Principal Healthcare Economist

Lifespark is a complete senior health company headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Since 2004, we’ve been helping seniors stay healthy, navigate their health care options with confidence, and live fuller, more independent lives as they age. That’s where our people come in – from accounting and health technology to front-line nurses, advanced practice professionals, caregivers and everything in between, we are all invested entrepreneurs focused on helping people age magnificently.
Our Lifespark culture has created not only an award-winning workplace — earning Star Tribune Top Workplace 11 times, Minneapolis Business Journal Best Places to Work three times, and Top USA #1 in Healthcare — but a place where you have the room to be creative, make a difference, and have a purposeful, direct impact on how people age. Lifespark’s full continuum of services offers a breadth of roles with the support to grow your career. To see the experience we are creating, watch our award-winning video Going South – this is the experience you will help create at Lifespark! Changing the age-old story starts with you – let’s get you hired.

As a Principal Healthcare Economist specializing in value-based healthcare and predictive analytics, you will play a pivotal role in conducting complex economic analyses, developing financial models, and utilizing predictive analytics to optimize healthcare value and quality. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, government agencies, and healthcare stakeholders to influence and drive evidence-based healthcare decisions and policy.

 Lifespark Benefits include:
• Annual Reviews/Raises
• Paid Time Off – Vacation Time
• Medical, Dental, Vision benefits for Full Time Hires
• Short-Term Disability & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurances
• 401k + Company Match for full-time and part-time employees
• Referral bonuses
• Career path to other positions within our growing company!

Key Responsibilities:

• Value-Based Healthcare Analysis: Conduct advanced economic analyses of value-based healthcare initiatives, including cost-effectiveness, cost-benefit, and cost-utility analyses, to assess the economic impact of healthcare interventions and policies that emphasize value and quality.
• Predictive Analytics: Utilize predictive analytics techniques to forecast healthcare costs, patient outcomes, and utilization patterns, providing valuable insights for strategic planning and decision-making.
• Data Collection and Management: Collaborate with data analysts to collect, manage, and preprocess large healthcare datasets, ensuring data quality and accuracy for research and predictive modeling purposes.
• Healthcare Market Analysis: Analyze healthcare market dynamics, including reimbursement mechanisms, pricing strategies, and competitive landscape, with a focus on value-based care models.
• Model Development: Design and implement complex economic models to drive business strategy and assess potential outcomes.
• Mentorship: Provide guidance and mentorship to junior economists and analysts, fostering their professional growth and development.
• Continuous Learning: Stay up to date with the latest developments in healthcare economics, predictive analytics, regulatory changes, and industry trends to ensure the relevance and quality of research projects.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in economics, public health, statistics or a related field. (Equivalent experience may also be considered.)
• 5+ years’ analytics experience
• 2+ years’ experience in healthcare economics research or working in healthcare startups with a focus on value-based healthcare.
• Proven ability to translate complex analytical outputs into actionable recommendations that influence care trajectories and drive improvements in health outcomes.
• In-depth knowledge of Medicare and Medicaid services programs, including Medicare Advantage and MSSP programs.
• Advanced knowledge of healthcare financing systems, healthcare policy, and healthcare market dynamics, with an emphasis on value-based care and CMS risk adjustment models.
• Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., Python, R, SAS) and data analysis tools.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including expertise in econometric modeling, statistical analysis, and predictive modeling.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex economic concepts and predictive insights to non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience in mentoring and guiding junior economists or analysts.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary team environment.

It has been and will continue to be our policy to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to age, race, creed, color, disability, marital status, sex, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, arrest record, conviction record, military service, use or nonuse of lawful products off the Employer’s premises during nonworking hours, or declining to attend a meeting or to participate in any communication about religious matters or political matters, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.
#LSCorp