Employee BenefitSpecial Interest Group

Survey Results

May 2009

Survey ResultsNearly 500 responses were received. More than 90 percent of respondents

worked for either insurance organizations or consulting firms.

Employer Type %

Consulting Firm 47%

Insurance Organization 44%

Org. Serving Plan Sponsors 5%

Insurance Broker 3%

Org. Serving Insurance Industry 3%

Plan Sponsor 2%

Government – State 2%

Retired 1%

Government – Federal 1%

University/College 0%

Other 3%

Survey ResultsTop 10 areas of interest are listed below. Some differences between insurance

organization and consulting firm actuaries are highlighted. In the “Other” category (10 percent of total), group life was mentioned frequently.

Area of Interest Total Ins Org Consulting

Medical 76% 67% 85%

Pharmacy 67% 55% 78%

Underwriting/Rate Setting 57% 59% 55%

Self-funded 53% 33% 73%

Managed Care 52% 50% 54%

Dental 51% 50% 54%

Postretirement/Postemployment 45% 18% 72%

Stop-Loss 43% 38% 51%

Data Warehousing/Analytics 42% 44% 41%

Disability 39% 40% 40%

Survey ResultsRespondents focusing on nonmedical coverages were more likely to

work for insurance organizations, rather than consulting firms.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Total (472) Medical (366) Not Med (120)

Ins Org (216)

Consulting(226)

Other

Survey ResultsTop answers to “How can the SIG best support you?” are shown

below. In the “Other” category (5 percent of total), research/data was frequently mentioned.

Topic Total

News highlights pertaining to benefits actuaries 67%

Technical training – online 66%

Better selection of sessions at Annual/Spring Meetings 62%

Networking opportunities 32%

Online discussion groups 29%

Email listserv to ask questions and get feedback 25%

Survey ResultsEmployer-Sponsored and Conference of Consulting Actuaries

meetings are a source of information to many respondents.

Respondents ER-Sponsored CCA

TOTAL 70% 35%

Insurance Org. 77% 10%

Consulting Firm 66% 56%

Medical Focus 72% 39%

Not Medical Focus 61% 23%

Survey ResultsWe received a variety of write-in responses to “What other meetings

are important to your work?”

• ASPPA/EA (8)• Canadian Institute of

Actuaries (8)• SIIA (6)• BCBS (5)• CEBS (3)• Other Business

Group’s Program (2)

• Other Consultants’ Programs (17*)

• Other Industry Groups (13)

• Local Actuarial Orgs. (11)

• GUAA (11)• AHIP (10)

*JHA Dynamics of Disability (11)

Survey Results“What are the one or two most important things that the special interest

group could do to help you?” I categorized responses as follows:

• Updates on current events and the marketplace (31%)

• Training/continuing education (30%)• Catalog of resources (22%)• Networking opportunities (14%)• Nonmedical (esp. dental) (12%)• Research (12%)• Regulatory updates (10%)• Data and assumptions (10%)

Survey Results

• We had a good number of volunteers – more than 80

• The SIG may need to serve significant subgroups:

– Employer medical – underwriting, self-funded, stop-loss

– Post-retirement – medical, GASB, other

– Nonmedical – dental, group life, worksite marketing

– Other????