Steven M. Simmons
Senior Health Economics & Policy Advisor
​Steve serves as the Senior Health Economics and Policy Advisor for Capital Health Consulting LLC. He has over 30 years of health care finance and reimbursement experience with the New York State Department of Health. Steve most recently served as the Director of the Bureau of Residential Health Care Reimbursement within the Office of Health Insurance Programs. Steve’s extensive healthcare experience includes long term care reimbursement rate methodologies as well as financial oversight of Skilled Nursing Facilities, Home Care, Foster Care, Assisted Living and Adult Day Health Care programs.
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In his position as Bureau Director Steve has had significant involvement in the development and analysis of New York State budget items affecting long term care reimbursement and initiatives intended to improve quality of care delivery, including the Nursing Home Quality Pool, the Advanced Training Initiative and the Universal Appeal and Litigation Settlement, to name a few. Steve has worked closely with health policy experts, health and human service providers and advocates on a wide variety of programs for special populations such as the Neurodegenerative specialty rate program.
Prior to his position as Director, Steve worked as a Chief Healthcare Fiscal Analyst in the Division of Finance and Rate setting for DOH. His responsibilities included serving in the capacity of the Assistant Director and managing all of the various functional units within the Bureau of Long term Care Reimbursement. During his career with the Department of Health Steve has worked on various iterations of Medicaid (MA) rate methodologies and since 2012 he has been instrumental in the implementation of Medicaid Redesign Team recommendations. Steve offers guidance and understanding as he has worked closely with long term care providers during the most recent significant changes in MA reimbursement as providers’ transition from Fee for Service reimbursement to Managed Care.
Steve has been a lifelong resident of the Capital District and in his spare time enjoys travelling in the southern United States, is an avid golfer and occupies his remaining time spoiling his very demanding 4-year Puggle named Zoey.