-life is important because of the significant cost to the healthcare system. Ian Duncan will discuss some of his research on the financial implications of end-of-life care, as well as the outcomes of a palliative care program. Dr. Matzo is an engaging personality with decades of experience in gerontology and palliative nursing, including training and teaching professionals in the field. Dr. Matzo focuses on educating the public on the importance and benefits of palliative care and hospice (care given in the final six months of life). In this session on “Palliative Care Public Education,” Dr. Matzo will give us an overview of the benefits of palliative care and how this knowledge empowers the individual to make important decisions about their healthcare options. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss the role that the actuarial profession may play in this area."

Description: "Can you answer the question 'what are the chances we will lose more than $1 million next year?' without saying 'it depends'? If you miss a projection, can you quantify the chances that the miss was due to random variation vs. an incorrect projection? ten in as presenters demonstrate how to answer these questions and others using total risk analysis. Total risk analysis includes quantifying both the random variation risk and the projection risk associated with actuarial functions like pricing and reserving. After attending this session, you will be able to describe total risk analysis, apply total risk analysis to many actuarial functions."

Description: "Examine the impact of traditional deductibles on health care equity and the need for innovative plan designs. You will learn about the limitations of consumer-driven health care costs broadly today, as well as alternative cost-sharing approaches that have been successful in driving consumerism without exposing members to high costs. By attending the session, you will be able to: Have a clearer understanding of the issues surrounding deductibles Be equipped with practical ideas for creating more equitable and effective cost-sharing solutions Assess the feasibility and potential impact of implementing these solutions for your own organization"