Description: While there are many approaches currently being taken to transform health care, to be successful, we know that leading and planning for quality improvement is a science. Data is the common denominator as healthcare organizations establish best-practices, and ultimately overcome unintended variation through strong analytic systems. Health care leaders require specialized data analysis education and training to hone their skills in understanding and managing clinical variation. The problem with unexplained variation in healthcare is that it negatively impacts clinical outcomes, increases the cost of care, and diminishes value for patients. In this session, Dr. Ted James (BIDMC and Harvard Medical School Faculty) will explain how actuaries can offer practical solutions that provide insights into variations in clinical practice that cannot be explained by differences in medical conditions or patient preferences.

Description: Disease management [DM] is a health care intervention targeted to individuals with chronic diseases chronics. To justify the investment by payers in DM, it is important to demonstrate beneficial clinical and financial outcomes. This paper analyzes the health cost trends between the chronic and non-chronic populations. Paper 7 of an 8 paper series on 'An Introduction to Care Management Interventions and Their Implications for Actuaries'.

Description: This is article identifies and quantifies how one of several prospective cures for chronic conditions will impact healthcare.

Description: The presenters will explore the roles of mental health and social determinants of health in the management of a population's total health. We will explore how emerging sources of data and information have led to a renewed focus on managing mental health conditions and social determinants of health. Speakers will address current health care programs that utilize this data and information to manage the total care for populations using predictive models to improve the deployment of resources and initiatives to improve the cost of care and health of populations. The presenters will also look at how providers of care are approaching mental health co-morbidities to manage physical health and social determinants of health in the management of patients.

Description: This paper presents a different approach to measuring Health Expectancy, especially as it relates to the elderly population. This new actuarial approach is described and numerous examples are given.

Description: Early in his career, Ehren Nagel, FSA, MAAA, scoured through podcasts and articles about predictive analytics, long suspecting this was a field with potential for him.

Description: Preview of the Living to 100 Symposium.

Description: This session discusses disease management [DM] and the role of health actuaries versus economists and biostatisticians. Topics discussed include economics of DM, epidemiology strategies, and operational concerns. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 2, Session 21pd.

Description: Panelists discuss issues related to special programs used to treat members with known chronic conditions. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 25, No. 2.

Description: Separating incident and prevalent populations is useful, but the use of a cohort to make an RTM adjustment is unwarranted in the population-based pre- versus post-period design. From Financing Chronic Care Monograph, M-HB05-1.