CMS Selects Abt to Support Child Health Service Model Evaluation

Abt Associates has been awarded a $23.5M contract to help the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services evaluate the agency's method to deliver and pay for children's health care services through government-run programs.

The company said Tuesday it will use both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data on Integrated Care for Kids model implementation, as well as the overall experience of providers and beneficiaries under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

“Supporting the most vulnerable is central to Abt’s mission, so determining how to advance patient-centered services to children while keeping a lid on costs is perfectly aligned with who we are as a company,” said Christopher Spera, vice president of the health and environment division at Abt.

Spera noted that Bailit Health, Insight Policy Research and University of Pennsylvania professor Dennis Culhane will take part in InCK evaluation efforts.

Abt added it will conduct studies to determine how the model affects children using Medicaid and CHIP services.