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 modeli