Description: This article explores the findings of a survey which indicates that employers who offer both a pension and a savings plan have plans that are more generous, use more channels for employee communication, and are more attentive to plan management activities. From Pension Section News, February 2002, Issue No. 48.

Description: This articles lists the 2003 updated annual amounts for federal agencies and programs that affect pension programs.

Description: Defined contribution plans need to do more than simply offer participants a menu of investment choices--the average worker is not building a secure retirement. Because both employers and employees face constraints, the solution is not as straightforward as delaying retirement or boosting contributions. Features like automatic enrollment can help somewhat, but are not enough. Truly innovative solutions are needed. There are numerous different proposals for improved retirement plans, both in the US and internationally. Individual proposals often contain an evaluation section dealing with benefits and risks, but what is lacking is a full quantitative evaluation framework that can be uniformly applied to a number of different proposals. This essay lays the groundwork for a potential research project to build such a quantitative assessment framework.

Description: Analysis of the impact of disease progression and treatment on life expectancy provides perspective on the long term costs to the health care system of chronic medical conditions.

Description: With many pharmacy benefit plans now considering whether to add a 4th tier for high priced specialty drugs, review and discussion also needs to be given to the other end of the pharmacy cost spectrum to see how costs can be reduced by promoting lower cost over-the counter OTC drugs. From Health Watch News, September 2006, Issue No. 53.

Description: This article covers considerations when an international parent may be faced with responsibility for a US retirement program.

Description: International Section Newsletter, April 2005, Issue No. 35. This article pertains to offshore pension plans and their role in global pension plans. It discusses the rationale for setting up an off-shore pension plan, determining a location, benefit design, required funding, establishment and operation and trusteeship and administration

Description: Discusses the shrinkage of pension benefits in Britain and the mortality and interest rate risk in British pension plans.

Description: Business intelligence;

Description: European insurance regulation pretends to capture and rely on the 1-year 1-in-200 VaR. But there cannot exist any scientific calibration of such measure. Why?