Dezeree Hodish joined the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the state’s Medicaid agency, right in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic — in April 2020. While she had an unusual onboarding experience, it did not deter her from rolling up her sleeves and learning the ins and outs of her new role as the Assistant Director of Financial and Contract Management, where she oversaw fee-for-service rate-setting activities and supports the development and implementation of Medicaid finance and policy initiatives that improve health care services for members.

When Dezeree joined Rhode Island Medicaid, she managed the state’s Workforce Stabilization Loan Program, which provided $16 million in payroll support to nursing home care workers during the COVID-19 public health emergency. In 2024, due to increased responsibilities, Dezeree’s role was reclassified as Chief of Strategic Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, which better reflected her project management, policy, and finance responsibilities. In this role, she plans, organizes, and directs implementation of Medicaid budget and policy initiatives. She also completes special projects and analyses requested by the executive and legislatives budget directors. With a decade of public service experience in Rhode Island and Kansas, Dezeree shares how she first got started in Medicaid, a recent success with her team, and how she stays motivated on the harder days.

Q. What led you to working for Medicaid — including how you got into your current role?

A. Prior to my current role, I didn’t have Medicaid experience. I worked as an interdepartmental project manager at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC), and as a budget and policy analyst in executive and legislative budget offices. As a project manager, I assisted the RIDOC with their enrollment as a 340B Provider. To become a 340B provider, we had to get a memorandum of understanding with the Rhode Island Department of Health to operate a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic in the prison system. From this, RIDOC was able to provide STI counseling, education, and testing for at-risk individuals in its custody, and was eligible to purchase select outpatient drugs at discounted prices. Savings could then be reinvested back into its health care program. I wrote the Department’s 340B standard operating procedures, ensured compliance with federal 340B program requirements, and tracked and reported on program expenditures.

Even though I knew I would have a steep learning curve, I applied for the role of Assistant Director of Financial and Contract Management at Rhode Island Medicaid because the role blended budget and policy development, process improvement, and project management — all things in my background. Admittedly, I waited until the last day to apply because I was afraid my lack of Medicaid knowledge would be a barrier. My husband actually said to me “If you take the word ‘Medicaid’ out of every sentence in this job description, you’d love everything about this job. Don’t be afraid to apply, you’ll learn Medicaid.” After four years, I am still learning new things and continue to love the blended nature of my work.

Q. What’s a success — big or small — that you experienced recently?

A. Our hospital tax structure needed modifications to ensure compliance with federal regulations. Our team, along with our contract actuaries, drafted legislation for a new hospital tax structure and assisted with the revenue forecasting. We worked on the project for nearly two years, and we were very happy to receive approval from and stay in compliance with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Q. What keeps you motivated, especially on the difficult days?

A. I try to remember the larger goal of my work and who it impacts. I also remind myself that I am lucky to work with a talented and driven team that continually strives to improve processes and develop innovative ways to improve the lives of others.

Q. How do you address staff burnout?

A. Our team values a work-life balance that promotes mental and physical well-being. We prioritize time sensitive projects, while shifting other deadlines and meetings to accommodate urgent requests. Cross-training has become more important as we try to diversify our portfolios and teach others important tasks so there is more than one person who knows how to do something. We encourage one another to leave work at work, use vacation time, and participate in agency activities that get us away from our desks, like group walks, board games, and food truck days. When a team member is sick, we stress the importance of staying home and resting.

Q. What do you wish people knew about careers in Medicaid?

A. There are so many different career paths working in Medicaid. We have providers, policy and finance specialists, project managers, data scientists, contract managers, lawyers, and so many other roles in our agency. Prior to working in Medicaid, I didn’t know how diverse the careers could be within the agency. Also, I didn’t anticipate working with so many of our team members daily. Every initiative that I work on — at the minimum — requires clinical, data, policy, finance, IT, legal, and project management team members. It is very humbling to work together and build an initiative from conception to implementation using our diverse interests and skill sets.

Q. What are you working on that has you excited for the future?

A. I am currently the project manager for Rhode Island’s transition to a new nursing facility payment system, and I am participating in a work group on how to reconfigure nursing facilities to meet the needs of residents. This group has been very helpful to better understand innovative ways to modernize living and payment systems in Medicaid. Our team is also nearly fully staffed, and we’ve even hired new staff! I am excited to work with our new team members and provide them with training and professional development opportunities to support their transition to Medicaid.

Q. How do you rest and get reenergized outside of work?

A. I have a few hobbies that take my mind off work: tap dancing, road tripping, cooking, and practicing Russian. When I am feeling extra tired, I can always find interesting documentaries and reality TV to binge watch. My husband and I also hosted an international exchange student. We recently had a student from Jordan stay with us for ten months.