As the third quarter comes to a close, it’s time to evaluate your annual required—and documented—continuing education (CE) requirements, writes Academy President Bob Beuerlein. CE is required under the U.S. Qualification Standards, and the Academy offers many opportunities for actuaries to gain their necessary credit, including the November Annual Meeting and Public Policy Forum. (Actuarial Update, September 2017) (September 29, 2017)

The September Actuarial Update covers the recipients of the Academy’s annual service awards, to be presented at the Annual Meeting and Public Policy Forum in November. Also in this issue, the Academy offers federal lawmakers and policymakers an actuarial perspective on the nation’s ongoing health care reform debate; Kevin Ryan was named the Academy’s senior property and casualty fellow; and the “Professionalism Counts” column discusses the importance of keeping up with your annual continuing education requirements. (September 29, 2017)

The latest Retirement Account covers the Social Security Committee’s issue brief on the 2017 Social Security Trustees Report; the Pension Practice Council’s issue brief on assessing pension plan health; the Pension Committee’s comment letter to the ERISA Advisory Council on Annual Funding Notices and a letter to Congress regarding incentives to provide annuity payouts from qualified plans; notes from the Intersector Group’s meetings with the IRS, Treasury Department, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; and more. (September 29, 2017)

The Academy warns that there are serious challenges to the stability and the sustainability of the existing individual health insurance market that need to be addressed. Read the news release. (September 27, 2017)

The Asset Adequacy Analysis Practice Note Work released a new practice note to assist practicing life actuaries who are faced with the requirement of asset adequacy analysis. (September 26, 2017)

The Asset Adequacy Analysis Practice Note Work Group released a new practice note to assist practicing life actuaries faced with the requirement of asset adequacy analysis. (September 26, 2017)

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.  (September 22, 2017)

The PBR Governance Work Group’s VM-31 Review Subgroup sent comments to the NAIC’s Life Actuarial (A) Task Force (LATF) on the exposed VM-31 Amendment Proposal Form (APF). (September 15, 2017)

The September HealthCheck covers the Health Practice Council’s letter this week to a key Senate committee on stabilizing the individual insurance market under the Affordable Care Act (ACA); Senior Health Fellow Cori Uccello’s participation in a Sept. 8 health care panel discussion; the Academy’s cross-practice letter to Congress on tax reform; the latest on the ACA; Medicare for all; and an agreement in principle to extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program for five years. (September 13, 2017)

The Academy announced the recipients of its two highest awards, the Jarvis Farley Service Award and the Robert J. Myers Public Service Award, for 2017 along with five recipients of the 2017 Outstanding Volunteerism Award. The awards will be presented at the Annual Meeting and Public Policy Forum in November. Read the news releases for details. (September 13, 2017)

The Health Practice Council sent a letter to U.S. Senate HELP Committee on efforts to stabilize the individual health insurance market. (September 12, 2017)

The American Academy of Actuaries is delighted to announce that Kevin M. Ryan, an actuary with decades of regulatory, executive, and consulting experience, was named as the Academy’s senior property and casualty fellow effective Sept. 1, 2017. Read the news release.  (September 05, 2017)