Description: The declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency in the US has led to increased Medicaid membership, which has affected the aggregate acuity of these populations. This session will cover considerations in how this change in acuity could be accounted for in Medicaid rate development. Additionally, the session will provide updates on current issues in Medicare payment policy, including Medicare Advantage and new payment models. By attending this session, you will be brought up to date on recent Medicare legislative and regulatory developments as well as the potential impacts of COVID-19-related Medicaid enrollment policies on the morbidity of this population.

Description: Telehealth came to the forefront in a significant way during – 2020–2021, partially due to the pandemic. What is the reasonable expectation of future consumer use of telehealth? This virtual option has the ongoing potential to increase access to health care services to plausibly lower the cost of care. Furthermore, telehealth continues to evolve as a technology. Keeping current with advancements as well as consumer willingness to use this medium are important to the future of health insurance. By attending this session, you will learn about the latest advancements in telehealth as well as implications for cost of care due to consumer use.

Description: It’s well documented that oral health is correlated with overall health. An exciting array of new dental technologies is emerging, from virtual reality through AI to CRISPR. These ground-breaking advancements have the potential to revolutionize dentistry.

Description: As actuaries, we're trained to see patterns in numbers and to design solutions that mitigate risk. While quantitative analysis and modeling are critical actuarial tools, looking at the numbers alone can lead to insurance products that don't succeed in the real world the way math says they should. With new digital technologies surfacing in the insurance space, we have more data at our fingertips than ever before, leading to a higher focus on doing quantitative research within insurance product design. Take back a step from quantitative research and discover qualitative research methodologies into your product development process to design solutions that meet real needs in the market. In a nutshell, qualitative research can surface issues early and help you answer questions such as: Can we really sell this product in the market? Why would someone buy this? How widespread is the need? How could your product be a solution you didn't intend?

Description: Pharmacy prices are top of mind for many consumers, policymakers, and payers. There are many proposals out there about ways to reduce pharmacy costs, almost all of which involve price controls. Is that the right move? What about the unintended consequences of such regulation? Will fewer life-saving drugs be developed including fewer drugs that improve the quality of life? Are better financing alternatives out there? Explore the concept of value-based reimbursement for pharmacy prices, including the lessons learned from applying value-based concepts to hospital and physician value-based financing.

Description: In this session, participate in a mock negotiation of a typical value based contract taking on the role of either provider or payer and solving for the various negotiation challenges, objections, risk mitigations, data requirements, etc. from either party. Attendees will learn best practices and ideal tools and workflows to engage in when supporting VBC negotiations and gain insights into the typical challenges to equitable and agreeable terms.

Description: Examine an actuarial analysis of the 2022 Medicare Advantage competitive landscape with an emphasis on benefits and their value that drive membership increases. Evaluate plan components prevalent amongst the strongest plan offerings in the market, including supplemental benefit prevalence, member cost sharing, and the underlying benefit value. Better understand which benefits drive the most significant membership changes, as well as how to think about the most impactful benefit changes for 2023. By attending this session, you will have a clearer understanding of the drivers of enrollment changes in the MA market, and be empowered with your own analytical tools to understand changes for your plans and clients.

Description: Introducing Random Effects into Risk Score Models

Description: In this session, we will address the current landscape of the standalone Medicare Part D market and the challenges to its sustainability. Specifically, we will discuss some headwinds for plan sponsors due to the Inflation Reduction Act and future considerations for prescription drug plan (PDP) benefit design and pricing.

Description: Attendees will hear examples of individuals with medical conditions which are either being treated by gene therapy or have gene therapy treatments in development. Attendees will learn about what gene therapy is, current development methods, treatment efficacy, and expectations for future gene therapy treatments. We will explore funding challenges for gene therapy and potential methods to manage costs for gene therapy treatments.