Description: In this third issue of International News in 2022, we feature a contribution by SCOR, a leading reinsurer, highlighting the Actuarial Awards that SCOR presents annually, since 1996, to the best academic work in actuarial science, with annual prizes in several countries throughout the world. We also feature an article by Jessica Leong, FCAS, on barriers that Asian women must overcome to become leaders. Jessica recounts her own experience and how in overcoming some challenges she became the first Asian president of the Casualty Actuarial Society.

Description: The COVID-19 pandemic helped accelerate many changes in the Health Care system that were already taking place. The major disruptions to the way providers operated was quite evident with shifting of focus away from elective services to create capacity for treating COVID-19. However, even before the pandemic, providers were adapting to changes in their environments.

Description: Renal disease is a very heterogenous medical condition whose end state is dialysis, a recurring cost intensive medical condition. Dialysis cost is one of the major medical cost drivers in USA. Insufficient and improper care management in the early stages of CKD (chronic kidney disease) leads to early incidence of end stage renal disease (ESRD) among CKD patients which not only leads to high medical costs, but also reflects poor health quality.

Description: This article describes Medicare Supplement and short-term care products in more detail, and we compare their risk profiles. We explore the concept that these two products—when offered together—may provide a complementary hedge of certain policyholder behavior risks.

Description: An overview of the basic tooling and packages available for the Julia programming language, with a focus on why this is of interest to the actuarial profession. It covers some of the built-in language features as well parts of the Julia package ecosystem that make Julia ideal for modeling and data analysis. This is the second installment in a series of article aimed at actuaries. The first installment, Julia for Actuaries, was published in the October 2020 edition of Actuarial Technology Today, and covered the base language itself, its high-level, math-friendly syntax, and why the actuary of the future should consider its adoption.

Description: This paper applies the research in Prospect Theory of Kahneman and Tversky to explain why sales of annuities lag sales of life insurance products. The author theorizes that life insurance is easier to sell because customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of losses, while potential annuity customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of gains. Kahneman and Tversky showed us that people are mostly risk averse in the domain of gains and risk seeking in the domain of losses. Purchase of an annuity or life product is a risky investment. Customers will find it easier to take the risk in the life insurance domain of losses than the annuity domain of gains. The author then proposes a hybrid life annuity product that might address both mortality and longevity risk in one product that would allow both products to be more competitive than stand-alone products.

Description: Are you ready to supercharge your career? Join us for an exciting webcast where industry experts will share how to leverage mentoring and networking for career success. Discover how these powerful tools can transform your professional journey, provide invaluable insights, and open doors to new opportunities. In this dynamic session, our speakers will share their personal stories and practical tips on building meaningful mentoring relationships. You’ll learn proven networking strategies to connect with influential professionals and accelerate your career growth. Don’t miss this chance to gain insider knowledge from industry leaders and receive actionable advice. Whether you’re just starting out or aiming to advance your career, this webcast will equip you with the tools and inspiration you need to succeed.

Description: This three-part series provides an overview of the rapidly evolving and dynamic gene and cellular therapy landscape, from the clinical, historical, and risk transfer perspectives. It covers the actuarial considerations in pricing cell and gene insurance and reinsurance, the value assessment of the therapies, manufacturer pricing, and reinsurance cost.

Description: In this webcast, we will speak with actuarial leaders who developed their personal brand over several years to better understand just how powerful having a personal brand can be in actuarial work.

Description: The 2023 Professionalism in Practice Course will study, discuss and explore the professionalism practice, code of conduct and application of the actuarial profession. Our speakers are seasoned presenters from mainland China. Experts will cover several issues encountered in daily actuarial working environments. Content will include business cases and interactive discussions, which aim to enrich the practical learning experience of attendees. Audience attendance will be limited in order to provide an interactive, collaborative learning experience. Early registration is highly recommended to secure a seat.