Description: A description and status update on all recent research reports sponsored by the Financial Reporting Section.

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: Defined benefit plans have been disappearing from the private sector retirement program landscape. 401k Plans that have taken their place are not designed to provide retiree lifetime income. Individuals seldom work for a single employer and thus have many retirement accounts spread about. This commentary discusses an alternative approach to providing retirement income a voluntary basis in a vehicle that is decoupled from employers.

Description: Milliman was engaged by the SOA to conduct two Accelerated Underwriting (AU) surveys, one of direct companies and another of reinsurers. The surveys explored actual results from 2019–2021 and expected results from 2022.

Description: News about appointment of new commissioner of Social Security and movement on confirmation of public trustees.

Description: We discuss a teaching program for new actuarial science and risk management & insurance educators at Georgia State University that includes the following topics: - Introducing insurance - Syllabus construction - Creating content and actively engaging students - Student motivation and career paths - Assessment and grading rubrics - Professional ethics and other

Description: The Risks Analytics Symposium 2022: Actuarial Perspectives on Climate Change was a hybrid half-day event where university students, as well as academics and industry professionals, had the opportunity to network and view live discussion panels in-person at UIUC or virtually through Zoom.

Description: Two years ago, before COVID-19 changed everything about how we provide and receive health care, telehealth was largely provided by third-party vendors to treat a narrow range of acute one-and-done conditions. The value proposition was simple: a fast and easy member experience would drive satisfaction and engagement; high member satisfaction and engagement would drive health plan savings and member retention. Clearly, from the perspective of utilization, telehealth—as a viable alternative to in-person care during a pandemic—worked. And with COVID-19’s nudge—or was that a push?—toward cultural acceptance, the health care system is in a better position to capitalize on telehealth’s original promise of expanded access, lower cost and better outcomes than it was two years ago. But in the wake of the pandemic, it is just as clear to us that if telehealth is to live up to its full potential, some changes are needed. The rest of this article presents five ideas for improving the delivery of telehealth going forward.

Description: Educational opportunities for those interested in Long Term Care.

Description: The numerous restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have certainly affected everyone and those measures may have consequences for our health. The article attempts to uncover possible links between COVID-19 and depression.