Health Economist

Overview

BerryDunn’s Health Analytics Practice Group (HAPG) is dedicated to supporting decision-makers in state government healthcare agencies, mission-driven organizations, and other public and private sector organizations. Our team brings together deep expertise in health economics, actuarial science, data science, policy analysis, and advanced analytics to help clients address complex questions involving healthcare financing and payment, cost and risk, program performance, and the use of data to inform policy, operational, and strategic decisions.

As a Health Economist, you will apply expertise in health economics, econometrics, quantitative methods, and healthcare policy to complex challenges facing Medicaid programs and the populations they serve. You will design and conduct analyses, develop economic and quantitative models, evaluate policy and implementation options, and translate findings into practical recommendations for Medicaid decision-makers. The position will focus on supporting Hawaiʻi Med-QUEST across two major areas of Medicaid policy and program improvement. One area will involve federal Medicaid policy changes under H.R. 1 and related state implementation of work and community engagement requirements, including their potential effects on eligibility, enrollment, coverage continuity, utilization, access, spending, and program operations. The other will involve Medicaid program integrity, including fraud, waste, and abuse, payment integrity, program performance, and related financial and operational questions.

This position offers the opportunity to work on high-impact projects such as:

• Evaluating how Medicaid eligibility and work or community engagement policies may affect enrollment, coverage continuity, access, utilization, spending, and affected populations.
• Developing forecasts, scenarios, and economic models to inform Medicaid policy design, implementation planning, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Assessing Medicaid program integrity initiatives, including improper-payment risks, provider and beneficiary incentives, potential savings, operational impacts, and unintended consequences.
• Designing evaluation and performance-monitoring approaches that help Medicaid leaders assess program outcomes and make evidence-based policy and implementation decisions.

You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of health economists, Medicaid policy and program experts, actuaries, data scientists, healthcare analysts, program integrity and forensic specialists, operations professionals, and other subject-matter experts. You will also have opportunities to lead analytic workstreams and project teams, mentor junior staff, engage directly with clients, and contribute to the continued growth of BerryDunn’s Medicaid and public-sector healthcare capabilities. Our work environment values critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, mutual respect, and rigorous, evidence-based problem-solving, with an unwavering focus on delivering results that matter to our clients and the communities they serve.

This position offers flexibility in work location, including fully onsite, hybrid, or remote arrangements. The preferred location is Hawaiʻi or the U.S. West Coast. BerryDunn’s Hawaiʻi office is located in Kapolei, Oʻahu. The role requires availability during Hawaii Standard Time (HST) working hours and may require periodic travel within Hawaiʻi and the continental United States based on project needs.

You Will

• Design and conduct economic and quantitative analyses addressing Medicaid eligibility, enrollment, coverage continuity, utilization, access, spending, incentives, program performance, and operational impacts. Apply econometric, forecasting, simulation, and evaluation methods to inform policy and decision-making.
• Assess the potential effects of H.R. 1, work and community engagement requirements, and other federal or state Medicaid policy changes on beneficiaries, providers, program administration, and State expenditures. Develop scenarios and analytic approaches to support implementation planning, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Apply economic methods to Medicaid program integrity initiatives, including fraud, waste, and abuse, payment integrity, and related program-improvement efforts. Evaluate improper-payment risks, financial impacts, provider and beneficiary behavior, intervention effectiveness, potential savings, and unintended consequences in collaboration with program integrity and forensic specialists.
• Develop econometric models, forecasts, scenario analyses, program evaluations, and other quantitative approaches using Medicaid claims, encounter, eligibility, enrollment, provider, financial, demographic, and operational data. Clearly document methods, assumptions, limitations, uncertainty, and implications for policy and implementation.
• Structure complex client questions, develop analytic approaches and work plans, lead substantive workstreams and project teams, oversee analytical quality, and engage directly with senior Medicaid and government leaders.
• Translate complex findings into clear reports, presentations, policy briefs, and recommendations for technical and non-technical audiences. Collaborate across disciplines, mentor junior staff, and contribute to proposals, new client opportunities, and the continued growth of Medicaid services.

You Have

• PhD in economics, health economics, health services research, public policy, or a closely related quantitative field with substantial training in economics, econometrics, and quantitative research methods.
• At least five years of relevant experience applying health economics, Medicaid policy analysis, quantitative policy research, program evaluation, healthcare analytics, or related methods to real-world healthcare questions.
• Advanced knowledge of econometrics and quantitative research methods, with demonstrated experience applying methods such as forecasting, simulation, economic modeling, causal inference, program evaluation, or scenario analysis.
• Advanced proficiency with one or more statistical and analytic tools such as R, Stata, SAS, Python, or comparable technologies, with experience working with large and complex healthcare or administrative datasets.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing healthcare claims, eligibility, enrollment, utilization, provider, financial, demographic, or related data and translating quantitative findings into meaningful policy, program, and operational implications.
• Strong knowledge of Medicaid policy and program operations, including an understanding of how eligibility and enrollment policies, program requirements, financial incentives, and administrative processes affect beneficiaries, providers, and program performance.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex analytic work, exercise sound methodological judgment, oversee the work of analysts or other technical staff, and collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to explain complex methods, findings, assumptions, uncertainty, and policy implications clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work appropriately with sensitive Medicaid, provider, and beneficiary data, including personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI), and follow applicable privacy, security, confidentiality, and HIPAA requirements.

Preferred candidates may also have experience with one or more of the following:

• Experience analyzing Medicaid eligibility, enrollment, disenrollment, coverage continuity, work or community engagement requirements, beneficiary behavior, or the effects of federal and state coverage policy changes.
• Experience supporting Medicaid program integrity, fraud, waste, and abuse, payment integrity, PERM, claims review, compliance monitoring, improper-payment analysis, recoveries, or cost-avoidance initiatives.
• Experience supporting state or territorial Medicaid agencies, CMS initiatives, Medicaid managed care programs, or other publicly financed healthcare programs, including work involving claims, encounters, eligibility, enrollment, provider, or financial data.
• Experience in consulting or another client-facing environment, including managing client relationships, leading analytic workstreams, mentoring junior professionals, and contributing to proposal development, business development, or the growth of Medicaid consulting services.

The ideal candidate will be a strong applied economist who combines methodological rigor with practical judgment and a deep interest in Medicaid policy and program performance. They should be comfortable moving between detailed quantitative analysis and broader questions about how eligibility policies, program requirements, financial incentives, and implementation decisions affect beneficiaries, providers, spending, access, and State operations. They should be intellectually curious, able to work effectively with complex or imperfect data and evolving federal and state policy environments, and willing to challenge assumptions, identify tradeoffs and unintended consequences, and clearly distinguish potential risks from conclusions supported by the evidence. The successful candidate will also be an effective leader and collaborator who works well across policy, program, operational, analytical, program integrity, and forensic teams; builds trusted relationships with clients and colleagues; supports the growth of junior staff; and translates sophisticated analysis into practical recommendations that strengthen Medicaid policy, implementation, and performance.

Compensation Details

The base salary range targeted for this role is $140,000 - $170,000.  This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus based on factors such as company and personal performance.  This salary range represents BerryDunn’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. If an applicant possesses experience, education, or other qualifications more than the minimum requirements for this posting, that applicant is encouraged to apply, and a final salary range may then be based on those additional qualifications; compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to years of experience, depth of experience, seniority, merit, education, training, amount of travel, and other relevant business considerations.

BerryDunn Benefits & Culture

Our people are what make BerryDunn special, and in return we strive to support our employees and help them thrive. Eligible employees have access to benefits that go beyond what’s expected to support their physical, mental, career, social, and financial well-being. Visit our website for a complete list of benefits and a look into our culture: Experience BerryDunn.

We will ensure that individuals are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process or perform essential job functions. Please contact careers@berrydunn.com to request an accommodation.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

About BerryDunn

BerryDunn is the brand name under which Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, LLC and BDMP Assurance, LLP, independently owned entities, provide services. Since 1974, BerryDunn has helped businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies throughout the US and its territories solve their greatest challenges. The firm’s tax, advisory, and consulting services are provided by Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, LLC, and its attest services are provided by BDMP Assurance, LLP, a licensed CPA firm. 

BerryDunn is a client-centered, people-first professional services firm with a mission to empower the meaningful growth of our people, clients, and communities. Led by CEO Sarah Belliveau, the firm has been recognized for its efforts in creating a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, and for its focus on learning, development, and well-being. Learn more at berrydunn.com.

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