Robert Nelb, MPH
Director of Policy
America’s Essential Hospitals
Robert Nelb is a health policy leader specializing in Medicaid, hospital financing, and safety-net healthcare systems. As Director of Policy at America’s Essential Hospitals, he leads policy analysis and advocacy on behalf of more than 300 hospitals and health systems dedicated to serving low-income, uninsured, and medically underserved populations. His work focuses on federal healthcare financing policies, Medicaid payment reform, and strengthening the financial sustainability of essential hospitals while advancing equitable access to care.
Before joining America’s Essential Hospitals, Nelb spent a decade at the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), where he served as Principal Analyst and led the commission’s work on hospital payment policy, delivery system reform, and Medicaid financing. He also previously worked at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where he focused on CHIP and Medicaid Section 1115 demonstration waivers. With over 15 years of experience in federal health policy, Nelb brings deep expertise on the policy and financing challenges facing safety-net hospitals and vulnerable communities.