Description: A study on stochastic simulation literature as it applies to a health actuary.

Description: The Health Plan Employee Data and Information Set 'HEDIS' is a set of standardized performance measures initially designed to enable purchasers of health care to evaluate and compare a managed care plan’s administrative performance. The National Committee for Quality Assurance, known as the NCQA, developed HEDIS in 1991. Since its introduction, HEDIS has become a widely used tool for measuring a broad array of health plan functions. This study evaluates the reliability and validity of HEDIS measures. It also reviews the usefulness of HEDIS as an indicator of health care quality.

Description: “Non-traditional” guarantees refer to guarantees that are in addition to traditional mortality, expense, and interest guarantees. Examples of such types of guarantees are death and living benefits on variable annuity contracts and no-lapse guarantees on universal life or variable universal life products. The purpose of this paper is to offer practitioners an overview of the various issues concerning the pricing of these guarantees, the many other issues which need to be analyzed and addressed in the determination of risks and the management of the block of business, and the results of a company survey of practices. This paper is based on the working knowledge of the authors, a broad compilation of literature and the company survey results. At the end of most sections of the paper, we have provided a list of resources which we have selected as some of the best sources available for those practitioners interested in researching the subject matter further.

Description: Provides an update in the April - Sept 2015 contest organized by the section

Description: Discussion of recent growth in fixed annuity sales and sales experience for small companies.

Description: The new 2001 CSO regulation requires the filing of an asset adequacy opinion when the table is utilized - which can be a significant issue for small insurers.

Description: This article addresses the 2001 CSO Mortality Table and the implications for preneed insurance, for which the table has been deemed inadequate. The article explores interim measures such as additional reserves, treatment as substandard, and tax implications. There is also discussion of a model NAIC regulation which would mandate the use of 1980 CSO mortality for preneed as well as efforts to eventually establish a new preneed mortality table for valuation and nonforfeiture purposes.

Description: This article provides some insights into the creativity employed in cash flow testing to help ensure the sound survival of small companies that have limited means.

Description: Update on activities in the Smaller Insurance Company Section

Description: When a life insurance company changes its basis for computing tax reserves, a special 10-year spread rule found in section 807(f) of the Internal Revenue Code applies to the change. But, what happens if the statutory accounting for original issue discount (OID) or bond premium changes? A discussion follows.