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NORC at the University Chicago

Karen Swietek

Pronouns: She/Her

Senior Health Economist
Health Care Evaluation
Applied Health Economics Program Area
Karen is a health economist with over 10 years of experience in health services research, statistical analysis, and quasi-experimental study design.

Karen’s research includes mixed-methods studies focused on primary care, behavioral health and chronic comorbidities, alternative payment and delivery models, and health equity.

Since joining NORC in 2011, Karen has worked on several multi-site evaluations for state and federal clients, including acting as the quantitative team lead for the Rhode Island 1115 Medicaid Waiver Evaluation and as a quantitative researcher for the Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity and Community Health Model (ACO REACH) Model. Karen’s research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Health Services Research and the Journal of General Internal Medicine. She is a member of AcademyHealth and The American Society of Health Economists.

Project Contributions

Evaluation of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model

Evaluating Vermont’s efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce health care spending

Client:

Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Evaluating Rhode Island’s Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration

Evaluation of programs implemented under Rhode Island’s Medicaid section 1115 demonstration

Client:

Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services

Documentation of Social Need in 2018 Medicaid Data

Analysis of Medicaid T-MSIS data to understand how well recipients’ social needs are documented

Funder:

NORC at the University of Chicago

Evaluation of the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network

Evaluation of multi-racial/ethnic and multi-sectoral network addressing the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on priority populations

Client:

DHHS Office of Minority Health

Vermont Global Commitment to Health Demonstration Evaluation

Understanding the impact of Vermont’s Global Commitment to Health Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver

Client:

Agency of Human Services, State of Vermont

Evaluation of Minnesota 1115 SUD Waiver

Evaluation of Minnesota’s Medicaid 1115 Substance Use Disorder Waiver

Client:

Minnesota Department of Human Services- Behavioral Health Division

Publications

Research Library & Findings