In late July, the IRS provided additional guidance on changes to single-employer defined benefit pension plan cash contribution rules under the American Rescue Plan. In this episode of Critical Point, Milliman pension consultants Charlie Clark and Casey Baldwin break down the guidance and what it means for pension plans and their plan sponsors. Baldwin and Clark discuss the implications for interest rate relief, amortization rates, prefunding balances, and written elections, among other things. They also share pitfalls to be aware of under this guidance.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.

When it comes to long-term care, what are some of the benefits and challenges of aging-in-place services, and how can these work hand-in-hand with long term care insurance? In this episode of Critical Point, Milliman’s Robert Eaton and Missy Gordon are joined by Char Hu, founder and CEO of The Helper Bees, a healthcare insurtech company that offers care concierge services for LTCI carriers and health plans. The three experts discuss trends in the LTCI market, the rise of virtual care, and how aging-in-place services can improve experience for both policyholders and insurers. They also dive into how predictive analytics plays an important role in understanding aging-in-place needs and long-term care insurance.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.

Milliman pension experts Charlie Clark, Vanessa Vaag, and Grant Camp discuss how the American Rescue Plan Act may impact single and multiemployer pension plans, and why pension funding has been integrated into the bill. The conversation ranges from the $86 billion special financial assistance for multiemployer plans, good faith compliance, and what plan sponsors should to consider when taking potential action as a result of ARPA.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.

Flooding stands out among other natural catastrophes because of the risk it poses to the financial health of the average U.S. homeowner. In this episode, Milliman flood risk experts Dave Evans and Cody Webb are joined by Andrew Netter from Milliman’s mortgage group and Brand Katz from KatRisk to discuss the relationship between flood insurance and mortgage risk, and how that risk can impact financial instruments designed to cover mortgage default exposure.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred—and aggravated—a range of mental health and substance use issues in the United States. In this episode, Milliman’s Stoddard Davenport talks with host Lesley Pink about how different populations are faring on the mental health front, how the rising demand for mental health services is being met, and how recent statistics reveal the depth of the problem in this country.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.

COVID-19 has dramatically increased the use of telehealth services across the U.S. In this episode, Milliman’s Susan Philip sits down with Mei Kwong, executive director of the Center for Connected Health Policy, to discuss some of the biggest changes to telehealth in 2020, including regulatory changes around reimbursement and access, provider usage, and ways in which the service has been an integral part of healthcare during the global pandemic.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.

COVID-19 has had far-reaching economic implications, but what does the pandemic mean for the U.S. mortgage market? On this episode of Critical Point, Milliman’s Mike Schmitz from the firm’s mortgage practice, and Chris Harner from Milliman’s Cyber Risk Solutions group, discuss the impact of the pandemic on mortgage defaults and the credit risk market. While unemployment spiked and remains high, Schmitz notes that mortgage risk is much more sensitive to home prices than unemployment rates, and currently all signs point to market trends that will not be as severe as during the global financial crisis.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.

Artificial intelligence (AI) along with low-dose CT scans hold promise for the early detection of lung cancer, but there are challenges that come with scaling up this new technology. In this episode of Critical Point, Milliman’s Bruce Pyenson is joined by Jim Mulshine, a thoracic medical oncologist who spent 25 years at the National Cancer Institute and is now with Rush Medical Center. He outlines the promise AI holds in sifting through the reams of digital information from a CT scan to efficiently evaluate results and detect a myriad of diseases. But challenges in data quality and standardization must be addressed if the tool is to be used on a national or global level.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.

The CARES Act – which stands for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act – has sweeping implications for both defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) retirement plans in the U.S. From distribution and loan relief for qualified individuals on the DC side, to deferral and election options for single-employer plans on the DB side, the CARES Act is intended to provide fast and direct economic assistance for workers and plan sponsors across the country. On this episode of Critical Point, Charles Clark, Milliman’s Employee Benefits Research Director, and Ginny Boggs, Senior Regulatory Compliance Consultant at Milliman, discuss the ins and outs of the CARES Act and what it means for retirement plans.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.

Black lung disease presents a significant, long-term liability exposure for coal companies, risk pools, and governments – a liability complicated by climate change and its effects on the industry.  After the number of reported cases declined in the late 1990s, a recent CDC report indicates that trend has reversed and that cases of black lung in miners are the highest they've been since recordkeeping began in the early 1970s. In this episode of Critical Point, Milliman consultants Christine Fleming and Travis Grulkowski discuss what this means for companies and insurers looking to manage this risk for their employees.
You can read the episode transcript on our website.