The Academy’s Health, Life, and Casualty practice councils submitted comments on New York State Department of Financial Services’ proposed insurance circular letter on the use of Artificial Intelligence Systems (AIS) and External Consumer Data and Information Sources (ECDIS) in insurance underwriting and pricing. The councils support efforts to curb underwriting and pricing methods that “reflect systemic biases and can reinforce and exacerbate inequality.”

The Health Practice Council’s Individual and Small Group Markets Committee and Active Benefits Committee responded to the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration’s proposed rule on Association Health Plan’s definition of employer.

The Health Practice Council’s Health Care Delivery Committee, Individual and Small Group Markets Committee, and Active Benefits Committee responded to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions’ (HELP) request for information on access to gene therapies for patients with an ultra-rare disease.

Health Equity Committee co-chairpersons Annette James and Rebecca Sheppard, and member Yi-Ling Lin, gave an overview of the committee’s work on equity considerations related to benefit design to AHIP’s Health Equity Workgroup.

The Health Practice Council’s Individual and Small Group Markets Committee submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding the proposed rule for the 2025 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters.

The Individual and Small Group Markets Committee submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) on the Draft 2025 Actuarial Value (AV) Calculator Methodology.

Senior Health Fellow Cori Uccello and Health Equity Committee Co-Chairperson Rebecca Sheppard gave an overview of the committee’s work on equity considerations related managing population health and risk adjustment to AHIP’s Health Equity Workgroup.

Academy Senior Health Policy Analyst Matthew Williams provided an update on the Health Practice Council (HPC) activities of interest to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Health Actuarial (B) Task Force during its 2023 Fall National Meeting. Topics included: updates on the Health Equity Committee’s workshops and symposium; long-term services and supports; tiered RBC factor development; and the key policy priorities for the HPC in 2024.

On November 16, 2023, Academy Health Equity Committee chairperson Annette James and member Yi-Ling Lin presented to the Southeastern Actuaries Conference (SEAC) on the importance of health equity and cross-collaboration with various stakeholders. The presentation also highlighted the 2023 workshops and symposium focusing on the intersection of benefit design and health equity.

The Health Equity Committee released an issue brief summarizing its "Health Benefit Design Innovations for Advancing Health Equity: Removing the Barriers to Successful Implementation" series. 

The Health Equity Committee released the final two issue briefs in its "Health Benefit Design Innovations for Advancing Health Equity: Removing the Barriers to Successful Implementation" series. How to Better Understand the Needs of the People We’re Trying to Serve explores how to better understand unmet needs and incorporate input from employees and plan members into the benefit design decision-making process, and Overcoming Constraints to Implementation discusses some of the challenges of implementing equity-enhancing benefit plans—and possible solutions. The lessons learned in discussions that led to the four issue briefs will be the topic of a special Health Symposium: Health Benefit Design Innovations for Advancing Health Equity Nov. 15, from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 EST.

The Health Equity Committee released the final two issue briefs in its "Health Benefit Design Innovations for Advancing Health Equity: Removing the Barriers to Successful Implementation" series. How to Better Understand the Needs of the People We’re Trying to Serve explores how to better understand unmet needs and incorporate

input from employees and plan members into the benefit design decision-making process, and Overcoming Constraints to Implementation discusses some of the challenges of implementing equity-enhancing benefit plans—and possible solutions. The lessons learned in discussions that led to the four issue briefs will be the topic of a special Health Symposium: Health Benefit Design Innovations for Advancing Health Equity Nov. 15, from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 EST.

Health Care Receivables Factors Work Group member David Quinn provided an update to the NAIC’s Health Risk-Based Capital (E) Working Group on the current and proposed H3 Factors.

The Health Solvency Subcommittee’s Health Underwriting Risk Factors Analysis Work Group sent a letter updating the NAIC’s Health Risk-Based Capital (E) Working Group (HRBC) on progress on the NAIC’s request to comprehensively review the H2—Underwriting Risk Component and the Managed Care Credit Calculation included in the HRBC formula.

The Health Practice Council’s Long-Term Care (LTC) Reform Committee submitted comments to the Office of the State Actuary for the state of Washington on key issues related to LTC financing and risk management. The letter provides information on considerations necessary to achieve and maintain long-term services and supports (LTSS) trust solvency for the WA Cares Fund Program.