The American Academy of Actuaries created a Health Equity Work Group (HEWG) with a goal of contributing to efforts to reduce health disparities and improve health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations and underserved or under-resourced communities.
The HEWG is issuing a request for information (RFI) to solicit input to its work assessing whether and how health actuarial practices and methods affect health disparities. Health actuaries often partner with other professionals in many different aspects of the health care and health insurance systems, including those related to administration, financing, and care management. The HEWG has identified four areas in which health actuaries are involved that may affect health disparities, either by contributing to disparities or by mitigating disparities: health insurance benefit design, provider contracting and network development, premium pricing, and managing population risk. The work group is also exploring data collection issues. More information about the HEWG’s work and its publications thus far is available here.
Learn more about the RFI here. Comments should be submitted by Jan. 14, 2022, via email to healthequityRFI@actuary.org. Please include the phrase “HEWG Request for Information” in the subject line and do not password-protect any attachments. Comments may be sent via conventional mail to: Health Equity Work Group, American Academy of Actuaries, 1850 M Street NW Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036.
( )The Health Equity Work Group (HEWG) released a discussion brief, Health Equity from an Actuarial Perspective: Managing Population Health. This discussion brief is the final in the series developed by the HEWG to provide more context on issues raised in the initial discussion brief, Health Equity from an Actuarial Perspective: Questions to Explore. This series was undertaken by the HEWG to lay the groundwork for their future exploration and research into health disparities.
( )The LTC Reform Subcommittee submitted a comment letter to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Long-Term Care Insurance (EX) Task Force regarding the exposure drafts of the operational and actuarial sections of the Long-Term Care Insurance Multi-State Rate Review Framework released September 10 and September 15, 2021.
( )The Health Equity Work Group (HEWG) released a discussion brief, Health Equity from an Actuarial Perspective: Provider Contracting and Network Development. This discussion brief is part of a series developed by the HEWG to provide more context on issues raised in the initial discussion brief, Health Equity from an Actuarial Perspective: Questions to Explore.
( )The Health Care Delivery Committee and its Telehealth Work Group submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on CMS’ proposed rule on Medicare, payment policies, and enrollment regulation updates.
( )The Medicare Subcommittee released an issue brief on the financing challenges facing the Medicare program based on the 2021 annual review of the Medicare program’s trustees.
( )The Long-term Care Reform Subcommittee submitted a comment letter to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Long-Term Care Insurance Reduced Benefit Options (EX) Subgroup regarding the July 22, 2021 exposure draft, Issues Related to LTC Wellness Benefits.
( )The Academy’s Medicare’s Long-Term Sustainability Challenge Essential Elements provides updated figures and information on the financial outlook of Medicare following the release of the 2021 Medicare Trustees report. Essential Elements is a series designed to make actuarial analyses of public policy issues clearer to general audiences. Read the news release.
( )The Individual and Small Group Markets Committee released an issue brief laying out the factors underlying premium rate setting and highlighting the major components driving premium changes in 2022. Read the news release.
( )The Long-term Care (LTC) Reform Subcommittee released an issue brief on LTC financing reform proposals involving public programs. This issue brief provides a side-by side assessment of various federal and state reform programs and proposals using essential criteria for LTC financing reform proposals developed by the Academy.
( )The Individual and Small Group Markets Committee and its Risk Sharing Subcommittee submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the proposed rule, Updating Payment Parameters, Section 1332 Waiver Implementing Regulations, and Improving Health Insurance Markets for 2022 and Beyond.
( )The Long-term Care Reform Subcommittee sent a comment letter to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Long-Term Care (EX) Task Force regarding the June 10, 2021 exposure draft of the actuarial sections within the Long-Term Care Insurance Multi-State Rate Review Framework.
( )The Health Equity Work Group (HEWG) released a new discussion brief, Health Equity from an Actuarial Perspective: Health Plan Benefit Design. This discussion brief is part of a series developed by the HEWG to provide more context on issues raised in the initial discussion brief, Health Equity from an Actuarial Perspective: Questions to Explore.
( )The Health Solvency Subcommittee sent a letter to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Health Risk-Based Capital (E) Working Group regarding its request of the Academy to conduct a comprehensive review of the H2—Underwriting Risk component and managed care credit calculation in the health risk-based capital formula.
( )The Health Practice Council’s Individual & Small Group Markets Committee and Active Benefits Subcommittee sent a comment letter to the departments Health & Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury on prospective agency actions related to the recently enacted No Surprises Act regarding surprise medical billing.
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