Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. received a $763,155 Project Grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), awarded August 1, 2026, with completion targeted for April 30, 2031. The organization will conduct policy research evaluating Medicaid coverage of rapid genome sequencing (RGS) for critically ill infants. The research addresses a critical gap in understanding how state-level RGS coverage policies impact clinical practice and health outcomes, given that RGS has demonstrated clinical and cost-effectiveness as a diagnostic tool for genetic disorders but faces variable insurance coverage and reimbursement barriers across the nation.

The deliverables include two primary research components: (1) a coverage policy landscape analysis and key informant interviews to characterize RGS policy design, decision-making processes, and impacts on intensive care practice; and (2) a quasi-experimental evaluation using national Medicaid claims data to assess the impact of state-level RGS coverage implementation on utilization rates, hospital length of stay, healthcare utilization patterns, and associated costs. This research will provide evidence-based insights into the real-world health and economic outcomes of Medicaid RGS coverage policies at the population level, informing future coverage and clinical implementation decisions across states.