Sr. Healthcare Economics Consultant (Remote)

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Senior Healthcare Economics Consultant plays a critical role in supporting Behavioral Health regulatory reporting and compliance initiatives, with a primary focus on Mental Health Parity (MHP) reporting. This position is responsible for developing and maintaining robust data processes that compile, cleanse, analyze, and enhance authorization and claim data to meet federal compliance requirements.

The consultant will leverage advanced analytics tools, including SAS and SQL, to query and interpret complex behavioral health data across multiple claims and utilization management systems. The role serves as a key partner to regulatory, legal, clinical, and analytics stakeholders, delivering accurate, timely, and actionable reporting while supporting complex regulatory inquiries and business needs.

This position is essential to ensuring data integrity, audit readiness, and adherence to quality standards, while helping mitigate organizational risk related to compliance reporting and regulatory penalties. This role also contributes to ongoing automation, reporting optimization, and self-service dashboard initiatives that improve reporting efficiency and transparency.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

For all hires in the Minneapolis or Washington, D.C. area, you will be required to work in the office a minimum of four days per week.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain a system for compiling, cleaning, and augmenting authorization data to support Mental Health Parity (MHP) reporting for federal compliance requirements
• Query and analyze complex behavioral healthcare data across different claims and utilization management systems using SAS and SQL based tools
• Respond to internal, external, and regulatory reporting requests with high accuracy and timeliness
• Perform custom analysis for complex regulatory inquiries and stakeholder needs
• Partner with regulatory, legal, clinical, and analytics teams to align data, reporting, and compliance requirements
• Maintain audit readiness and adherence to data quality standards
• Mitigate business risk associated with regulatory penalties and reporting inaccuracies

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience, with a minimum of 3+ years of post-graduate professional experience or 3+ years of related healthcare analytics experience

• 3+ years of working with SAS, SQL, or other data analysis tools, SQL/SAS preferred

• 3+ years of healthcare data analytics experience using authorizations or claims data

• Advanced level of proficiency working with MS Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, and v-lookups

• Proven ability to quickly learn and efficiently use new software and AI tools

• Proven solid verbal and written communication skills

• All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $91,700 - $163,700 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.