The State of Connecticut Office of the Healthcare Advocate (OHA) is recruiting for an Assistant Healthcare Advocate position.

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

Monday•Friday, 8:00 a.m.•4:30 p.m. Full-time (40 hours per week) Hybrid work environment First shift

Location:

280 Trumbull Street, Downtown Hartford, CT•easily accessible for commuters!

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Our new State Employee Benefits Overview page ! Professional growth and development opportunities. A healthy work/life balance to all employees.

THE ROLE

The selected candidate for the Assistant Healthcare Advocate position will be responsible for providing customer service support to consumers, as well as offering additional support as needed. They will assist in directing staff and overseeing agency operations, develop or help develop relevant policies, and prepare or assist in preparing the agency budget. The candidate will also support legislative efforts and health care advocacy processes and represent the agency at public events and meetings.

ABOUT US

The mission of the Office of the Healthcare Advocate (OHA) is to assist consumers with healthcare issues through the establishment of effective outreach programs and the development of communications related to consumer rights and responsibilities as members of healthcare plans. OHA focuses on assisting consumers in making informed decisions when selecting a health plan; assisting consumers to resolve problems with their health insurance plans and tracking trends of issues/problems, which may require administrative or legislative intervention, or advocacy with industry, the public, or other stakeholders. Please watch the video below to see what it's like to be a State of CT employee! Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

BEFORE YOU APPLY

Meet Minimum Qualifications:

Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.

Educational Credits:

List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.

Resume Policy:

Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position.

This documentation may include:

a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.

Preferred Shift/Location:

Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.

Timely Submission:

All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing

DAS.SHRM

@ct.gov.

Salary Calculations :

For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

Note :

The only way to apply to this posting is via the 'Apply' or 'Apply Online' buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

AFTER YOU APPLY

Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updates—such as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling links—please check your Personal Status Board regularly. For added convenience, you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this, log in to your Personal Status Board and select "Update My Contact Information."

Referral Questions:

This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire's expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).

Prepare For An Interview:

Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression! Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks. The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Note :

This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics. This employer may participate in E‑Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm work authorization.

QUESTIONS?

WE'RE

HERE TO HELP

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Sharon McIntosh, at Sharon.

McIntosh@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS

(NATURE OF WORK) In the Office of Health Care Advocate, this class is accountable for assisting in the direction of daily operations of the agency.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Assists in directing staff and operations of the agency; Coordinates, plans and manages program activities; Assists in formulation of program goals and objectives; Develops or assists in development of related policy; Interprets and administers pertinent laws; Evaluates staff; Prepares or assists in preparation of agency budget; Maintains contacts with individuals within and outside of agency who might impact on program activities; Prepares reports; Assists with legislative and health care advocacy processes; Represents agency at public functions and meetings; Manages programs, grants and projects as assigned; Participates in the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection; Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

Considerable knowledge of and ability to apply management principles and practices; relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; health benefits case management, utilization review and managed care appeal processes; advocacy process; Knowledge of healthcare delivery systems; health maintenance organizations; state legislative and regulation process; Considerable interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; ability to interpret health coverage plans.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

•GENERAL

EXPERIENCE

Nine (9) years of experience in health care advocacy, insurance regulation, the insurance industry, nursing, managed care and/or healthcare administration.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

•SPECIAL

EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been in a management, supervisory or consultative capacity.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

•SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equaling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree. A Master's degree in healthcare advocacy, healthcare management, nursing, business administration, insurance, finance, public administration, public health or a related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience. One (1) year as a Health Care Advocate Program Manager may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

NOTE:

For state employees one (1) year of experience as a Health Care Advocate Program Manager may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience and expertise in the fields of health care, health insurance, and advocacy for the rights of consumers Experience assisting health insurance consumers with health plan selection, or comparable experience advising, supporting, or administering health insurance programs, benefits, or coverage Experience with health insurance complaints, grievances, appeals, or other dispute resolution processes Experience analyzing, monitoring, and facilitating public comment regarding the development and implementation of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies affecting health insurance coverage and consumers Experience researching, analyzing, monitoring, and facilitating public comment and other materials regarding issues affecting health care affordability, including but not limited to provider consolidations, community benefits programs, cost growth benchmarks, revenue cycles, and health system financing Experience providing education and information to the public, agencies, legislators, or other stakeholders regarding problems and concerns reported by health insurance consumers and making recommendations for resolving those problems and concerns

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's license. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.