Healthy Hometowns Health Economist

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of Compliance, Bureau of Data Privacy and Strategy is seeking a health economist to join our team! 

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking a skilled health economist to serve as the Health Economist for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Rural Health Transformation Program, opportunity #: CMS-RHT-26-001, also known as Iowa’s Healthy Hometowns. This position will work with the Iowa HHS Health Economist and will work collaboratively across all divisions within HHS to analyze and evaluate the rural Iowa healthcare system, including policies, reimbursement rates, access to healthcare, and health outcomes. 

The ideal candidate should be able to work confidently and independently with a number of agency datasets, statistical tools, and software. This position will have the following responsibilities: 

• Serve as a health economist for the Healthy Hometowns project. Analyze and evaluate Iowa's implementation of their Rural Health Transformation Plan, including transformations of the rural healthcare system, policies, reimbursement rates, access to healthcare, and health outcomes. 
• Review public health and human services interventions used for rural Iowa and provide assessments of the cost effectiveness of varying policies and programs. 
• Apply economic principals to determine the most efficient and cost effective ways to provide healthcare in rural Iowa and public health services to Iowans living and working in rural Iowa counties. 
• Identify how healthcare resources are allocated across rural Iowa, including determining the appropriate allocation of doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, psychiatrists, psychologists, obstetricians, and other medical professionals throughout the state to ensure optimal access to care. Perform predictive analytics to assess how this allocation and these resources need to change over time. 
• Conduct statistical research to analyze the short and long term impacts of the Healthy Hometowns initiatives on rural healthcare resource needs, healthcare professional allocation needs, and the impacts of these on the health outcomes of Iowans. Determine needs for the distribution of healthcare professionals across the state based on specialty. 
• Understand the interrelationships between economics and biostatistics, epidemiology, public health and disease modeling. Based on this knowledge, produce data driven research regarding health services, systems and interventions. 
• Use advanced math and computer skills to create analytical and statistical models with complex software programs using Iowa HHS and large publicly available datasets. Use economic theories to predict public and organizational responses to policy changes and incentives. Provide detailed input for econometric analyses of policy changes and interpret the statistical results. 
• Recognize patterns in data and conduct predictive analytics to plan for future healthcare needs of rural Iowans. Recommend policy changes based on these analyses. 
• Apply economic theories of consumer and provider choice to understand the behavior of individuals, health care providers, public and private organizations, and governments in decision-making. 
• Monitor changing requirements for health economic data relating to the health care system, specifically concerning health promotion and protection through participation in national meetings 
• Recommends priorities for economic evaluations and policy assessments of healthcare and public health activities including strategies, programs, and process. 
• Provides economic guidance and expertise on the health and economic consequences of alternative programs, policies, and legislative proposals affecting healthcare and public health programming 
• Authors manuscripts or technical reports reflecting the results of analysis projects and studies. Deliver presentations of results. 
• Determine how changes in provider allocation across the state impacts health outcomes.

Benefits

Working for the State of Iowa comes with its perks. In addition to a competitive salary, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Health and dental insurance packages to keep you and your family healthy at a low cost with outstanding coverage!
• Paid Time Off: Take time to recharge with paid time off, including vacation (96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).
• Retirement Plans: Participate in retirement plans such as IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) as well as our Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (the State of Iowa matches dollar for dollar up to $75/month).
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Take advantage of flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Insurance Coverage: Benefit from life insurance and free long-term disability insurance for added peace of mind.
• Employee Assistance Program: Access resources and support through our Employee Assistance Program for personal and professional challenges.
• Employee Discount Programs: Enjoy discounts on a variety of goods and services through our employee discount programs. 

For additional information on benefits click here.

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Background Checks

Applicants will be required to complete a background check to be considered for this position. 

The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer

HHS values those with “lived experience” and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the DHS system to apply. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visitwww.e-verify.gov.