Annual Meeting Health & Welfare Sessions

Transparency around the cost of healthcare services has long been a lofty goal, and has made several headlines recently. Presenters share perspectives on transparency-related topics such as: Price comparison tools required under the Transparency in Coverage Final Rule and Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021; Uses of transparency data despite existing data constraints; Visibility into out-of-network pricing for members, plan sponsors, and providers and impacts of the No Surprises Act; and Cost transparency in the news.

Voluntary benefits have increased in need and value during the pandemic and drive to a more part-time workforce. Speakers focus on recent trends in voluntary benefits.

There is a myriad of innovative health care point solutions on the market today that work in tangent with a health plan. Employers and other health plan sponsors are inundated with claims about their advantages to the plan members and sponsors. This session, with panelists representing three large employers, addresses the process to identify the type of solutions that are relevant to their needs, the metrics that are important to evaluate, implementation issues, performance guarantees, methods of estimating savings, and other considerations in managing these vendors.

Speakers highlight current topics in Medicare Advantage and Part D using an interactive format including presentations, polling, and audience participation. Topics include Medicare Advantage, Part D, and employer-sponsored Medicare plans.

Retiree healthcare continues to be a front page topic. Economic pressures are squeezing participant budgets and sponsors are looking to best deploy resources to meet legacy commitments effectively. In Washington, while the Inflation Reduction Act has provided a boost to benefits for all retirees, but budget hawks are beginning to reappear and talk of changes to Medicare eligibility is growing louder. Our panel covers these topics and provide a current picture of retire healthcare markets. Additionally, panelists offer thoughts on trends within these markets and identify potential opportunities for consultants to help their clients best leverage them.

Ever wonder how your clients are reacting to legislative changes and other external influences (like COVID) on short-and long-term disability programs? Speakers discuss those topics and how paid family and medical leave are influencing the increasing disability costs.

We all believe that the rise in healthcare costs is unsustainable. At the same time we also believe that the rise in costs is not translating to better overall health. In this session, panelists discuss how providers are working on improving cost, quality, patient experience, provider experience, and health equity (the quintuple aim). We also discuss how actuaries are increasingly involved in helping providers achieve these goals.

More plans sponsors are adopting Medicare Advantage and Part D plans in their retiree health programs. What considerations should be made in projecting to costs of these programs, especially in light of the latest legislation (Inflation Reduction Act)?

Panelists provide an update on recent hot topics in pharmacy drug usage and benefits including obesity drugs, shortages of diabetic drugs, biosimilars and specialty drugs, pharma negotiations, and the uncertainty of the Inflation Reduction Act.

The machines are coming! ChatGPT and other advanced AI and analytic technologies are becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s workplace. Learn about what these technologies do, how they are being used, how bias may impact these models, and how they will shape the future of work in actuarial consulting, healthcare and beyond.

Come learn about trends in provider networks, negotiations and payments models, how the pandemic has impacted costs/utilization, and how inflation factors into reimbursements in both FFS and value-based arrangements. We'll also cover trends in network size and the potential for upcharging/payment innovation to make up for lost revenue during the pandemic.

As climate change continues to dominate the social and political landscape, we examine the possible implications from a healthcare cost point of view. How will employers' population risks shift as their environment shifts. What will we need to do to manage the increased costs due to an increase in tropical diseases? What, if anything, will reduce our costs as certain areas of the country experience less frigid winters? Join our experts and find out.

Many of us use SOA research in our work. Learn how the SOA approaches research from inception of ideas through peer review to release of the research. Research projects currently in process will be highlighted, and two of those projects will be reviewed by their researchers. First, research on high cost members, the 5% of the population that drives 50% of total healthcare cost will be presented. Second, digital health played a huge role in transforming healthcare during COVID. This research paper summarizes the massive amounts of literature review on digital health as well as actuarial analysis on digital health’s longitudinal impact across numerous areas of the healthcare system.

With technological advancements that make it easier to administer more complex and individualized healthcare programs, many employers are returning to models that leverage the best providers and carriers for their distinct geographic locations. Our speakers take you on a journey through the value of understanding regional issues with a stop in the land of regional carrier evaluations, and continuing on to what a program that pieces together the best aspects of each geography might look like. Join us for a great trip.

The CCA Healthcare Community meets to discuss current issues, outlooks, and news. Neither CCA nor Healthcare Community membership is required to attend.