This Week … In a Minute

Only have a minute? Catch up on the week’s top stories with the latest “This Week … In a Minute” video. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive videos as they are released.

MEMBERSHIP

Board Selection Process Underway

The Academy’s annual member-selected directors selection process kicked off this week and runs through Sept. 17. Members should have received a Sept. 3 email from Intelliscan (Academy@intelliscanvotes.com) with their personalized selection page. For more, visit the Board Selection Center.

Deadline Approaching: Call for Volunteers Wraps Up Monday

The Academy’s annual Call for Volunteers wraps up on Monday, Sept. 8. If you haven’t yet, please take a few minutes to explore available opportunities and submit your interest in committees and work groups including the Reinsurance Work Group, Social Security Committee, Committee on Professional Responsibility, Life and Health Qualifications Seminar Subcommittee, and P/C Extreme Events and Property Lines Committee.

Questions? Contact Manager of Volunteer and Member Engagement Anthony Washington at volunteer@actuary.org.

OUTREACH & NEWS

Contingencies Highlights Academy’s Policy Role & Impact

The September/October Contingencies covers how the Academy’s role as the voice on public policy helps inform nonpartisan policymaking—watch a short video previewing the piece. Also in the issue, public/private frameworks in long-term care; and the final installment of a two-part interview with several state insurance commissioners that highlights the NAIC-Academy relationship. And, President Darrell Knapp writes about how relationships and rigor support the Academy’s public policy efforts, and Executive Director and CEO William J. Michalisin explains what the Academy stands for—and why it matters.

Also recently released:

The August Actuarial Update included coverage of the Academy’s presentations at the NAIC Summer Meeting in Minneapolis; presentation of the third annual Award for Research; and Professionalism Counts wraps up its summer quiz series with questions on the actuarial standards of practice.

The Summer Retirement Report includes a Q&A on the spousal benefits issue brief; previews this month’s retirement symposium; and covers Bruce Cadenhead’s nomination to be the Academy’s next retirement vice president.

GAO Seeks Chief Actuary Candidates

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is seeking a chief actuary to guide and oversee the implementation and quality of all program activities related to actuarial matters and manage GAO’s actuarial staff to maintain excellence in actuarial practice within GAO. For more information, please contact GAO Chief Actuary Frank Todisco at todiscof@gao.gov.

NAWA Virtual Annual Meeting Set for Sept. 30

The Network of Actuarial Women and Allies (NAWA) will hold its 2025 virtual annual meeting on Sept. 30 from noon to 4 p.m. EDT. The program will include a keynote speaker; sessions; leadership updates and strategic vision; and opportunities to connect, contribute, and engage with fellow members. Look for details coming soon to NAWA’s LinkedIn and Instagram pages.

Academy in the News

A Retirement Income Journal story on defined-contribution plan decumulation strategies included discussion of the March issue brief, Decumulation Strategies: Creating Lifetime Income from Defined Contribution Plans.

PUBLIC POLICY

Medicare Issue Brief Released; Webinar Next Week

The Medicare Committee released an issue brief, Medicare’s Financial Condition: Beyond Actuarial Balance, examining the findings of the 2025 Medicare Trustees Report with respect to program solvency and sustainability. Financing challenges, including inadequate income and increased spending, led the trustees to conclude that the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund is projected to be depleted by 2033, three years earlier than projected in 2024’s report.

Webinar Next Week—The Health Practice Council is holding a webinar on Sept. 9, Medicare: Where Are We Now? And, Where Are We Headed? It will offer a deep dive into the annual Medicare Trustees Report, with Academy Medicare Committee Chairperson Derek Skoog summarizing and providing insights on the report’s findings. Attendees will also hear from Carrie Graham, a research professor and Director of the Medicare Policy Initiative from the Georgetown Center on Health Insurance Reforms; and Frank McStay, the assistant research director for the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy’s Medicare Accountable Care Transformation. Continuing education credit is available for this live webinar. Register today.

Public Policy in Action

The C-1 Subcommittee provided an update to NAIC’s Risk-Based Capital Investment Risk and Evaluation (E) Working Group on collateralized loan obligation (CLO) C-1 factor modeling for the Structured Securities Risk-Based Capital (RBC) Project.

Resource Center—Visit the online Resource Center to stay on top of the latest Academy news and activity.

PROFESSIONALISM

Webinar Covers Key Elements of Professionalism Housed Within the Academy

Friday’s professionalism webinar, COQ, ASB, ABCD: The Professionalism Trifecta, featured members of the Committee on Qualifications (COQ), Actuarial Standards Board (ASB), and Actuarial Board for Counseling and Discipline (ABCD). The three entities are at the heart of actuarial professionalism—setting standards for the profession and helping actuaries meet these standards. President Elect Patricia Matson moderated the conversation. Look for a replay coming soon on Academy Learning.

EDUCATION & EVENTS

CLRS Begins Monday; Stop by the Academy’s Booth

The annual Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar, sponsored jointly by the Academy and the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), begins Monday in Philadelphia. Please stop by the Academy’s booth at CLRS. The Sept. 8–10 event will include seminars and workshops, including the Sept. 9 general session featuring Academy Senior Casualty Fellow Rich Gibson and Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Andrew Mais talking about a commissioner’s agenda and how actuaries can help. Gibson will also moderate a Sept. 10 concurrent session on the current state of flood insurance featuring Casualty Practice Council member Steve Kolk.

Academy Board member and Committee on Property and Liability Financial Reporting (COPLFR) Chairperson Stephen Koca and COPLFR Vice Chairperson Michelle Iarkowski will lead a Sept. 9 roundtable on COPLFR’s work and participate in a Sept. 10 California wildfires case study concurrent session. See the full schedule.

Register for September’s Retirement Symposium

Register for the Academy’s Actuarial Perspectives and Solutions for Strengthening the U.S. Retirement System symposium, to be held on Sept. 18 in Washington, D.C. This retirement symposium will bring together federal policymakers, retirement experts, and actuaries to discuss and share actionable solutions aimed at strengthening the U.S. retirement system and improving outcomes for Americans, with special recognition of Social Security’s 90th anniversary this year. U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro will offer an opening keynote, and a networking reception will follow the final panel discussion. Register today.

EVENT CALENDAR

Sept. 8–10	Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar; Philadelphia (sponsored jointly with CAS)
Sept. 9	Medicare: Where Are We Now? And, Where Are We Headed?
Sept. 18	Actuarial Perspectives and Solutions for Strengthening the U.S. Retirement System; Washington, D.C. (retirement symposium)
Nov. 17–20	Life and Health Qualifications Seminar; Arlington, Va.
Nov. 20–21	Academy Leadership Summit & Governance Transition; Washington, D.C.
Dec. 8–9	Seminar on Effective P/C Loss Reserve Opinions; Salt Lake City (early discounts available)

Visit the Event Calendar for a complete listing of Academy events.

Next Week—HealthCheck

Coming next week, the latest HealthCheck newsletter will include a deep-dive Q&A on the Health Practice Council’s resource guide and suite of publications on how aspects of health insurance markets influence each other. Also, a recap of NAIC Summer National Meeting presentations, and a preview of next week’s Medicare webinar.