About the Award
The Shapiro-Litow Award is awarded annually to an actuary who has identified a change to the the design, financing and/or management of the nation’s public finance and social security programs that could significantly improve the outcomes, cost effectiveness and efficiency of the program, while also reducing or ameliorating adverse effects the program may have on GDP, deficit spending, and community sustainability.
Apply for the 2026 AwardKey Dates
Applications Due: April 20, 2026
Awardees Announced: June 15, 2026
Eligibility
For the purpose of eligibility for this award, the term “actuary” shall mean anyone who is a member in good standing of a U.S. or internationally based, recognized Actuarial organization. Applications can be made as individuals or as teams.
Award Benefits
- The first-place winner will receive $5,000. Second and third place winners will receive $2,500 and $1,000 respectively.
- The first place winner’s proposed reform will be analyzed and assessed using the advanced analytics of the CA2M computer model.
- The winner and winner’s submission will be publicized when the above-noted CA2M findings are released at an annual event broadcast to thought-leaders and decision-makers nationwide.
Judging Criteria
- CA2M Compatibility: CA2M is currently capable modeling the impact of proposed health care reforms on all stakeholders, including the Federal Government. 2026 Applications must, therefore, address needs and opportunities relevant to US health care. CA2M’s data bases are large and extensive. That said, given the urgency and nature of the timelines above, 2026 Applications should not require either new primary research or access to proprietary data not current publicly available. Failure to adhere to these compatibility requirements will disqualify applications.
- Relevancy and Impact: Breadth and magnitude of the potential beneficial impact of proposal. Identification of: 1) interdependencies; 2) potential unintended consequences; 3) fiscal sustainability needs; 4) amelioration and/or remediation strategies for potential adverse consequences; and 5) projected impact timelines. For example, the proposal fully describes the creation and testing of the proposed improvement, including national, state and/or local impacts, taking into account short-term and long-term time horizons, iteration cycles, interdependencies of variables, and improvements expected.
- Uniqueness and Innovation: Clear articulation of how the proposal differs from or significantly improves upon current intellectual and policy proposals already on the table. Explanations of how the proposal recognizes and makes use of the scientific and technological changes affecting diagnostic analytics, design and delivery of public services.
- CA2M Analytical Feasibility: The proposal demonstrates technical understanding of key system-wide impacts and how the proposed improvements may impact them, and their interdependencies: cost, coverage, provider availability, health status, overall economic impact and sustainability. (See CAUS Website for further definition of these terms). The proposal clearly explains the data required to analyze and test the feasibility of the proposed improvements and identifies potential sources of the required data.
Who Will Review Applications
A panel of judges will be named, comprised of a healthcare economist independent of CAUS, an actuary independent of CAUS, the President of CAUS and at least one other member of the CAUS Board.
