SOA Podcasts - Society of Actuaries

In this episode, host Tiana Zhao, FSA, CERA explores impacts of interest rate changes on insurance market, specifically on marketing and distribution.

Listen in as host Jackie Lee talks to Suzanna-Grace Tritt about Medicare Stars again. We first began this discussion with the 2020 podcast, Health Section: Medicare Star Ratings. Is it a STAR(T) of a new era? What has happened with Stars since Covid? What happened during the summer of 2024 that was unprecedented?   Also, here are other articles from Suzanna-Grace and her Wakely team to dig deeper into Stars: -            Initial Star Ratings and the impact of a significant cut point methodology change -            Updated Star Ratings, which were changed due to SCAN and Elevance lawsuits -            CMS proposes additional temporary changes to Stars

Join us for the September edition of the YPAC podcast as host Derek Camenga, ASA, is joined by Ross Starfeldt, FSA, who discusses the various roles and challenges he has encountered throughout his career as an actuary. From his start in consulting to traditional actuarial functions to strategic leadership positions, Ross has seen a wide variety of ways in which an actuary could provide value and shares his thoughts on how these roles shaped his career for the better. Ross also shares tips on how to position yourself for different opportunities and for succeeding in any role you hold as an actuary. 

In this episode Roy Ju, FSA, CERA, MAAA, joins host Nick Kocisak, ASA, to discuss how to build credibility early in your career and accelerate your professional growth. Roy shares his experience through his exam journey and highlights some of the key actions and perspectives that have fueled his success. 

Join Anders Larson and Shea Parkes as they delve into the technical aspects of large language models (LLMs); this episode focuses specifically on the process of tokenization. They discuss how understanding the workings of these models can aid in interpreting their outputs and integrating them into actuarial work. The conversation covers the evolution of natural language processing, the significance of tokens in LLMs for bridging text to numbers, and the stochastic process of generating new tokens.

In this podcast episode, join host Tiana Zhao, FSA, CERA and guest Leyla Lesina, Head of Individual Markets Distribution at Guardian Life, to take an in-depth look at the current state of the US individual insurance market, including the key trends, challenges, and opportunities facing insurers. We'll explore the evolving consumer landscape, the impact of financial volatility, and discuss how to set visions and strategies in today’s world.

Join us for another exciting episode of YPAC podcast as host Yisi Wang, FSA, CFA sits down with Blake Hill, FSA, FCIA, a distinguished leader in the insurtech industry. Discover the transformative power of technology in insurance, and the unique challenges and opportunities within the insurtech sector. Blake also shares invaluable career advice for young professionals and highlights the benefits of volunteering within actuarial organizations. 

Host Nick Kocisak, ASA, is joined by Austin Kang, FSA, MAAA, CERA, to discuss the importance of being more than just a "number cruncher" as you fulfill your actuarial duties.  Austin shares his experience working in the health consulting industry and provides lessons learned on how to leverage your actuarial background to gain trust and confidence with your clients and coworkers. 

In this podcast episode, Virginette Scott, The Actuarial Foundation’s Stem Stars/Math Motivators Program Specialist sets the spotlight on The Actuarial Foundation’s Math Motivators program. Virginette’s guests are Barry Jacobson, retired actuary and the visionary founder of Math Motivators, and Jill Geritano, the parent of a former and a current Math Motivators student, who both thrived in the program. We will delve into the history of the Math Motivators program with Barry and explore its transformative impact on the educational journeys of students who have participated.

In this episode, we explore the rapidly evolving landscape of emerging risks and how they are impacting the world of marketing and distribution. From climate change and artificial intelligence to financial volatility and geopolitical landscapes, we'll dive deep into the key challenges and opportunities facing businesses today.

In this podcast episode, Jonas Brobbey hosts Elizabeth Dietrich FSA, CERA, MAAA, who takes us through her career journey from Actuary to CFO and provides actionable tips on navigating and forging a successful career as an Actuary.   

After being in effect for over three years, the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) expired in May 2023. From the start of the PHE, state Medicaid programs applied continuous coverage (or non-termination) requirements to access additional federal matching funds provided through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 ended the Medicaid continuous coverage requirements in March 2023, disconnecting the federal match requirements from the PHE. This change was projected to result in millions of individuals losing their Medicaid coverage, raising questions about significant short-term and long-term impacts on state Medicaid programs and other health insurance markets.  During this podcast, our guests discuss where we are over a year into the unwinding of the continuous coverage requirements, as well as the projected effects on health coverage for the Medicaid population. Presenters also shared considerations for addressing the unwinding in Medicaid managed care capitation rate-setting.

Join host Nick Kocisak, ASA and guest Taylor Pickett, FSA, MAAA for a discussion of the importance of leveraging foundational actuarial principles and communicating effectively when working in innovative areas of the profession. Taylor shares his experience working with accelerated underwriting programs around the industry and provides insights into how he and his team help insurers get comfortable with the assumptions developed for each unique program. 

Join us for a conversation that journeys from the 1980’s to today, exploring how technology along with the nature of actuarial work has evolved. On this podcast, Bill Sayre, FSA (an actuary with decades of experience) will take Shang Xu, FSA (a Gen Z actuary) into the past, examine how the nature of actuarial work changed with the advancements in technology, how actuarial analysis became more sophisticated as products became more complex. This podcast highlights the only constant throughout history is change and encourages the listeners to stay curious and embrace the changes we face in our profession.

In this podcast Joe Alaimo interviews Rahul Nawab, SVP, Analytics at EXL to discuss cyber insurance evolution, risk mitigation, and emerging trends. They explore emerging trends, adaptive strategies, data analytics, and insurer innovations in cyber insurance and risk mitigation.