Description: How does mortality experience impact earnings under the new GAAP financial framework? This article discusses how to isolate key components from financial models related to decrements, as well as how to handle the changes in the financial reporting landscape including: the aggregation of insurance policies into cohorts, dynamic reserving, and the limitations imposed by caps and floors. Looking at the components of earnings, such as the present value of benefits, expenses, and premiums, and how these elements interact is critical to form a comprehensive earnings story.

Description: Cost sharing reduction (CSR) payments are offered to low-income individual insurance buyers under the ACA. After October 2017, the difference in costs between the standard silver plan and CSR variants were defunded. To cover the costs of defunding, insurers have increased rates either through "broad loading" or "silver loading." States are approaching this adjustment differently, which is leading to some interesting differences between states. This article will review these differences.

Description: It is with great pleasure that we announce the winner of the “2024 Best Article” in Reinsurance News. Amongst a pool of exceptional articles, the article “What Does the Future of Mortality Look Like?” submitted by Adam Jedynak and Connie Cheng was chosen by the jury as the victorious submission. The article appeared in the June 2024 issue of Reinsurance News. It explores recent shifts in mortality, including post-COVID excess mortality, and looks at the impact of medical advancements and societal changes on mortality.

Description: We explore the question of how an actuary–artificial intelligence collaboration might look in the future and how actuaries should be trained to best leverage this technology. It felt fitting to accomplish this through a conversation with an AI system, as AI involvement is warranted to ground the analysis in the technology’s true capabilities.

Description: The latest in a series of articles connecting the principles of Zen Buddhism to the working world of actuaries. This issue focuses on techniques for cultivating a gratitude mindset under all types of conditions - even stressful ones, in order to maintain equilibrium and harmony for a more productive workday.