Description: Risk adjustment (RA) is a key component for CMS Medicare Advantage program and California Medicaid Managed Care program. While both RA programs follow generally accepted basic principles at a high level, their underlying methodologies and assumptions are also quite different. Due to recent events such as COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and Medicaid redetermination delay and restart, it adds complexity to Risk Adjustment. This is a hot topic in the industry and has significant impact to health plans. Keeping current with risk adjustment program changes and understanding the commonalities and differences of these two government risk adjustment programs is important to our health actuaries. Compare these two risk adjustment programs so you can learn key elements of a risk adjustment program, similarities and differences in methodology and assumptions , as well as special considerations due to serving different populations.

Description: Misalignment in value-based care approaches between payers and market segments (Medicare, Medicaid, self-funded employer groups, and commercial insurance) creates significant headwinds and friction for health care providers seeking to succeed in an environment that is moving toward more value-based care models and payment approaches. However, while multi-payer approaches in value-based care are critical to eliminating these misalignments, uptake in such programs has been lagging for a variety of reasons. Hear about lessons learned from a selection of specific multi-payer initiatives to understand what went well and what challenges were encountered in expanding these initiatives more broadly. You should be able to walk away from this session with an appreciation of the potential for multi-payer approaches and the challenges faced in gaining traction with them.

Description: Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) benefits have expanded rapidly in recent years as an increasing number of states have required employers to provide these benefits to their employees. Examine recent developments in PFML benefits, for example, the presenters will provide information on which states are introducing or considering PFML programs, what types of benefits are provided, what types of data is available to monitor experience, and what challenges programs have encountered.

Description: Can you answer the question, 'What are the chances we will lose more than $1 million?' without saying, 'It depends'? If you miss a projection, can you estimate the chances that the miss was due to random variation versus an incorrect projection? Listen 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 and to apply to many health actuarial functions.

Description: Come check out a diverse panel of health actuaries available to help guide you around the track for any question you may have. An ACA question - we have it covered! A valuation question - we will find a solution. A professionalism issue - we will make a ruling! A regulatory concern - we will help guide the way! No question is off limits! There are no stupid questions!

Description: Join our annual Health Section Breakfast open to all attendees. Network, discuss ideas, and hear about the latest Health Section plans and projects from the Section council's executive officers. Be informed about new initiatives, resources, and research from the Health Section. Become involved as we work together to sustain and create meaningful opportunities and advancements in the industry, for our populations, and for our profession.

Description: Primary care is the backbone of health care service delivery and has been shown to contribute to positive health outcomes. Many states are emphasizing the importance of Primary Care by implementing new or expanded value-based purchasing arrangements. This session will explore recent developments in Primary Care payment models in Medicaid, how they align with initiatives from other payers, and how they address health equity.

Description: After 10 years, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) risk adjustment program has evolved as the ACA has evolved. In recent years the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has focused attention on predictive accuracy over compensating for actuarial risk and has failed to address systemic issues such as insolvencies that created suboptimal outcomes for the ACA markets.

Description: With a decade of experience, mature Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces continue to undergo significant changes amidst record enrollment levels. State activity has ramped up and similar themes have emerged. For example, an increasing number of states have either established or are considering operating their own exchange.

Description: Level funded products often target the small group market (2-50) and can result in many manual and tedious processes for underwriting to perform risk assessment. Learn how a carrier used technology to help automate risk assessment without the need for paper medical questionnaires, and exposed a risk engine for broker quoting to enable near real-time of pricing for risk-based products. The approach reduced labor and allowed underwriting to focus solely on fallout cases while also improving pricing consistency. Discuss broader trends in the health market for risk assessment, including new machine learning cost predictions that can be used for automation and better predictions of future costs. Discussion topics will include underwriting guidelines, business rules, risk scores, and machine learning. By attending this session, you will have a better idea of new trends in risk assessment for small groups where no claims experience is available. And, better understand business rules that are common in underwriting for flags for review as well as how risk scores and machine learning can be used during the underwriting process.