Chief Review Judge (WMS3/DLS)

State of Washington • Thurston County – Olympia, WA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Chief Review Judge leads the agency’s statewide administrative hearings and appeals programs, ensuring all processes are timely, fair, and compliant with State and Federal law while overseeing the contract with the Office of Administrative Hearings. The position holds Delegated Authority from the agency Director to independently administer the hearing system, supervise the Board of Appeals, and decide second-level Medicaid-related appeals, while also serving as the primary review judge for public and school employee benefits programs. This high-visibility leadership role with significant independent authority is ideal for a Washington State Bar Licensed Attorney with experience in administrative law and team supervision. All HCA employees will apply an equity lens to their work, which may include but is not limited to all analyses of core business and processes.

Within HCA, the Division of Legal Services (DLS) provides centralized administrative support to all HCA divisions at all employee levels to mitigate risks, comply with changing state and federal laws, and assist HCA in accomplishing its goals. DLS supports all programs within HCA.

The Chief Review Judge reports directly to the Chief Legal Officer and provides legal, policy, and administrative support to ensure the HCA meets its legal requirements under state and federal law to provide fair, impartial adjudicative proceedings.The Chief Review Judge is primarily responsible for: Appeals administration, judicial office management, and acts as the Presiding Officer. This position is eligible to telework but is frequently required to report onsite to meet business needs. The default assigned work location of all Health Care Authority (HCA) positions – both on-site and telework eligible positions – is within the State of Washington. This position reports to Olympia, WA. Frequency of onsite work will vary based on business and operational needs. All agency employees are required to report on-site in Olympia on their first and last days of employment to pick up and return state-issued equipment, regardless of telework status or location.

Requirements

• Law degree from an accredited law school and licensed by the Washington State Bar Association in good standing.
• Five (5) years of experience with administrative hearings under the Administrative Procedures Act, representing a governmental agency in front of a tribunal, or other similar legal experience in public sector judicial or quasi-judicial setting.
• Extensive experience directly supervising professional level staff.
• Strong leadership and advanced managerial knowledge and skills that ensure accountability, effectiveness, and high level of ethical integrity, including adherence to the Washington State Court Rules of Professional Conduct.
• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including conflict de-escalation.
• Knowledge and skills in litigation, negotiation, and mediation/conflict resolution.
• Excellent public speaking skills, ability to assess training needs, ability to develop and deliver training to wide variety of audiences.
• Ability to use diplomacy, negotiating, problem solving, and consultation skills when communicating.
• Demonstrates personal accountability.
• Experience in personnel management, staff development, and knowledge of regulations related to personnel and supervisory management in the public sector.
• Ability to manage time and organize work using systems thinking.
• Advanced knowledge of information technology and skills in working with systems and software, including proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Knowledge of and adherence to state ethics law.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of state and federal policies, laws, and regulations related to state and federal medical assistance programs.
• Knowledge of laws and issues related to administration of the Public Employees Benefit Board and School Employees Benefits Board programs (e.g., COBRA, ERISA, Internal Revenue Code, self-insurance health plans, outside third-party administration issues, coordination of benefits, long-term disability, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts).
• Knowledge of healthcare delivery methods, national healthcare reform efforts, and trends.
• Knowledge of or experience in state contracts and acquisitions; vendor disputes; intellectual property; internet/computer law; Public Records Act/Open Public Meetings Act; and privacy laws.
• Knowledge and experience drafting, negotiating, and managing contracts in state government.

Responsibilities

• Plans, leads, and develops adjudicative proceedings processes ensuring compliance with all state and federal laws, regulations and policies, ensuring due process under the law.
• Manages the development of rules, policies, trainings, statewide for HCA’s hearings and appeals programs coordinating closely with the HCA programs (PEBB/SEBB, Medicaid, and Behavioral Health) as well as external stakeholders such as legal advocates, Office of Administrative Hearings, and the Department of Social and Health Services.
• Develops and amends contractual language and manages the interagency agreement with the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) to ensure that OAH conducts hearings in a manner that is timely and fair, affords due process, and that decisions are legally accurate and supported by a complete record in compliance with Chapter 34.05 RCW and 42 CFR 431 Part E, and other relevant laws and regulations.
• Maintains and ensures the highest level of judicial integrity of self and staff.
• Supervises the Legal Administrative Manager to ensure the highest level of administrative efficiencies within the Board of Appeals.
• Is a second level supervisor to the Legal Assistant 3 that reports to the Legal Administrative Manager providing coaching, mentorship, and support.
• Oversees the proper scheduling and tactical operations of the hearings system statewide.
• Conducts root cause analysis of problems that arise in this complex scheduling system.
• Proactively anticipates and remediates systemic issues within the hearings and appeals system agencywide.
• Coordinates well with internal and external stakeholders.
• Designs and implements necessary changes to the administrative hearings program based on changes in state or federal health care law in consultation and collaboration with subject matter experts, stakeholders, internal program managers, and OAH. program managers and the Communications Division.
• Administers HCA’s external web page relating to all of HCA’s hearings and appeals programs for a diverse client and advocacy base.
• Administers and maintains the indexing process for HCA’s Index of Significant Decisions in consultation with the Chief Legal Officer and other agency partners.
• Maintains the HCA Administrative Policy on ex parte communication.
• Provides statewide training on hearings and appeals processes and best practices coordinating closely with the Department of Social and Health Services and HCA’s Medicaid program.
• Provides advice, consultation, information, guidance, interpretation and technical support regarding appeals of agency decisions, to all programs.
• Provides technical consultation and input for legislative bill analyses.
• Directs and supervises the work of licensed attorney Review Judges who (1) review and correct decisions of Administrative Law Judges or (2) presides over nursing home rates administrative hearings, by applying laws to the facts to reach legal conclusions, and issue legally binding final orders under delegated authority of the HCA Director.
• Ensures that the Review Judges issues timely and accurate decisions under the law.
• Presides over administrative hearings in accordance with Chapters 182-16 and 182-32 WAC and Chapter 34.05 RCW by applying facts to law, creating a complete record, and issuing a final agency decision appealable to state superior court.
• Refers cases to the Office of Administrative Hearings when appropriate

Benefits

• Meaningful work with friendly co-workers who care about those we serve
• A clear agency mission that drives our work and is person-centered
• A healthy work/life balance, including alternative/flexible schedules and mobile work options.
• A great total compensation and benefit package
• A safe, pleasant workplace in a convenient location with restaurants, and shopping nearby.
• And free parking!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior