Amir Bassiri, New York

Amir Bassiri is the Medicaid Director for the New York State Department of Health (the Department). He joined the Department in 2019 as Chief of Staff to the Medicaid Director and subsequently served as the Deputy Medicaid Director. As Medicaid Director, Mr. Bassiri is responsible for policy direction, day-to-day strategy, operations, and management for all New York State public health insurance programs, including the Medicaid and Child Health Plus programs, which provide health coverage to approximately half of New Yorkers. Mr. Bassiri also oversees the operation and performance of nine Medicaid Divisions comprised of more than 1,000 State staff, over 300 contracted staff, as well as the management of over 300 contracts, including some of the State’s largest technology, actuarial, and financial contracts. Prior to his work with the Department, he worked as a Senior Policy Advisor for Health in the Governor’s Office under the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. Mr. Bassiri earned his B.A. in both Economics and Psychology from the University of California, Davis, before earning a Master’s in Social Work (M.S.W) from Columbia University.