As technology, automation, and artificial intelligence are increasingly transforming businesses, the nature of work, the workplace and the workforce will also be transformed. Most careers will be affected with some occupations growing while others decline. Businesses can expect to undergo significant transitions moving to their future workforce. Come hear what organizations are planning and doing now to transition and transform work, their workplace and their workforce to fit their business future.

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The CCA’s Business Session precedes the opening session with the welcoming of attendees, announcement of new directors and officers, Treasurer’s Report and presentation of the CCA’s annual awards.

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Bill Benjamin has a rare perspective – he has advanced degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science and has 25 years of real-world business experience as a senior leader. Through his keynote presentation on Emotional Intelligence, attendees discover:

• What the brain does under pressure and specific tools and strategies to effectively manage situations of tension and conflict;
• Self-awareness: understanding the impact of your leadership style and how to win the hearts and minds of people by connecting to the emotions that drive their behavior; and
• Engaging stories from the front-lines of individuals who are stepping up and winning in the most challenging, pressure-filled circumstances.

Bill is a partner at the Institute for Health and Human Potential (IHHP), a successful international research and training company, named one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” in the “Fast 100” ranking in PROFIT Magazine. Bill also contributed to the New York Times and Amazon bestselling book Performing Under Pressure, co-authored by IHHP’s JP Pawliw-Fry and noted psychologist Hendrie Weisinger.

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A panel of retirement experts discuss recent developments on the legislative, regulatory and legal fronts. What better way to kick off your 2018 CCA Annual Meeting breakout sessions? Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance of the meeting for the panelists to discuss.

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Are the actuarial assumptions used for valuing your pension plan reasonable and what needs to be done to ensure that they are? The speakers’ discussions will primarily be centered around recent mortality table regulations, related SOA updates, and other major demographic assumptions, but with some reference to financial implications of these assumptions. Topics taken into consideration include experience studies, materiality, satisfying auditor reviews, and the governing ASOPs.

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Consultants outline and discuss current and emerging fiduciary issues in defined contribution plans. Plan fees; cybersecurity; environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing; implications of the Department of Labor rule and other miscellaneous plan sponsor concerns are addressed.

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Panelists lead an interactive discussion of current topics in Medicare Advantage and Part D. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance of the meeting for discussion, and panelists utilize live polling to obtain real-time audience feedback. This session is intended for people with a good understanding of Medicare Advantage and Part D.

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Each of the four large national carriers are engaged in evolving their networks to make progress on the Triple Aim: cost, quality, and member experience. At the same time new employer services are emerging that are focused broadly on improving the employee experience.

Each session in this series features one of the carriers detailing the changes to their networks – Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), provider contracting, provider steerage, Out of Network (OON) shared services, etc. AND one of the newer employer partners offering innovative services to employees

Part 1 offers UnitedHealthCare and Rally Health. UnitedHealthcare is an operating division of UnitedHealth Group and their mission is to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. Rally Health is a digital health experience that helps you make simple changes in your daily routine, set goals for yourself, and track your results online.

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Cross-border deals are challenging. Many times, there are risks that arise that may not have been encountered in domestic-only deals. Panelists cover the "I have never seen this before" issues and how consultants have solved these problems. The complicated case study includes items such as:

• Co-employment/PEO Issues;
• Works' Council Implications;
• Global Brokers and Administration Challenges; and
• Benefit Replication Strategies.

This interactive session highlights leading practices and lessons learned.

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Paragraph 187 of GASB Statement No. 68 states, “To enhance consistency in measurement and comparability of the resultant recognized measures among employers, this Statement requires that Actuarial Standards of Practice be applied in developing assumptions and establishes additional requirements for the measurement of the total pension liability.”

So in effect, GASB defers to the Actuarial Standards of Practice (“ASOPs”) when developing actuarial assumptions. However, the audit community is taking a more active role in reviewing the actuarial assumptions, including possible action by the AICPA to restrict the range of actuarial assumptions.

Please come to this session to hear the opinions of both actuaries and accountants on the subject of who owns the GASB assumptions.

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In this interactive discussion, a client panel describes the challenges they face and how their consulting actuary can be a trusted advisor to help solve their issues and help proactively address emerging concerns.

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Panelists describe what multiemployer pension plans in the green zone are doing to stay there including more sophisticated projections techniques and the adoption of new funding policies. They also address the use of de-risking for multiemployer plans.

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Representatives from PBGC discuss current topics for single-employer and multiemployer plans, including the expansion of the missing participant program to defined contribution plan participants and the 2018 Blue Book. Please bring your questions.

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Plan termination is the culmination of the life of a pension plan with the ultimate event of paying out benefits to participants. Before you can get to that final payout, sponsors should take the appropriate steps to assess and improve the plan’s readiness to terminate. Achieving a successful outcome greatly depends on the work performed getting ready for plan termination.

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After years of funding shortfalls, pension plans are starting to look at being in an overfunded position. What methods exist to put the overfunding to good use for large corporate plans and small plans alike? Speakers at this session help dust off some of the old tools as well as introduce new approaches to handling current or potential overfunded situations for both ongoing and terminating pension plans.

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As today's society gravitates to convenient and affordable care, telemedicine (even for pets) onsite clinics, and medical tourism is becoming more and more popular. Can healthcare technology facilitate the process or are there any roadblocks in the process such as issues with the exchange of private information?

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Our network and emerging specialty services track continues with developments in the world of ACOs, PCHMs and differentiated networks. We also explore how technology-enabled solutions can be designed to target participants and empower them to adopt better health behaviors and make smarter decisions.

Part 2 offers Anthem and Castlight. Anthem, Inc. is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. They are developing the technology, solutions and programs that give consumers greater access to care, working with providers to ensure a quality health care experience for consumers and easing cost challenges by advancing affordability in the health care industry. Castlight, now merged with Jiff, offers a platform to connect all of an employer's healthcare and benefit resources. Their mission is to make it as easy as humanly possible to navigate healthcare and live happier, healthier, more productive lives.

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Pension plans outside of the US can look quite different with DB plans being disguised as DC plans. In certain countries in Europe, hybrid plans are prevalent. Plans that seemingly look similar may be accounted differently. In this session, the speakers provide an introduction to account-based plans in Europe, with a focus on Switzerland, Belgium, and Germany; how these plans are accounted under IAS19 and ASC715; and speak to the future of defined contribution plans in Europe.

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In March of this year the Actuarial Standards Board issued Exposure Drafts for ASOPs 4, 27 and 35 with proposed changes to standards affecting actuarial valuations for all pension plans, including public sector plans. Some of the changes would require all plans to disclose a “reasonable” actuarially determined contribution, and constrain how it is determined. In addition, and perhaps most notably, actuaries would be required to disclose an “investment risk defeasement measure,” which is a particular version of what financial economists call the "market value liability."

Comments are due July 31 and will be reviewed and discussed at the ASB and its Pension Committee. In this session actuaries close to this process discuss the proposed changes and the comments received, with a focus on how these changes would affect actuarial practice for public sector plans.

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A complex acquisition merits a complex integration of two organization's strategic thinking, financial analysis, enterprise systems, compensation and performance management, benefits, and the list of issues continues. Organizations operate without the staff resources and expertise to manage these complex projects. Speakers discuss the life cycle of a complex integration, from strategic planning, complex project management, prioritization of work streams, and communication to stakeholders throughout the project.

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Wither goest interest rates? Will they return to "normal" levels or are recent years' rates the new normal? Why are equity values so high -- given less than robust levels of economic growth? Are current price levels supportable? Speakers with economics and investment consulting expertise opine on these issues and the implications for projected returns.

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This session literally tests your EA knowledge. Bring your HP-12C calculator and your ERISA knowledge for this fun, interactive session with prizes for top finishers. Smart phone or tablet required for the session app.

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While the calculation of the retirement benefit values shown in proxy disclosures are based on many of the same assumptions as used for GAAP, the actual calculations and disclosure requirements can be quite complex. Our panel of proxy experts discuss these complexities and demystify the proxy process – identifying both common practices and the “tricks and traps” associated with retirement benefit and other calculations (including change in control and CEO pay ratio disclosures).

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Speakers focus on proposed regulations and legislation on state proposals for retirement programs as well as alternatives to multiple employers putting together these plans without state intervention.

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Learn how predictive modeling techniques and methodologies are being used to enhance health plan analytics. Speakers discuss applications such as predicting individuals' enrollment choices in a menu of plan options and determining adverse selection impacts. Panelists show how analytics can be used to facilitate the contracting of efficient, high-quality providers for a preferred network or direct contracting.

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Our network and emerging specialty services track continues with developments in the world of ACOs, PCHMs and differentiated networks. We also explore how technology-enabled solutions can be designed to target participants and empower them to adopt better health behaviors and make smarter decisions.

Part 3 offers Cigna and Imagine Health. Cigna is a global health service company and their mission is to improve their customers’ health, well-being, and sense of security with the power of preventive care. Imagine Health builds health care networks that ensure easy and convenient access to the highest quality doctors and hospitals in a region.

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Speakers address various themes and their impact on healthcare trends around the world including:

• Risk factors;
• Cost elements;
• Workforce and population trends;
• Impact of technology; and
• Delivery models.

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The credit rating agencies continue to refine their methodologies for evaluating pension and OPEB plans. Speakers provide information on the methodologies used by the various rating agencies for state and local plans. The rating agency representatives discuss their point of view when reviewing retirement debt.

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Employers have increasingly provided choice in employee benefit programs, and employees seem to value having the ability to choose among options. However, employers and employees often have additional information that either makes one selection the most advantageous or there are so many choices that it paralyzes decision making. Panelists explore why employers have offered choice in different benefit offerings, why employees value it, factors in the decision-making process, what's the right balance, and when is choice appropriate or too much.

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Procurement, strategic sourcing, purchasing – call it what you wish – becomes more involved in the purchase of professional services, including actuarial work. They bring a different perspective to the purchasing process and have significant influence. This session, led by a strategic sourcing executive on the buyer side, offers the chance to learn more about why clients buy our services and how you can more effectively work together.

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With the approval of ASOP 51, pension actuaries are taking a new look at how we assess and communicate risk to plan sponsors. But what are the requirements? What should disclosures look like? Panelists tackle the requirements and demonstrate actual approaches to satisfying the requirements from the perspective of public, corporate, and multiemployer actuaries.

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The panelists discuss various nondiscrimination testing topics, including the following:

• Hybrid plan testing;
• Cross testing;
• Proposed legislative relief for closed plans;
• Late-breaking nondiscrimination testing developments (if any); and
• Nondiscrimination testing gotchas.

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There has been increasing focus on locating terminated vested participants when they are required to commence their plan benefits. Speakers discuss administration issues faced by single-employer pension plans, whether large or small, related to finding these “lost” participants. Related topics include minimum required distributions, suspension of benefits, retroactive annuities, post-normal retirement age calculations, correction procedures and proper identification for valuation and PBGC premium purposes.

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The reports are signed and delivered so you are looking for some much deserved time off. Not so fast. Your client's auditor has some questions and why are they asking for that? Learn what auditors and their actuaries are looking for and how to anticipate their needs so you can head to the beach a little sooner.

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Speakers provide a timely update from a legislative and consulting perspective on a variety of important healthcare topics including the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Associated Health Plans, Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

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Responsible management of pension plans around the world require careful attention to many factors - governance, compliance and risk mitigation, and derisking strategies. Speakers from multinational and global consulting firms address issues and provide examples.

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Join us as we discuss recent trends for plan designs and other mechanisms used to derisk public pension plans. Our speakers present details of recently adopted DC and hybrid plan design features as well as mechanisms for derisking through lump sum cashouts, automatic COLA adjustments, adjustable benefits, and member rate cost sharing. Our discussion also encompasses reductions to long-term assumed rate of return/discount rates and the adoption of more conservative mortality assumptions, both of which often are viewed as mechanisms of derisking.

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What’s all the fuss about predictive analytics? Panelists provide a big-picture perspective, starting with a tour of the data analytics spectrum, from traditional analysis focusing on what happened and why to predictive and business decisions empowered by data analytics. They’ll use case studies and examples across various actuarial practice areas to demystify some buzz words and, hopefully, make the concepts come alive. They also discuss related professionalism topics that emerge in this evolving area of actuarial practice.

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Panelists provide a veritable cookbook on how to craft assumptions, narratives, projections and exhibits for multiemployer pension plans filing a Suspension of Benefit (SoB) application.

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Everything you wanted to know about terminating a plan (large or small) in a standard termination through the PBGC. Speakers also discuss terminating plans not covered by the PBGC.

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As the primary retirement vehicle for most employees, DC plans continue to evolve in their ability to fit this role. Panelists discuss participant behaviors (including behavioral economics), retirement readiness, decumulation strategies, and how actuaries can contribute to the design and optimization of DC plans to better fill this role in the future.

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Did you ever wonder how the M&A deal really happens? What are the challenges? How do you develop a strategic approach? At this session, a client and a consultant discuss the M&A transaction cycle of due diligence, negotiations, announcement, and post-transaction integration from a benefits perspective. The speakers not only address retirement plan topics, but also present considerations for how other compensation and benefit programs come into play in the M&A construct.

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As healthcare cost increases continue to outpace general inflation, plan sponsors are searching for value in managing their plans. Many are looking to data for answers. Our panel represents viewpoints from data providers, analytic experts, and plan managers who discuss analyses they have performed to drive plan management decisions.

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The speakers address questions about what is new with prescription drugs. Topics include:

• How is the opioid crisis affecting costs?
• What is the latest vendor landscape?
• What is the outlook for drug trends?
• How is emerging gene therapy affecting prescription drugs?
• What is happening with point-of-sale rebates and how they are handled with stop loss and in high-deductible health plans?
• What is the provider perspective on these issues?

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A multitude of approaches exist to the provision of state old-age provisions around the world. What are the models? How are they funded? Which models are most sustainable? Speakers from the World Bank, Europe, and global consultancies working with Social Security systems share their experiences and illustrate approaches with models.

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The panelists provide the status and information about the upcoming/new public plans mortality table along with approaches to administrative aspects of generational tables and credibility measures.

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The Enneagram helps individuals, relationships and organizations grow and succeed. The speaker illustrates its powerful business applications, e.g. effective communication, teamwork, CRM, presentations, leadership, consulting, emotional intelligence, decision-making, and its eye-opening applications to personal happiness. What makes the Enneagram unique and powerful is its "secret sauce" model that accelerates personal and team growth by creating awareness about one's true pattern of "why" and how you think, feel and act the way you do, and how each personality style sees the world and others from their own biased lens. Whether migrating to a less technical role, seeking to jump to your next career/business level, or realizing that success isn't bringing you true happiness, the Enneagram is uniquely designed to unlock your simple path to personal and professional success and happiness.

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An in-house administrator addresses creative ways multiemployer pension plan withdrawal liability is being modified including:

• Contractual withdrawal liability: Arrangements outside of statutory withdrawal liability
• Creation of New Pools: What funds have done allowing an employer to freeze its exposure to withdrawal liability by withdrawing from an existing pool and immediately entering a new pool, which is to be managed toward eliminating/minimizing exposure to future withdrawal liability.

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".... that is the question." In this participatory session, the speakers use case studies to guide an audience discussion of some of the ethical dilemmas and challenges that actuaries face every day, and identify possible alternatives for handling these challenges.

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Several of the CCA communities schedule a forum to allow these groups the opportunity to meet face-to-face. Feel free to stop by, meet, and discuss current issues, news, and outlooks.

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Several of the CCA communities schedule a forum to allow these groups the opportunity to meet face-to-face. Feel free to stop by, meet, and discuss current issues, news, and outlooks.

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The community was aware of several proposals circulating the halls of Congress and now anticipates, under the recent tax law, recommendations required from the Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans by November 28. Panelists discuss the Congressional process as made public to date and summarize/compare the key features of each of the proposals being considered.

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Several of the CCA communities schedule a forum to allow these groups the opportunity to meet face-to-face. Feel free to stop by, meet, and discuss current issues, news, and outlooks.

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Several of the CCA communities schedule a forum to allow these groups the opportunity to meet face-to-face. Feel free to stop by, meet, and discuss current issues, news, and outlooks.

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Savings plans have become the main vehicle for retirement income. Speakers in this session explore ways employees can maximize their retirement savings through:

• Pre- and post-tax contributions;
• Health savings accounts;
• Matching and non-matching employer contributions;
• Social Security strategies;
• Tax efficient compensation optimizations;
• IRAs; and
• Home equity.

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What are the current hot topics in accounting for retirement and other benefit plans, and what is the perspective of the corporate auditor?

• General concepts and principles;
• Granular/spot rate method for measuring Service Cost & Interest Cost – experience after implementation;
• Recent accounting standard updates;
• Changes to disclosure requirements;
• IAS 19 – Differences from GAAP;
• Basic concepts of Deferred Tax accounting and ASC 710/712 (sick/vacation pay, other post-employment benefits and deferred compensation contracts); and
• Quick hits regarding subsequent events and mortality, settlement accounting, and amortization periods.

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Small plan consultants face myriad issues on a daily basis. Speakers cover issues such as the impact of the Tax Reform Act on small employers, 415 limits, plan document issues, required minimum distributions, discrimination testing, plan terminations, IRS and PBGC audits, and plan administration.

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Patients want access to their medical records; the government wants access; physicians want access; and actuaries want some access. Right now, it's not really working - so what's working well, what's not, and how do we fix it?

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This session closes out our network and specialty services track wherein we discuss large carrier approaches to network strategy as well as new employer services which are emerging that are focused broadly on improving the employee experience.

Part 4 offers Aetna and Virgin Pulse. Aetna is dedicated to helping people achieve health and financial security by providing easy access to safe, cost-effective, high-quality health care and protecting their finances against health-related risks. Virgin Pulse designs technology that cultivates good lifestyle habits for employees and builds employee engagement and loyalty through the use of personalized technology solutions and well-being programs.

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Come join our knowledgeable actuaries who specialize in international accounting matters as they share their experiences applying ASC 715 to non-US plans. In this session, speakers cover several unusual situations practitioners have encountered (e.g. accounting for retiree healthcare plans in Brazil). They provide background on the pension/benefit plans in the markets in question, the challenges the practitioners have faced in determining the appropriate accounting treatment, and the approaches taken by the practitioners.

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GASB 74/75 implementation has arrived! What can we learn from our 67/68 experience from the last few years? Our speakers tell 67/68 war stories and explore ways to make 74/75 implementation go smoothly. They'll also address the unique features of 74/75 that OPEB actuaries need to know.

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Cutting-edge data visualization is an indispensable tool in developing insights from large data sets. Just as stories are useful in conveying what might otherwise by obtuse theoretical concepts, data visualization is visual storytelling. Speakers demonstrate the power of visual display of quantitative information, employing modern data visualization tools. They discuss principles of graphical excellence and graphical integrity, and provide visual storytelling examples relevant to consulting actuaries and their clients.

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Be advised on the newly released PBGC policy statement on multiemployer pension funds seeking approval for alternate payment rules on withdrawal liability and possible additional rules [likely due out in spring/summer] for withdrawal-liability simplification under MPRA14 from the government source promulgating this rule.

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Understand strategies and pitfalls to avoid when your client must deal with the PBGC on issues such as audits, reportable events, corporate transactions, and missed contributions.

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Speakers cover the basics of Defined Contribution plans. Topics covered include the different types of plans (401(k), 403(b), 457(b), etc.), auto enrollment, vesting, nondiscrimination testing, safe harbor plan designs and other design features such as in-plan Roth conversions.

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Presenters outline the opportunities and challenges facing nonqualified plan sponsors, discussing current trends in design and financial management of these plans. They also address regulatory requirements and recent legislative changes that may impact executive benefits.

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The panelists summarize the methodology and results of a recent actuarial evaluation of costs for two employers using Accolade as a health navigation service. The speakers outline the unique approach to matching the Accolade population to the control removing traditional barriers of selection bias.

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With the aging of the population and continuing growth in the cost of long term care, this topic requires increased attention by actuaries in the future. Private long-term care insurance has become less available and less valuable in recent years while public sector budgets remain challenged. What does the future hold for this line of business?

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Setting assumptions for pension plans outside of the US can be challenging for many reasons, e.g. due to the nature of benefits promise and interplay with local labor laws, the depth of the bond market, and the economic environment. The speakers cover the challenges faced by pension actuaries who set assumptions for non-US pension plans. Topics expected to be covered include setting mortality assumptions outside of the US, discount rate setting in countries with no (deep) bond market, and assumptions which would be unusual from a US pension context.

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Join your public pension plan colleagues in a candid, open discussion of current issues in public pension plans today. Actual session topics are determined by the attendees, but may include the investment return and inflation assumptions, ASOP solvency disclosure, sustainability of public plans, funding policy, municipal bankruptcy, risk mitigation strategies, GASB 74/75, communication challenges, and more.

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Generational differences in employee expectations and workforce attitudes are widely observed but poorly understood. How do companies tailor engagement, communication, and corporate policies to turn a perplexing dilemma into a creative, integrated workplace? Hear what the experts have to say about managing today's age diversity.

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Pension liabilities are complex and varied, and pension plan sponsors have a range of perspectives on risk. We’ll look beyond typical duration-hedging strategies and glide-paths and discuss real-world solutions to problems and questions of current interest: (1) bond market constraints and other sources of asset-liability mismatch; (2) planning for a pension plan's end game - investment solutions for terminating or “hibernating” plans; (3) derivative strategies that can be used to manage equity risk.

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Precepts of the Code of Professional Conduct are applied to real-life scenarios that highlight gray areas. Presenters take different points of view to applying the precepts.

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