Description: Introduction to additional actuarial research into development of and regulatory impact, economic impact and consumer impact of prescription drugs in the United States. Intended to further educate actuaries and others who work in this area and motivate more actuarial involvement to increase transparency, increase competition, better align stakeholder incentives and better mitigate total cost of care increases

Description: Social determinants of health (SDoH) have been a topic of growing interest in recent years, yet consensus about what the phrase represents and how health-related social needs should be studied or addressed by employers, health plans, providers and other stakeholders in the business of health care have been lacking. For many, low-income populations come to mind when considering the topic, yet SDoH include a wide range of factors beyond income. Many types of data are available, yet each presents distinct challenges and opportunities for analysis. In this article, we describe some of the underlying context for considering SDoH, as well as some of the potential data sources to consult and challenges to grapple with on this important topic.

Description: An interview with Jim Toole, lead researcher for SOA's pandemic research project. The project examines pandemic influenza and its implications to the life and health insurance industry.

Description: This article shows how COVID-19 affected retirement risks, and how retirement planning was impacted by COVID-19. It ties together COVID-19 and its economic consequences with results of two recent consumer surveys that examine retirement risk perceptions and financial well being and a more complete discussion of retirement risks. The Managing Post-Retirement Risks guide divided retirement risks into economic risks, risks and personal planning considerations, and unexpected and unpredictable events. Each of the risks discussed in the guide is discussed in the article with commentary on COVID-19 and its impact, and information about how to manage the risk. For each risk, there is information provided about any insights gained in the two surveys. Results of the two surveys linked to COVID-19 are also discussed.

Description: Through the sponsorship of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Society of Actuaries partnered with Wakely to use their health care data to study the effects of COVID-19 on overall health care claims for individuals with a COVID-19 diagnosis. The conclusion of the study is that individuals with COVID-19 claims had significant increases in health care costs leading up to their months of diagnosis, as well as in the months following their diagnosis. These effects were more pronounced for individuals who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 as well as for individuals with prior co-morbidities. Finally, the overall health care costs of these members plateaued at significantly higher levels than their pre-COVID baselines. In fact, all the main membership cohorts experienced claim levels that were at least 20% higher than their pre-COVID starting points.

Description: In this session, Deana Bell, FSA MAAA provides a comprehensive introduction to the Medicare Risk adjustment Program. Deana is a Principal & Consulting Actuary in the Seattel office at Milliman. She has been working with Medicare Advantage throughout her career as an actuary. Her expertise includes actuarial opinions, pricing, rating, reserving, medical underwriting, benchmarking, and risk adjustment projects. IN this session she sheds light on how Medicare Advantage health plans are compensated by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through risk adjusted revenue. She highlights the significance of risk adjustment in ensuring financial stability for Medicare Advantage plans. Contributors: Deana Bell, FSA MAAA ; David Koenig, FSA, MAAA, John Dawson, FSA, MAAA, Jon Forster, ASA, MAAA

Description: In this video Scott Allen, FSA, MAAA discusses the Medicare Advantage Part C bid template. The template helps Medicare Advantage plans estimate costs and premiums, comparing their bids to CMS benchmarks. It’s a complex process involving worksheets that project costs, calculate revenue requirements, and determine rebates, ultimately influencing the plan’s benefits, premiums, and competitiveness in the market. Contributors: Scott Allen, FSA, MAAA, Eric Milner, ASA, MAAA, Danica Turner, FSA, MAAA, Jon Forster ASA, MAAA

Description: Yi-Ling Lin, FSA, MAAA, FCA, started the SOA’s Predictive Analytics Certificate Program to keep pace with the impact big data and predictive modeling is having on the health care industry

Description: This article on IPV focuses on IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic

Description: Kevin Pierce, FSA MAAA divesinto the Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on US drug pricing. He discusses two key provisions: Inflation rebates, where pharmaceutical manufacturers must pay rebates to the government if drug prices rise faster than inflation, and drug price negotiation by Medicare, set to commence in 2026 for selected drugs. Contributors: Kevin Pierce, FSA, MAAA, Deana Bell, FSA, MAAA Mitchell Momanyi, FSA, MAAA, Jon Forster, ASA, MAAA