Jessica Lindley ’18 began her career in the criminal justice field in the court system as a sentencing specialist, but after burnout from the job decided to transition into nonprofit consulting. From her time in the nonprofit sector she has gained over 20 years of experience working in the government health care system and implementing Medicaid for states and health care management organizations. Her interest in using Medicaid as a basis for a new universal health care system along with thinking about the trajectory of her career pushed her to apply to Hofstra Law’s Master of Arts in Health law and Policy Program, where she could “look at policy changes” in the health care field. She currently works for Aetna CVSHealth as the Director of Medicaid Integration, where she uses many of the skills she’s learned from the Program.
Prepares Students for Current Issues in Health Law
The Health Law and Policy Program uses real case law, current legal materials, and events to help students in the class build on their foundation and equip them to become a valuable legal resource to the organizations they work with.
“The knowledge I have gained from my Health Law and Policy degree from Hofstra Law has directly contributed to my career path as a Director of Medicaid Integration for Aetna CVSHealth.”
For Lindley, having that extra knowledge has given her an advantage in her current position. “What really helped me was looking at the regulation and compliance challenges and how that legislation works within health policy and law,” she says. “It helped me understand the RVS Update Committee (RUC) which basically sets the price setting for Medicaid and Medicare services. Getting into that detail and how those decisions within the policy trickle down to affect patient care and member health has been invaluable knowledge.”
The classes also put into perspective for her how the law affects her work directly. “In recent years what really fascinated me was the Affordable Care Act and how that really is defining our future,” she says. “A lot of people don’t realize how big that act was on many levels. Not just from a health care standpoint but also from a tax and data standpoint from the future of how we are integrating and looking at health outcomes. So that was really helpful.”
Learn Valuable Skills
The Health Law and Policy Program is completely online, giving the working student the flexibility to balance work with classes. Because of this dynamic Lindley was able to “look at [her] degree as a project and work as a project” and that helped refine her project management skills. Though it is a remote learning experience, Lindley thrived because her “professors were really supportive” and helpful.
The skills students learn in the program sets them apart from others in the field. “One of the things that really benefited my career is having knowledge of change management,” she says. “I think that that’s important with the Health Law and Policy program, understanding change management and the behaviors that go along with that on an individual basis.”
Expand Your Health Law Network
A highlight of Lindley’s experience in the program was expanding her connections within the health law field. “I liked the interaction of being able to work with colleagues,” she says. “Just seeing how some of my colleagues are in their career growth and how it has affected my career. I really think it’s had a positive effect. The knowledge I have gained from my Health Law and Policy degree from Hofstra Law has directly contributed to my career path as a Director of Medicaid Integration for Aetna CVSHealth.”
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