Health Policy Analyst

The mission of the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) is to be the agency of record for Massachusetts health care information, to responsibly steward sensitive and confidential data, and to objectively report reliable and meaningful information about the quality, affordability, utilization, access, and outcomes of the Massachusetts health care system.

CHIA’s Provider Finance & Analytics unit is seeking a Health Policy Analyst to support the development of data-driven pricing policy. Pricing policy is used to determine the level of payments made to health care providers by state agencies, including the Commonwealth’s Medicaid Program (MassHealth).

The Health Policy Analyst will manage the lifecycle of payment methodology development, which includes conducting analysis on health care service costs and utilization, drafting regulatory materials, and presenting recommendations to stakeholders. The Analyst will perform financial and statistical analysis of costs, service utilization, and other data to develop payment methodologies and inform policy decision-making. The analyst will also be responsible for assisting in the enhancement of data collection, maintenance, and reporting processes to ensure program efficiency and sustainability. The successful candidate will work remotely in the near term, but be prepared to work at the Center’s office at 501 Boylston Street, Boston, when the Center’s staff transitions back onsite at a to-be-determined time.

Specifically, the Health Policy Analyst will:

• Support the development of pricing policy options through data analytics, narrative reports, and engagement with external stakeholders;
• Analyze and manage financial, statistical, demographic, and clinical data by utilizing Excel, Access and statistical software programs such as SAS or R;
• Develop procedures for evaluating health care service costs, including the impact of program and pricing options, and implement methods;
• Draft regulations and provide input in the regulatory process to codify the payment rates and/or methods;
• Summarize and communicate findings and recommendations to senior-level staff at CHIA and other state agencies in both written and oral formats;
• Ensure sustainability of data and policy analysis processes through documentation and collaboration with other team members;
• Serve as a subject matter resource to support a variety of financial and analytic projects across the unit and agency;
• Communicate with health care providers while developing, deploying and collecting CHIA cost reports;
• Participate in stakeholder meetings and training sessions with health care providers (physician organizations, Home Health Agencies, etc.) and other state agencies (the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Department of Public Health, Department of Transitional Assistance, etc.);
• Support the unit’s commitment to improving analytic approaches by identifying national best practices;
• Participate in cross-unit workgroups to enhance data management and analysis approaches;
• Implement quality assurance protocols to ensure accurate results;
• Draft reports detailing research methods and findings for public audiences; and
• Work independently as well as with team members in tracking completion of project components and meeting deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications:

It is important that the Health Policy Analyst have a general knowledge of health care financing concepts and a broad understanding of the health care provider sector and other key stakeholders.  In addition, the Health Policy Analyst should be able to demonstrate: 

• Working knowledge of the Massachusetts health care system;

• Proficiency using various software applications, including but not limited to, Microsoft Excel, Word, Access and PowerPoint, SAS, R, or other statistical analysis applications;

• Familiarity with approaches for synthesizing and analyzing data;
• Ability to conduct literature reviews on a variety of topics in health care and health policy;
• Ability to manage workload to simultaneously advance several projects with overlapping deadlines;
• Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team environment; and
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and excellent attention to detail

Minimum Entrance Requirements:

Applicant must have at least (A) three years of full-time, or equivalent part-time professional experience in business administration, finance, accounting, health care planning or administration, public health policy or administration, human services policy analyses or administration, economics, or a similar field; or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. A Bachelor's degree with a major in health care administration, hospital administration, public health or health services administration, finance, accounting, business administration, business management, public policy, public administration, economics, or similar degree may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required experience.*

II. A graduate degree with a major in health care administration, hospital administration, public health or health services administration, finance, accounting, business administration, business management, public policy, public administration, economics, or a similar degree may be substituted for a maximum of three years of the required experience.*

*Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.

Total Compensation:

As an employee of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are offered a great career opportunity influencing a wide-spectrum of services to the diverse populations we serve - but it's more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits which you should consider towards your overall compensation, including:

• 75% state paid medical insurance premium
• Reasonable Dental and Vision Plans
• Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Assistance programs
• Low cost basic and optional life insurance
• Retirement Savings: State Employees' Pension and a Deferred Compensation 457(b) plan
• 12 paid holidays per year and competitive Sick, Vacation and Personal Time
• Tuition Benefit for employee and spouse at state colleges and universities
• Extended Illness program participation
• Professional Development and Continuing Education opportunities
• Qualified Employer for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program

To apply visit: http://www.chiamass.gov/join-our-team/

NAGE: Reimbursement Systems Analyst II

The full time salary range for this position is $61,047.22 - $87,395.10 annually. 

5/24/2022

At CHIA, we are committed to earning a reputation as a great place to work and build a career. So if you’re excited to be part of a diverse and innovative team responsible for identifying opportunities to improve health care in Massachusetts, come join us! To apply and for more information visit: https://www.chiamass.gov/join-our-team/

CHIA is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Women, people of color, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you have Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator: Tonya Bourassa 617-701-8127.

Information submitted by applicants is collected through the JazzHR Platform, your submission of application materials constitutes your express consent for this information to be provided to JazzHR for processing. Please do not include any personally identifiable information with your application materials other than that specifically requested by CHIA. CHIA requests basic information such as name, address, telephone number, and email address. You may also self identify race/ethnicity, gender, disability and/or veteran status if you so choose. However, you should not provide more detailed personal information such as your date of birth or Social Security Number with your application materials.

In compliance with federal laws, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

CHIA has adopted Executive Order #595: COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Executive Department Employees

As a condition of employment, successful candidates will be required to have received COVID-19 vaccination and/or boosters prior to the finalization of the hiring process. Details relating to complying with this requirement will be provided to finalists.

Finalists who can provide documentation that the vaccine is medically contraindicated or who object to vaccination due to a sincerely held religious belief may make a request for a reasonable accommodation.

Executive order can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/august-19-2021-executive-department-employee-vaccination-order