Health Economics & Outcomes Research (HEOR) Analyst

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield; Des Moines (IA); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield in Des Moines, IA is growing its Pharmacy team with a newly created Clinical Pharmacy Analyst role. You will translate clinical insights and data-driven analyses into clear, actionable recommendations that impact health care delivery and business value.

You will collaborate with Business Analytics, Actuarial, and Health Services, perform HEOR/CER literature reviews, develop predictive models, and communicate findings to decision makers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a clinical or health care-related discipline.
• 4+ years of relevant clinical, health care, or health services research experience.
• Proven ability to organize and analyze clinical data and build predictive models.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong Excel skills including pivot tables and trend analysis.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Interpersonal skills to build stakeholder relationships.

Responsibilities

• Support evaluation of pharmacy solutions by collecting, validating, and organizing clinical and economic data.
• Perform opportunity sizing analyses and contribute to data-driven recommendations for pharmacy initiatives.
• Develop business cases by quantifying benefits, costs, risks, and trade-offs; perform scenario analyses.
• Conduct literature reviews and summarize HEOR/CER findings focusing on data quality.
• Participate in evidence-based value assessments including ROI, health outcomes, and impact.
• Perform modeling and reporting to support formulary decisions and maintenance.
• Develop tools and templates for tracking outcomes and communicating impact.
• Conduct cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, and budget impact analyses.
• Research pharmacy reimbursement initiatives and translate findings into strategy.
• Compile HEOR and CER materials for presentations and decision-making.
• Maintain relationships with internal teams and external partners.
• Develop skills in evolving data analytics and consultative communication.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Data analysis

Predictive modeling

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Attention to detail

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a clinical or health care-related discipline

Tools

SAS

SQL

Excel

Job description

Why Wellmark

We are a mutual insurance company owned by our policy holders across Iowa and South Dakota, and we’ve built our reputation on over 80 years’ worth of trust. We are not motivated by profits. We are motivated by the well‑being of our friends, family, and neighbors‑our members. If you’re passionate about joining an organization working hard to put its members first, to provide best‑in‑class service, and one that is committed to sustainability and innovation, consider applying today!

Learn more about our unique benefit offerings here.

Job Description

Use your strengths at Wellmark!

We are growing our Pharmacy team and are excited to introduce this newly created opportunity for someone who translates clinical insights and data‑driven analyses into clear, actionable recommendations.

Also known internally as a Clinical Pharmacy Analyst, you will put your clinical knowledge and analytical skills to work evaluating pharmacy solutions that impact health care delivery. You will gather, validate, and interpret clinical and economic evidence in a highly collaborative, matrixed environment, helping translate complex data into clear, meaningful insights. You will conduct analyses and develop models that quantify expected benefits, costs, and risks to establish and measure the business value of health care solutions. More importantly, you will not just crunch numbers. You will transform them into concise, actionable recommendations that clearly communicate business and financial impact, member and provider experience, and health outcomes to decision makers.

Collaboration is central to this role. You will partner closely with Business Analytics, Actuarial, and Health Services teams to ensure robust performance measurement, high data integrity, and consistent documentation. You will also support formulary maintenance activities, conduct literature reviews (HEOR/CER), and help develop compelling presentations that translate analytical findings into insights on business value and opportunities to optimize health and financial outcomes. Along the way, you will continue building your expertise in analytical and evaluation methods and sharpen your consultative communication skills, growing as both a technical expert and strategic partner. Critical thinking, curiosity, and an inquisitive mindset are essential as they fuel continuous learning and innovation across our organization.

If you are energized by meaningful analysis, cross‑functional teamwork, and making health care better, we would love to meet you!

Hybrid environment

This position will work a hybrid schedule of at least 3 days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) in Wellmark’s Des Moines office, with 2 days (Monday, Friday) as a remote option.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications - Great to have:

• Direct and applicable experience in data analytics or a related field, including experience using SAS, SQL, Excel, or similar analytical tools.
• Strong clinical literature review and analytical writing skills.

Required Qualifications - Must have:

• Bachelor’s degree in a clinical or health care‑related discipline (e.g. pharmacy, nursing, public health, epidemiology, health sciences, or a related field).
• 4+ years of relevant clinical, health care, health plan, PBM, health services research, or related industry experience, including evaluation of clinical, health, and financial outcomes. Experience may include relevant internship(s) and roles in comparative effectiveness research, medication use evaluation, real‑world evidence, or quality improvement.
• Proven ability to organize and analyze clinical data, develop predictive models to drive business decisions, interpret model results, turn data into actionable insights, and effectively communicate model results. Proficient in Microsoft Office and advanced Excel skills, such as pivot tables, trend analysis, and formulas. Technical aptitude to quickly learn new data management and analysis tools or methodologies.
• Excellent analytical skills, data management capabilities, and attention to detail. Ability to review data and provide measurable outcomes and trend measures to support and influence business decisions. Natural curiosity and an ability to devise solutions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to accurately and effectively summarize clinical literature.
• Effective organization and prioritization skills. Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and consistently meet deadlines while also adapting to changing priorities and business needs.
• Strong interpersonal skills to quickly build rapport, credibility and collaborative partnerships with peers, leaders and stakeholders.

What you will do

• Support the evaluation of pharmacy solutions by collecting, validating, and organizing clinical and economic data.
• Perform opportunity sizing analyses and contribute to the preparation of data‑driven recommendations for pharmacy initiatives.
• Develop business cases for pharmacy initiatives by quantifying expected benefits, implementation and ongoing costs, risks, and trade‑offs. Perform scenario and sensitivity analyses to inform prioritization and investment decisions.
• Conduct literature reviews and summarize findings from clinical trials, cost of care studies, and health economic evaluations, focusing on data quality and relevance.
• Participate in the creation and maintenance of evidence‑based value assessments that estimate, measure, and communicate business value, including return on investment (ROI), health outcomes, and member and provider impact.
• Perform modeling and reporting to support formulary decisions and ongoing formulary maintenance activities.
• Develop and maintain tools and templates for tracking outcomes, assessing realized business value, and communicating the impact of clinical interventions.
• Conduct cost‑effectiveness, cost‑utility, and budget impact analyses to evaluate the clinical and economic value of health care interventions.
• Research, monitor, and evaluate pharmacy reimbursement initiatives and methodologies through comprehensive claim and financial analysis. Translate findings into recommendations that inform pharmacy strategy and decision‑making.
• Compile and organize Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) and Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) materials for presentations and decision‑making.
• Maintain positive working relationships with internal teams and external partners, supporting collaborative clinical and economic evaluations.
• Continuously develop skills in evolving data analytics, clinical expertise, and consultative communication through active participation in team projects and training.
• Other duties as assigned.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

The policy of Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is to recruit, hire, train and promote individuals in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation due to a disability at any stage of the employment application process should contact us at [e-mail]

Please inform us if you meet the definition of a "Covered DoD official".

At this time, Wellmark is not considering applicants for this position that require any type of immigration sponsorship (additional work authorization or permanent work authorization) now or in the future to work in the United States. This includes, but IS NOT LIMITED TO: F1-OPT, F1-CPT, H-1B, TN, L-1, J-1, etc. For additional information around work authorization needs please refer to the following resources: Nonimmigrant Workers and Green Card for Employment‑Based Immigrants

Wellmark supports and expects the responsible use of AI for our workforce! We welcome the responsible use of these tools by job seekers as well and are interested in learning from you; you will have an opportunity in the application process to share which tools you used and how you applied them.