Actuarial Experts Available to Discuss Challenges and Policy Options for Social Security, Medicare With the Release of Trustees’ Reports

The 2015 Social Security and Medicare trustees’ reports provide a detailed picture of the programs’ financial health, including financial challenges that Congress and the administration need to address. Ensuring these programs are sustainable requires policy makers to carefully examine how to address both short-term challenges, such as the imminent depletion of the Disability Insurance (DI) funds, and longer-term solvency issues. The American Academy of Actuaries’ Public Interest Committee highlighted the importance of the sustainability of these programs and other financial security systems in its July 2015 white paper, Sustainability in American Financial Security Programs. The Academy will summarize the challenges and key policy options for both Social Security and Medicare in updated Essential Elements policy papers to be released today after the trustees’ reports.

What:
Interview an expert actuary about the 2015 Social Security and Medicare trustees’ reports
What do the 2015 trustees’ reports mean for the solvency and sustainability of these critical programs? What kinds of public policy options are available to Congress and the president to address the challenges that face these programs? Members of the media can get answers to these and other questions related to the reports through interviews with actuaries arranged by the American Academy of Actuaries.

Who:
Pension Actuary/Social Security
Timothy Leier, MAAA, FSA, EA
Chairperson, Social Security Committee, American Academy of Actuaries

Health Actuary/Medicare
Cori Uccello, MAAA, FSA, FCA
Senior Health Fellow, American Academy of Actuaries

When:
The actuaries will be available for interviews after the Department of the Treasury’s news conference on the trustees’ reports scheduled for 1:30 p.m. EDT, July 22, 2015.

To set up an interview, contact David Mendes at 202.785.7872 or mendes@actuary.org.
 
The American Academy of Actuaries is an 18,500+ member professional association whose mission is to serve the public and the U.S. actuarial profession. The Academy assists public policymakers on all levels by providing leadership, objective expertise, and actuarial advice on risk and financial security issues. The Academy also sets qualification, practice, and professionalism standards for actuaries in the United States.