The Risk Sharing Subcommittee and Premium Review Work Group submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the proposed rule for the 2019 benefit and payment parameters. The comments address proposed changes to the risk sharing mechanisms, special enrollment periods, essential health benefits, minimum essential coverage, and medical loss ratios.

The Health Practice Council submitted a letter to the U.S. Senate providing comments on the potential consequences of eliminating the ACA's individual mandate, as recently included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

The Comparative Effectiveness Work Group of the Health Care Delivery Committee published an issue brief providing an actuarial overview of comparative effectiveness research, including measuring its impact and its potential to reduce health care costs.

Chair of the LTC & Disability Committee, Al Schmitz, gives a presentation to the National Conference of Insurance Legislators about long-term care and sales and premium increase data; understanding premium rate increases; and essential criteria in LTC reform.

The Academy published a new Essential Elements paper, Tax Treatment of Pensions and Insurance Protections, highlighting select tax treatments of pensions and insurance protections, and outlining the potential public policy trade-offs of changes to the tax code. Essential Elements is a series designed to make actuarial analyses of public policy issues clearer to general audiences.

The Health Practice Council sent a letter to the U.S. Departments of Treasury, Labor, and HHS on the October 12 executive order.

The Health Practice Council sent comments to U.S. Senate Leadership on the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson Proposal (GCHJ), which would make revisions to the individual health insurance market and approaches to federal Medicaid funding. 

The Health Practice Council sent a letter to U.S. Senate HELP Committee on efforts to stabilize the individual health insurance market.

The Health Practice Council sent a letter to U.S. Senate leadership on the potential adverse consequences of legislation to eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate which would lead to lower enrollment, a deterioration of the risk pool, and higher premiums.

The P/C RBC Committee and the Health Solvency Subcommittee submitted a joint comment letter to the NAIC’s Investment Risk-Based Capital Working Group expressing concern about proposed changes to corporate bond factors.

The Health Practice Council released a new policy paper highlighting cost-sharing reductions including what they are and why they need to be funded.

The Medicare Subcommittee published an issue brief, Medicare’s Financial Condition: Beyond Actuarial Balance, on significant concerns about Medicare’s long-term financial health.

The Health Practice Council released a new policy paper highlighting several frequently asked questions (FAQ) on risk pooling and explaining how it works in the individual health insurance market. The FAQ also explores the differences between a single risk pool and separate risk pools. 

A new issue brief produced by the Individual and Small Group Markets Committee, Drivers of 2018 Health Insurance Premium Changes, provides an overview of the general factors underlying premium rate setting and highlights the major components driving premium changes for 2018. Read the news release.

The Health Financial Reporting and Solvency Committee sent comments to the NAIC's Statutory Accounting Principles Working Group in a Form A Maintenance Maintenance Agenda Submission Form.