Stephanie Stephens Email & Phone Number

Austin, Tx, Us

• Chief Officer with responsibility for Texas Medicaid and CHIP policy, quality, managed care service delivery, operations, and clinical oversight.• State Medicaid Director for program serving up to nearly 6 million recipients with about 1,000 state employees and an annual budget exceeding $40 billion.• Leveraged managed care service delivery model by moving additional services into managed care and strengthening oversight.• Advanced value-based care strategy through implementation of value-based managed care enrollment, new pay-for-quality and directed payment programs, and managed care quality benchmarks.• Enhanced Medicaid service array to improve women's health, behavioral health, long-term services and supports, and care for children with complex medical needs.• Participated in negotiation of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approval of 10-year 1115 waiver. • Directed Texas Medicaid response to covid-19 public health emergency, including implementing significant flexibilities for providers and recipients. • Represented the Texas Medicaid program before the Texas Legislature during the 2021 and 2023 sessions.

Austin, Tx, Us

Applied experience and expertise to support the efficient and effective delivery of public and private health and human services. Delivered high-quality research, analysis, and written reports and proposals relating to state Medicaid and social services programs. Provided services to non-profits, health plans, and other consulting groups.

Austin, Tx, Us

• Directed strategy, analysis, development, and implementation of Texas eligibility policy for critical social service programs (including Medicaid, CHIP, TANF, and SNAP) that are operated by over 8,000 eligibility workers, serve millions of Texans, and account for billions in state and federal expenditures. • Built high-functioning organization of 25 positions responsible for eligibility policy functions. Ensured policies and procedures aligned with the Office of Social Services' strategic vision and goals, and assumptions for outcomes, timelines, and budgets. • Sponsored project to implement significant federally-mandated Medicaid and CHIP eligibility policy changes included in the Affordable Care Act, which met federal milestones and achieved state goals for efficiency and improvements.• Reviewed, approved, and presented analysis of legislative policy proposals during the state legislative session. • Recommended, negotiated, and effectively communicated policy options and solutions to stakeholders (including federal partners, state leadership, legislators, HHSC executives, and advocates). • Effectively partnered to manage the impacts of policy implementation on eligibility operations, information technology systems, benefits delivery, budgets, caseloads, legal, and communications.

Austin, Tx, Us

Advised the Deputy Executive Commissioner (DEC) for the the Office of Social Services (OSS) on Texas eligibility policy for critical social service programs, including Medicaid, CHIP, TANF, and SNAP. Researched, analyzed, developed, and recommended policy options and solutions to the OSS DEC and other HHSC leadership. Coordinated OSS communications to stakeholders and represented OSS on key projects.

Austin, Tx, Us

Assisted the State Medicaid Director to ensure that HHSC met targets for legislatively-mandated Medicaid and CHIP projects to improve quality and contain costs. Planned, implemented, coordinated, and monitored critical projects for the Medicaid and CHIP Division (MCD). Collaborated with financial services staff on development, tracking, and reporting of fiscal impact estimates for cost containment projects. Effectively communicated with and represented MCD to stakeholders.

Austin, Tx, Us

Held Policy Analyst positions of increasing scope and leadership responsibility in the Medicaid and CHIP Division (MCD). Performed complex policy research, analysis, development, and implementation, and project management for MCD. Led analysis of significant federal legislation, regulations, and guidance (including CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2009 and Affordable Care Act). Recommended, negotiated, and effectively communicated policy options and solutions to stakeholders. Developed comprehensive implementation plans, addressing impacts to policy, operations, benefits delivery, information technology systems, budgets, caseloads, legal, and communications. Managed implementation of policy projects to meet outcome, timeline, and budget assumptions.

Analyzed requests and developed recommendations for the budgets of Texas health and human services agencies. Presented complex budget and policy information to legislators and responded to requests for information. During the legislative session, tracked budget committee decisions, drafted riders, produced bill patterns for all versions of budget bills, and determined fiscal impact for health and human services bills. During the interim, monitored and evaluated agency implementation of budget and policy directives, analyzed agency financial reports and operating budgets, participated in strategic planning, and contributed to LBB publications. Budget areas included: Department of State Health Services, Health and Human Services Commission, and Department of Aging and Disability Services programs.

Austin, Tx, Us

Helped to ensure committee met all Texas House of Representatives rules and that no committee bills were stopped due to rule violations. Analyzed committee bills and prepared committee documentation in compliance with rules and requirements. Helped administer committee hearings and formal committee meetings. Acted as an effective liaison between the chairman and committee members’ staff, constituents, and interest groups.

Master Of Social Work (Msw), Management & Planning

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), Psychology