1 / 13

Steve Goss, Chief Actuary U.S. Social Security Administration

The Importance of Consistent Data on Deaths and Exposure over Time, by Age, Sex, and Cause of Death. Steve Goss, Chief Actuary U.S. Social Security Administration Longevity 12 Conference, Plenary Session III September 30, 2016.

lpayne
Download Presentation

Steve Goss, Chief Actuary U.S. Social Security Administration

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Importance of Consistent Data on Deaths and Exposure over Time, by Age, Sex, and Cause of Death Steve Goss, Chief Actuary U.S. Social Security Administration Longevity 12 Conference, Plenary Session III September 30, 2016

  2. Issues for Social Security, Medicare and for all Insurance/Benefit Plans • The aging issue, not just mortality • Age distribution = fertility, mortality, immigration • National population vs sub-population • Plan participants: active vs. in benefit • Data: need to be appropriate and consistent • Death data vs. exposure data • By gender, income, race, cause of death—as needed • Understanding the limitations • Projections only as good as the data used

  3. Paying for “Retirement” at a Macro LevelAging (change in age distribution) mainly due to drop in birth rates 3

  4. Mortality Data Needed: for Whom? • For population “at risk” • National data for universal social insurance • NCHS state-reported deaths; total, by cause • Census estimated population • Medicare/SSA data for ages 65 and over • Sub-populations • Retirees by career-average earnings level • “Disabled” beneficiaries by age and duration: www.ssa.gov/oact/NOTES/pdf_studies/study123.pdf

  5. Appropriate Data: by Age CriticalAge-gradient in reduction is clear

  6. Consistent Deaths and Exposure:Inconsistency can distort measured rates • U.S. NCHS/Census national data • All we have under age 65 • Completeness and age-reporting concerns • Used for Social Security as well as HMDB • NCHS deaths by cause very useful • Over age 65 Medicare/SSA data are better • Consistent deaths and exposure • More accurate age based on past reporting • Current reporting can vary over time

  7. Death Rates 65+ :NCHS/Census have been declining faster than Medicare/SSA rates

  8. Mortality Decline Varies Over TimeAntibiotics/economy 1936-54; health spending 1968-82

  9. Reductions Even for “Best Nations” Have Also Varied over Time 9

  10. Mortality Rate of Decline by Sex, Age, & cause of Death: from 1979 to 2013

  11. Mortality Varies by Career Earnings LevelTrustees Report projections have reflected this for decades 11

  12. Limitations • Better data = better projections = better planning • Most critical factors • Understanding the conditions of the past • Anticipating what is likely to be different for the future • Closing the table; is there an omega? • Projections for the future from past data • Interpretation and judgment

  13. For More Information…http://www.ssa.gov/oact/ Documentation of Trustees Report data & assumptions https://www.ssa.gov/oact/TR/2016/2016_Long-Range_Demographic_Assumptions.pdf Historical and projected mortality rates https://www.ssa.gov/oact/HistEst/DeathHome.html Annual Trustees Reports https://www.ssa.gov/oact/TR/index.html 13

More Related