Actuarial Equivalence Work Group letter to CMS regarding actuarial equivalence issues related to prescription drug plans (PDPs), Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, Medicare supplement plans, and retiree health benefits. (October 04, 2004 )

Medicare Steering Committee letter to CMS discusses issues related to the calculation of monthly savings — a step in determining beneficiary rebate amounts for MA plans — and payment adjustments based on the variation in costs among different areas including input prices, utilization, and practice patterns. (October 04, 2004 )

Medicaid Work Group issue brief identifying several provisions of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 that may have an impact on state Medicaid budgets. (June 30, 2004 )

Joint Committee on Retiree Health comments to FASB opportunity to comment on the proposed FASB staff position (FSP) 106-b, Accounting and Disclosure Requirements Related to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. (April 13, 2004 )

Health Savings Account Subgroup comments on IRS Notice 2004-2, which provides guidance on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) provisions in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. (March 30, 2004 )

Medicare Supplement Work Group Subteam report to the Medicare Supplement Subteam of the NAIC Accident and Health Work Group (A&HWG) provides input in response to a request from the NAIC to to develop a range of composite loss ratio curves (separately for issue age- and attained age-rated products). (March 10, 2004 )

This 2004 election guide for journalists, policy-makers and citizens to use as they evaluate the candidates’ Medicare proposals. It summarizes several Medicare issues and suggests questions that should be considered when analyzing any proposed changes to the Medicare program. (March 01, 2004 )

Health Practice Council letter to House and Senate conferees, who are reconciling to Medicare Rx bills, that offers assistance in assessing the actuarial implications of changes to the Medicare program. (September 29, 2003 )

Health Practice Council letter on the general risk sharing approaches available, summarizes the risk-sharing provisions in the Senate and House bills, and provides specific comments on the risk-sharing approaches in the Senate and House bills. (July 30, 2003 )

Health Practice Council white paper addressing issues for consideration in the debate over a prescription drug program under Medicare. (April 30, 2003 )

Medicare Steering Committee issue brief providing a primer on two approaches to reforming Medicare - should it retain its current defined benefit approach (similar to that used by traditional retirement plans) or should it be changed to a defined contribution approach (similar to that used by 401(k) retirement plans)? (July 01, 2002 )

Health Practice Council letter to Congress offers the Academy as a resource on questions related to Medicare and prescription drugs, and notes that adding any additional benefits, in particular a prescription drug benefit, without addressing the financing of the entire Medicare program would be unwise given the uncertainties for future funding of the current benefit structure. (June 20, 2002 )

Academy statement offering an actuarial perspective on Medicare's financial condition. (April 01, 2002 )

A presentation by the Medicare Supplement Work Group to an NCOIL health committee on Medicare supplement insurance and claim cost trends. (March 01, 2002 )

Medicare Steering Committee comment letter on proposed changes in the Medicare+Choice risk adjustment methodology and reporting requirements for diagnostic information for use beginning in 2004. (January 30, 2002 )

Prescription Drug Coverage Work Group issue brief outlining the programs available in the private sector that provide prescription drugs for seniors and to further discuss issues related to prescription drug coverage for this population. The issue brief complements the monograph, "Providing Prescription Drug Coverage for Medicare Beneficiaries," which was released in July 2000.

(July 02, 2001 )

Medicare Reform Task Force letter to Senate about the debate around changes to the Medicare program, including proposals to provide prescription drug coverage to seniors. (July 17, 2000 )

Medicare Reform Task Force monograph on one option available to provide prescription drug coverage to seniors – adding prescription drug coverage to Medicare. (July 03, 2000 )

Medicare Reform Task Force monograph on how Medicare solvency is measured and several proposals to strengthen the financial basis of the program. (July 01, 2000 )

Health Practice Council letter to National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare in response to the questions the commission raised regarding possible changes to the current Medicare benefit structure as well as modifications to the coverage requirements for Medicare supplement insurance. (February 17, 1999 )