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: This session will discuss: • What is social insurance and advantages of financing LTSS that way • Design decision points for an LTSS program • Existing examples of programs in the US and Abroad • Challenges and differences in pricing state-based LTSS financial reform.

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: "Weighted compositional data analysis for modeling and forecasting life-table death counts – Han Lin Shang, Ph.D., Professor of Business Analytics and Director of Research at the Department of Actuarial Studies and Business Analytics at Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Steven Haberman, PhD, Bayes Business School, City University of London, UK Compensation Effect of Mortality as a Challenge to Life Extension – Natalia S. Gavrilova, Ph.D., Leonid A. Gavrilov, Ph.D. Academic Research Centers, NORC at the University of Chicago"

Description: Explore the findings from the research paper recently released by Milliman and the SOA, highlighting the growing need for support of informal/family caregivers. We will discuss both quantitative and qualitative data that illustrates not only the cost and burgeoning need, but the mental/emotional stressors that come along with this work.

Description: Currently there are ten states in the U.S. —Rhode Island, California, New Jersey, New York, Washington, DC; Washington, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Oregon and Colorado —that have enacted Paid Family Leave. Paid Family leave is an employee funded state insurance program that provides wage replacement to eligible workers when they take time off of work to care for a seriously ill family member or to bond with a new child. Who pays the taxes? The employer or the employee? How will this effect short term disability benefit offerings in the work place? How does a Paid Family Leave plan get implemented? Is it up to the employee to file for the benefit through the unemployment office or does the employer file? At the state level, how is paid family leave reserved for? How is it administered? What job protections are there? How does this work with the Family Medical Leave Act? Get these and more questions answered. By attending this session, you should have an understanding of the state Paid Family Leave programs, what it means to future short term disability plans, and how the state accounts for this program.

Description: Traditional Medicare [TM] has many coverage gaps and no out-of-pocket maximum. Most members must purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan and a Part D plan for pharmacy coverage. Over 50% of members have opted for a Medicare Advantage [MA] plan that replaces TM and the need to purchase a Supplement and (in most cases) a Part D plan. All this for less cost to the member, but at a greater overall cost to the federal government even though MA plans provide TM benefits for less than it costs the government. The attendee will learn why this occurs. However, given these facts, the focus of the session will be on the future of Medicare: namely, should the parameters regarding MA bids and payments be limited to what is paid for TM, or can we take the best administrative techniques of MA and TM to provide more robust benefits for all Medicare members at a cost no greater than the government is currently paying? Or is there an even better idea?

Description: Some seniors may find it challenging to manage frequent doctor visits. Telemedicine can significantly fill in some of these gaps by enabling “virtual” doctor visits. Telemedicine improves access to medical care, reduces the need for transportation, reduces wait times, protects the health of individuals who won’t be exposed to germs of others in a waiting room, and improves access to care from a healthcare professional who may be far away from the patient and more. Implications for telemedicine in charged amounts (in various insurances) are being worked out and continue to evolve.

Description: Mortality is a fundamental element in the financial projections of the finances of social security programs around the world. Prominent actuaries from the U.S. Social Security Administration, Canada's Office of Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the U.K. Government Actuary's Department will discuss some of the key factors and current issues associated with these projections. Improving mortality has and will have a significant effect on the affordability and importance of income through retirement to many population segments in these countries.

Description: Experts in the field of healthy aging discuss new insights and emerging services and ElderTech, such as wearables and passive monitoring devices and virtual therapies, that can prolong a disability-free lifestyle. What is effective? How do we get people to engage in activities that are good for them in the long run?