Melissa Sanchez

Melissa Sanchez is a researcher with expertise in conducting Medicaid data analytics using the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files (TAF). Her work focuses on behavioral health policy and data analytics.

Sanchez leads the annual development and publication of the congressionally mandated T-MSIS Substance Use Disorder Data Book, under Mathematica’s Medicaid and CHIP Business Information System Data Analytics and Data Quality contract. Under the same contract, she develops data quality resources for users of the TAF files and spent four years providing technical assistance to states on their T-MSIS submissions. She led analyses of children’s use of behavioral health care during the COVID-19 pandemic and of home- and community-based service use in Medicaid for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Sanchez also serves as a metrics subject matter expert for substance use disorder demonstrations under the 1115 Demonstration Support Contract.

Before joining Mathematica, Sanchez interned with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, Office of Evaluation and Inspections, and before that she managed a community health program in Chicago. Sanchez has a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago and bachelor’s degrees in social work and Spanish from Ball State University.