Contingencies Magazine

Skip to content Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share via eMail From utilization to mortality assumptions, these medications raise new cost and risk considerations for actuaries and insurers. By Kimberly Ferrero GLP-1 medications (Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) did not begin their clinical lives as weight-loss drugs. Instead, they emerged from efforts in the early 2000s to improve treatment options for people with type 2 diabetes.

Academy members may change their mailing address or choose to receive Contingencies via mail or email in the Update Your Academy Profile section of the member login page . The magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect official policy of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Academy members may change their mailing address or choose to receive Contingencies via mail or email in the Update Your Academy Profile section of the member login page . The magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect official policy of the American Academy of Actuaries.

By Katie Dzurec Director, Public Policy Outreach (State) (05/13/25) At the 40,000-foot level, there is nothing but similarities between the federal and state policy processes. So if you’re still humming “I’m Just a Bill” (after Ted Gotsch’s February primer on the federal process), you can stick with it. State legislatures function much like Congress.

By Rob Fischer Policy Project Manager, Casualty (05/5/25) It seems like everything is getting more expensive these days. For the past few years, we’ve seen and heard news reports about price increases at grocery stores and higher interest rates due to inflation. But now a new potential cost driver is emerging as a topic for the Casualty Practice Council’s and other practice councils’ work—tariffs. The president has moved forward with imposing tariffs with trading partners across the globe.

Inherent biases in program development and modeling can contribute to health disparities, but existing ASOP guidance can help identify and mitigate these disparities. By Ian McCulla As trusted advisors for organizations interested in managing risk, actuaries are routinely tasked with performing financial estimates and collaborating with other business units in developing, implementing, and monitoring programs that carry financial risk.

While financial challenges of aging may seem like a standalone issue, a closer look reveals that other dramatic shifts are collectively impacting it and other actuarial areas. This underscores the need for actuaries across all fields to collaborate, understand each other’s coverage areas, and ensure potential reforms lead to systemwide improvements. By Noah Kirsch America’s demographics are rapidly changing.

By Shawna Ackerman “Our lives are not defined by any one action. Our lives are the sum of our choices.” —Mission: Impossible–The Final Reckoning By the date this column is published, the release of Mission: Impossible–The Final Reckoning will be just weeks away. If you regularly go to the movies you will have already seen the trailer, perhaps many times. The opening lines to the trailer, noted above, remind me of the ABCD process.

By Warren Manners Across 1            Euchre relative 7            Drives away 13          Built a weir 19          Zambia or Gambia 20          Slowly, to Schubert 21          “Oedipe” composer 22          Abraded 23          Bisque holder 24          Snare’s neighbor 25          Permission paper 27          2011 Polanski comedy 29          Bethesda org.

By Tom Toce I’m always trying to come up with a novel variety cryptic format. It’s not easy. “Chutes and Ladders” from two issues ago may have taken it all out of me for a while. So I’m returning to a format I used a few years ago. The hop entries go around the circle sequentially, starting in block 1. The skip entries also start at 1, but use only the odd-numbered blocks. The jump entries start at 1 and use every third block.