Repeal of ASOP No. 31 – Documentation in Health Benefit Plan Ratemaking
DownloadThis ASOP has been repealed by the Actuarial Standards Board. It is no longer applicable to professional services provided by actuaries who are subject to the Code of Professional Conduct. It is provided solely for members’ convenience and information, and is not binding upon any actuary.
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June 2009
TO: Members of Actuarial Organizations Governed by the Standards of Practice of the Actuarial Standards Board and Other Persons Interested in Documentation in Health Benefit Plan Ratemaking
FROM: Actuarial Standards Board (ASB)
SUBJ: Proposed Repeal of Actuarial Standard of Practice (ASOP) No. 31
ASOP No. 31, Documentation in Health Benefit Plan Ratemaking, has been repealed by the ASB.
Background
ASOP No. 31, Documentation in Health Benefit Plan Ratemaking, was effective in 1998 and relied heavily on Interpretative Opinion No. 3 of the Guides and Interpretative Opinions as to Professional Conduct of the American Academy of Actuaries.
In 2002, the ASB repealed Interpretative Opinion 3: Professional Communications of Actuaries when the Board adopted ASOP No. 41, Actuarial Communications, which supersedes the guidance of Interpretative Opinion No. 3. ASOP No. 41 is applicable to all areas of actuarial practice and provides guidance with respect to written, electronic, or oral communications.
The Health Committee of the ASB has reviewed ASOP No. 31 and compared its guidance to ASOP No. 41 and other ASOPs. The committee concluded that the guidance in ASOP No. 31 is addressed in ASOP No. 41 and other ASOPs.
Exposure Draft
The exposure draft of this repeal document was issued in September 2008 with a comment deadline of December 31, 2008. Four comment letters were received. For a summary of the substantive issues and the reviewers’ responses, please see Appendix 2.
The Actuarial Standards Board wishes to thank all who commented on the repeal.
Action
The ASB voted in June 2009 to repeal ASOP No.31.
ASOP No. 31 is repealed for any work performed after June 30, 2009.
Health Committee of the ASB
Paul R. Fleischacker, Chairperson
Mike S. Abroe John C. Lloyd
Robert G. Cosway Cynthia S. Miller
Jomes M. Gutterman Nancy F. Nelson
Actuarial Standards Board
Stephen G. Kellison, Chairperson
Albert J. Beer Robert G. Meilander
Alan D. Ford James J. Murphy
Patrick J. Grannan Godfrey Perrott
Thomas D. Levy James F. Verlautz
Appendix 1
Note: This Appendix is prepared for informational purposes only.
The Health Committee prepared the following grid, which identifies provisions of section 3 of ASOP No. 31 cross referenced against ASOP No. 41, Actuarial Communications, and other ASOPs to reflect where pertinent actuarial guidance already exists.
Appendix 2 – Comments on the Exposure Draft and Responses
The exposure draft of the repeal of ASOP No. 31, Documentation in Health Benefit Plan Ratemaking, was issued to the membership in September 2008 with a comment deadline of December 31, 2008. Four comment letters were received. The ASB and Health Committee carefully considered all comments received. Summarized below are the significant issues and questions contained in the comments and responses to each. The term “reviewers” in Appendix 2 includes the Health Committee and the ASB.
Click here to view Appendix 2 in its entirety.