Principal Research Scientist – Value Based Payment Expert

JOB SUMMARY:

Join the Health Care Programs Department at NORC as the newest Principal Research Scientist! Here you will have the opportunity to contribute to the continued success of one of the nation's most respected research institutions. 

The Principal Research Scientist will lead policy projects working with both the federal and state governments, focusing on health care financing and payment reform. This position will be responsible for developing and implementing alternative payment methodologies, including patient and provider attribution, risk adjustment, measures monitoring, benchmarking, and payment calculations for federal and state clients. This role may also be responsible for managing tasks or projects related to Medicaid financing and oversight, demonstrating subject matter expertise, and identifying new business opportunities and drafting and developing proposal responses describing payment model design and implementation.  

Ideal candidates will have a background in health policy and health care financing. Knowledge of Medicare and Medicaid payment is required, and direct experience working with the CMS Innovation Center and State Medicaid programs is preferred. 

Qualified applicants may be considered for other roles, such as Senior Fellow.   

Preferably, this position will have a hybrid work schedule of one or two days a week in either our Washington, DC or Chicago, IL office. Remote applicants may also be considered.

DEPARTMENT: Health Care Programs Research

NORC’s Health Care Programs team provides a wide array of services and expertise to support federal and state government and foundation clients in addressing health system transformation and delivery, payment reform and implementation, and a range of policy issues facing public health insurance programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace coverage. 

NORC’s expert staff has extensive knowledge of all aspects of health care delivery, from private marketplaces and employer-sponsored insurance to Medicare and Medicaid; from large health care systems to small clinics; and from the needs of children to those of older adults, and people with disabilities. Our expert team includes social scientists that acquire, collect, and analyze data from health care organizations and patients; evaluators; health services researchers; health-policy analysts; and professionals with first-hand experience running and supporting health care programs. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Play a lead role in growing NORC’s portfolio in the area of CMMI model implementation and monitoring contracts. 

• Guide clients in their development and implementation of value-based payment methods or alternative payment models, including such elements as patient attribution, risk adjustment, cost calculations, and tracking how payment flows among stakeholders and how payment supports improvements in access and quality.  

• Manage of a team of subject matter experts, data and analytic experts to ensure payment models are evidence-based and fast-paced work is done effectively 

• Mentor and grow staff capability and expertise related to alternative payment models and Medicaid financing (preferred). 

• Engage in business development activities including idea generation, federal proposal writing, and responding to requests for proposals (RFPs) in the area of health care payment model design and implementation. 

• Guide programs and policymakers in using evidence to make decisions.  

• Author white papers, decision memos, briefs, and reports. 

• Present to clients as well as policy and professional audiences.  

• Participate in and contribute to internal discussions and strategic thinking concerning future research opportunities and the implications of ongoing policy-making for NORC. 

• Manage contracts and work closely with clients to ensure that contractual requirements (deliverables and timelines) and client expectations are met using the highest standards of quality and collegiality. 

• Monitor and oversee the financial and administrative aspects of ongoing projects. 

• Manage multiple project teams of senior, mid-level, and junior staff, and bring in experts as needed, to meet client expectations and contractual requirements. 

• Supervise and mentor junior staff. 

REQUIRED SKILLS: <