Research Insights, a Society of Actuaries Podcast

In this special holiday episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute's Research Insights Podcast, host Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research, is joined by the full research team to reflect on the biggest developments of 2025. Featuring voices from across the Institute—including Achilles Natsis, Joe Alaimo, Kara Clark, Lisa Schilling, Nicole Anagnos, Patrick Nolan, Philip Adams, Rob Montgomery, and Steve Siegel—this festive episode highlights key research across areas such as artificial intelligence, climate risks, mortality and longevity, diversity and inclusion, health care trends, retirement, and more. The team shares personal reflections, professional milestones, and insights into some of the year's most impactful research projects—from the ACA@15 report and AI in health care, to experience studies and socioeconomic mortality trends. Major global and actuarial risks are also revisited, including climate events, geopolitical shifts, and the rise of advanced AI technologies. 🎧 Don't miss this celebratory wrap-up and reflection on the year that was.

In this December Classic episode of Research Insights, host Dale Hall revisits a timely and impactful conversation originally released on July 23, 2018. The episode explores the U.S. Human Mortality Database and highlights the critical value of long-term, reliable mortality records in understanding population health. As we mark Universal Health Coverage Day this December, this episode serves as a compelling reminder that strong health systems depend on strong data. From identifying mortality patterns to analyzing longevity trends, this discussion offers insights that are essential for designing equitable and sustainable health coverage for all. Listeners will hear how mortality data shapes policy and actuarial practice—and why it matters now more than ever.

In this episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the SOA Research Institute, welcomes Geralyn Trujillo, Senior Director of Public Policy at the American Academy of Actuaries. Together, they provide an insightful recap of the 2025 NAIC Fall Meeting held in Hollywood, Florida, December 8-11, 2025. The discussion covers key takeaways from the meeting, including updates from the SOA on climate-related research such as climate-induced migration, sea level rise, and wildfires, as well as important developments in long-term care experience studies and global mortality experience studies from Canada and China. Tune in for a deep dive into the issues shaping regulatory, policy, and actuarial landscapes in the U.S. and globally.

Classic Replay: Medicaid Managed Care – Considerations in Calculating Margin In recognition of National Family Caregivers Month, we're re-releasing this classic episode from June 26, 2017. Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the Society of Actuaries, is joined by Steve Siegel, SOA Research Actuary, and Sarah Tepema of Health Care Service Corporation. The conversation explores the SOA's report "Medicaid Managed Care Organizations: Considerations in Calculating Margin in Rate Setting." Listeners will gain insight into how states structure capitation rates for MCOs, how margins are defined and used beyond just profit, and the real-world impacts these margins have on Medicaid programs—especially important for populations relying heavily on caregivers. For more information on this report visit:  https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2017/medicaid-margins/

In this episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the Society of Actuaries, explores the 2019 Individual Life Insurance Mortality Experience Report with two expert guests: Jim Toole, FSA, CERA, MAAA, Chief Luminary at Aurora Actuarial, and Philip Adams, FSA, CERA, MAAA, Senior Experience Studies Actuary at the SOA Research Institute. They discuss the significant shifts in mortality trends from 2012 through 2019, including the dominance of level premium term insurance, the introduction of expanded preferred underwriting classes, and the increase in older age issue ages. The conversation also highlights the transition of data collection from MIB to the NAIC, and how predictive analytics like boosted decision trees and vine copulas were leveraged for data validation and insights. Actuaries will find insights into how these findings can support pricing, reserving, and risk management efforts, along with resources such as Tableau dashboards and downloadable text files that make data analysis more accessible. With post-2019 data expected soon, this episode offers timely reflections on the evolving landscape of individual life insurance mortality. Access the report and related materials by visiting the SOA website at:  https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2024/ilec-mort-2012-19/