Healthcare Policy Analyst

MaineHealth; Portland (ME); On-site; USD 71,000 - 97,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid parental leave

Flexible work options

Student loan assistance

Professional development

Well-being resources

Job summary

MaineHealth is seeking a Healthcare Policy Analyst to translate complex health policy and financing concepts into actionable insights for executive leadership in Portland, Maine. The role focuses on policy research, financial modeling, and strategic advisory for organizational planning and advocacy.

Ideal candidates have 3–7 years in health policy or health care finance, with strong Excel and data visualization skills, and a Master's degree preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred.
• Three to seven years of health policy, health care finance, or policy analytics experience.
• Experience analyzing Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial payer reimbursement is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of health care payment systems and clear communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Research federal and state health policy proposals and their impact on hospital financing.
• Evaluate financial and operational effects of policy changes with MaineHealth finance teams.
• Develop policy briefs, white papers, and executive summaries for leadership.
• Create talking points and analytical materials for legislative engagement.
• Develop visuals and dashboards to support policy communication.

Skills

Health policy

Policy analysis

Financial analysis

Excel

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Excel

Statistical software

Data visualization platforms

Job description

Description

Professional - Nonclinical

Req #: 85239

Please note that this is an onsite role in Portland, Maine and a healthcare policy role-not a traditional business analyst, data analyst or claims analyst position.

Are you a creative thinker who enjoys digging into healthcare policy, researching emerging ideas, and figuring out what they could mean for a large health system? MaineHealth is looking for a Healthcare Policy Analyst who can take complex health policy information and turn it into practical insights for organizational leaders. We're looking for someone who is intellectually curious, enjoys research, and can think beyond the numbers to understand the bigger picture of how healthcare policy and financing decisions could affect MaineHealth.

In this role, you'll regularly research the work of health policy organizations, think tanks, government agencies, and other influential groups to identify emerging policies, recommendations, payment models, and regulatory changes. You'll review the research and data behind those ideas, evaluate their potential financial and operational impact on MaineHealth, and translate what you find into clear, actionable information for leadership, advocacy, planning, and stakeholder discussions.

The ideal candidate brings hands-on healthcare policy research experience and understands healthcare financing, including Medicare, Medicaid, reimbursement, healthcare cost trends, and payment reform. Experience within a health system or healthcare policy environment is strongly preferred. A bachelor's degree is required, and a master's degree in public health, public policy, or a related discipline is highly preferred. We're particularly interested in candidates who have developed their healthcare policy expertise through respected health systems, universities, research centers, or policy organizations.

If you enjoy exploring what's happening in healthcare policy, asking "What could this mean for MaineHealth?", digging into the evidence, and helping leaders understand what may be coming next, this could be a great opportunity to put your research and analytical skills to work in a very practical way.

Summary

The Healthcare Policy Analyst provides strategic analysis and policy expertise on issues affecting health care financing, reimbursement, and cost trends. This role evaluates federal and state health policy proposals, health policy thinktank tools and recommendations, payment models, and regulatory changes impacting health care finance and translates them into actionable insights for organizational leadership.

The analyst develops financial and policy analyses that inform advocacy strategies, operational planning, and stakeholder engagement. The position requires strong research and analytical capabilities, knowledge of health care payment systems, and understanding of the health policy thinktank environment, and the ability to communicate complex financial policy concepts clearly - verbally, visually, and written - to executives, policymakers, and external partners.

Key Responsibilities

Policy and Financial Analysis

• Research and track national and state policy proposals developed by thinktanks and state and federal government.
• Analyze federal and state health policy proposals promoted by government or thinktanks that would affect hospital and health system financing, including payment models, rate regulation, and cost containment initiatives.
• Working with the MaineHealth financial team, evaluate the financial impact of identified policy proposals on the organization and the broader health care system.
• Conduct modeling and scenario analysis related to reimbursement changes, cost growth caps, and alternative payment models.
• Interpret and summarize complex health care finance data, including Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payer payment structures.

Strategic Policy Support

• Support organizational strategy and advocacy by providing data-driven insights on issues related to cost and access of health care.
• Prepare policy briefs, white papers, and executive summaries for senior leadership.
• Develop talking points, testimony, and analytical materials for legislative and regulatory engagement.
• Monitor emerging trends in policies related to health care costs.

Data and Research

• Analyze public datasets and financial reports from sources such as CMS, state agencies, health policy organizations, and industry publications.
• Benchmark organizational performance and financial indicators against state and national trends.
• Develop visualizations and dashboards to support policy communication and decision-making.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with finance and strategy/planning to assess policy implications.
• Engage with external stakeholders including trade associations, policymakers, and advocacy partners.
• Support coalition-building efforts around policy priorities related to health care affordability and access.

Required Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

1. Education: Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred (MBA, MPA, MBP, or similar).
2. License/Certifications: N/A
3. Experience: Three - seven years of experience in health policy, health care finance, payment policy, or related analytical roles. Experience analyzing Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial payer reimbursement policies strongly preferred. Experience working in a health system, consulting firm, accounting firm, government agency, think tank, or policy organization preferred.
4. Additional Skills/Requirements Required: Strong understanding of health care payment systems, including Medicare prospective payment systems, Medicaid financing, and commercial reimbursement. Familiarity with health care cost drivers, hospital finance, and payment reform models. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Proficiency with analytical tools such as Excel, statistical software, or data visualization platforms.
5. Additional Skills/Requirements Preferred:
   • Experience working in a health system, consulting firm, accounting firm, government agency, think tank, or policy organization preferred.

Additional Information

MaineHealth is committed to fostering a supportive, inclusive environment where care team members can thrive while making a meaningful impact in the communities we serve across Maine and New Hampshire. We offer competitive benefits including paid parental leave, flexible work options, student loan assistance, professional development opportunities, and well-being resources - so you can grow your career while feeling supported both personally and professionally.

We recognize the value each team member brings to our organization. Any offer of employment will depend on qualifications such as skills, relevant experience, education, certifications, and other job-related factors. The base range is an estimate and does not reflect the full value of our total compensation package.

The pay range for this position is $71,448.00 to $96,636.80 per year.

Compensation for part-time positions is determined on a prorated basis consistent with the scheduled hours and applicable full-time equivalent (FTE).

In addition to base pay, MaineHealth offers comprehensive benefits, recognition programs, career growth opportunities, and, where applicable, shift differentials or other incentives.

Hiring Scam Alert

MaineHealth will never request financial information during the interview or pre-hiring process. All legitimate communications will come from an email address ending in @mainehealth.org. If you suspect fraudulent activity, please report it immediately to .

Notice Regarding Maine Employer Surveillance Statue: Pursuant to Maine's Employer Surveillance Statute, prospective care team members are notified that MaineHealth may monitor, collect, record, review, or retain information related to the use of its systems, networks, applications, files, data, communications platforms (including notified recordings), smart badges, building access, company vehicle GPS data, business calls, and workplace security cameras.

Information collected may be used for legitimate business purposes, including security, safety, compliance, investigations, training, quality assurance, and operational management.

With a career at any of the MaineHealth locations across Maine and New Hampshire, you'll be working with health care professionals that truly value the people around them - both within the walls of the organization and the communities that surround it.