Applications for the Academy’s 2024 Lessin Internship are now closed.
Deadline: March 8, 2024
Leeba Lessin (1958-2021) was a visionary leader who inspired new ways of thinking about care for the elderly and successfully executed those ideas. A founder of CareMore who served as CEO and President of the company from 2012 to 2016, Leeba reimagined eldercare and created a care model that has since been adopted and adapted by Medicare Advantage plans across the United States. Leeba was a beloved mentor for those who had the privilege to work with her and an exemplary servant leader who cared deeply for the members who entrusted CareMore with their care. The first in her family to attend college, Leeba received a BA degree from Westmont College in Santa Barbara and an MBA from the University of Washington.
The new Leeba Lessin Internship on Health and Medicare Policy at the National Academy of Social Insurance honors her memory and extends her legacy and impact on health care.
The launch of this program is made possible thanks to the leadership and generosity of Sachin Jain, who was a Somers Intern on Aging and Long-Term Care Research in 1999. Dr. Jain is now the CEO of SCAN Health Plan, after serving as CEO of CareMore immediately following Leeba Lessin’s retirement. We are also grateful for a leadership gift from Dr. Richard Merkin, founder of Heritage Provider Network. We are grateful to all Leeba Lessin Internship launch fund donors (as of January 25, 2022, in alpha order): Doug and Angela Braly Family Foundation, Giatros Health (Ken Kim, Anil Hanuman), National Committee on Quality Assurance; Deborah Bell, Jay Bhatt, Thomas Carella, Wayne Deveydt and Michele Jackson, Isabelle Diaz, George Fields, Balu Gadhe, Ken Goulet, Piyush Gupta, Peter Haytaian, Alan and Terri Hoops, Pam Kehaly, Stephen Lineberry, Robert Lonardo, Richard Lungen, Mike Maley, Cristine Oropez, Dan Peterson, Michael Plumb, Mireille Sire, Erika Tigno, and Eric Van Horn
Donate to the Leeba Lessin Internship launch fund
Who should apply for this internship?
Freshman and sophomore first-generation college students across the U.S. who are interested in health care and Medicare policy are eligible to apply for the Leeba Lessin Internship program. Students pursuing courses of study in health policy, health economics, public policy, social policy, or related subjects are urged to apply for this 12-week summer internship in Washington, DC.*
Eligibility of all internship programs requires applicants to be currently enrolled in a college or university at the start of the internship cycle.
*As of summer 2022, Academy interns are offered hybrid or in-person work arrangements, which are subject to change depending on COVID-19. In-person attendance is required for local DC Academy internship programming and activities.
Compensation
Interns are paid at least $17.50/hr based on a 35 to 40-hour work week.
Internship Placements
Students selected for an internship will be matched with a placement organization in the DC area, where they will work under the supervision of an Academy Member. Leeba Lessin Interns will be afforded the opportunity to:
- Work with leading experts and officials working on Medicare and related public and private health programs;
- Gain valuable work experience;
- Make professional contacts and network in their area(s) of interest; and
- Participate in a weekly seminar series with an internship cohort comprised of talented students working in other areas of social insurance.
Our most recent internship placements have included:
- AcademyHealth
- ADvancing States (former National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities)
- AFL-CIO
- Buffin Foundation
- Center for Global Policy Solutions
- Century Foundation
- Community Catalyst
- Congressional Research Service
- Kaiser Family Foundation
- Long-Term Quality Alliance (LTQA)
- Medicaid and Chip Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC)
- National Academy of Social Insurance
- National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM)
- National Institute for Retirement Security
- SCAN Health Plan
- Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB)
- U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means
- U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP)
- Urban Institute
Academic credit may be arranged through the intern’s college or university.
The National Academy of Social Insurance, as a nonpartisan organization devoted to furthering knowledge and understanding of social insurance programs, is uniquely qualified to provide students with challenging and rewarding education and professional development opportunities. Academy Members, recognized experts in social insurance and health policy, offer the interns access to information and experiences found nowhere else.