Christine Ferro

Principal

New York, NY, US

Christine Ferro is a principal and a senior healthcare data analytics consultant in the New York-Atlanta office, where she has worked since 1998. She consults to a wide variety of life science and policy organizations for HEOR and population health analyses.

She currently manages teams of analysts performing cross-sectional and longitudinal data studies. Projects involve client data from various platforms, as well as publicly available databases such as Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) 100% Research Identifiable Files, Truven’s MarketScan, and the CMS Medicare 5% and 100% sample databases.

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Experience

Christine has extensive experience in data mining, large database management, and analytics. She is an expert in using complex SAS and SQL programming to evaluate and explore data, develop unique models, and perform predictive analytics.

She has provided consulting services to a wide range of clients, including health plans, hospitals and providers, research organizations, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies.

HEOR projects have included studies on oncology, mortality, chronic kidney, and circulatory diseases. Projects dealing with population health and therapeutics have included longitudinal studies on the cost of Hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis, oncology, minimally invasive surgery, and pregnancy. Christine has worked on benchmarking insurer and provider claims data using national average and well-managed standards. She has helped develop best practice standards using large administrative databases.

Christine’s work on episode-based payment projects have included the CMS’s Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative, the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement program, and the CMMI Oncology Care Management model.

Publications and Presentations

Berner T, Ferro C, Dieguez G, Metz S, Moore J, Szabo E, Kovesdy CP. Real-World Phosphate Binder Use Among Dialysis-Dependent Patients With CKD. Nephron. 2023 Mar 30. doi: 10.1159/000530230. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36996774.

McKay RR, Hafron JM, Ferro C, Wilfehrt HM, Fitch K, Flanders SC, Fabrizio MD, Schweizer MT. A Retrospective Observational Analysis of Overall Survival with Sipuleucel-T in Medicare Beneficiaries Treated for Advanced Prostate Cancer. Adv Ther. 2020 Dec;37(12):4910-4929. doi: 10.1007/s12325-020-01509-5. Epub 2020 Oct 7. PMID: 33029725; PMCID: PMC7596004.

Pulgar S, Bains S, Gooch J, Chambers H, Noritz GH, Wright E, Sawhney TG, Pyenson B, Ferro C. Prevalence, Patterns, and Cost of Care for Children with Cerebral Palsy Enrolled in Medicaid Managed Care. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2019 Jul;25(7):817-822. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2019.25.7.817. PMID: 31232210; PMCID: PMC10398069.

Pyenson BS, Dieguez G, Ferro C, Mavinkurve M, Gonzalez YS. Newly Diagnosed Hepatitis C in the US Commercially Insured Population Before and After the 2012 Implementation of Expanded Screening Guidelines. Am Health Drug Benefits. 2018 Feb;11(1):30-37. PMID: 29692878; PMCID: PMC5902763.

Hafron JM, Wilfehrt HM, Ferro C, Harmon M, Flanders SC, McKay RR. Real-World Effectiveness of Sipuleucel-T on Overall Survival in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer Treated with Androgen Receptor-Targeting Agents. Adv Ther. 2022 Jun;39(6):2515-2532. doi: 10.1007/s12325-022-02085-6. Epub 2022 Mar 30. PMID: 35352309; PMCID: PMC9123060.

Ferro C, Pyenson BS, Lau J, Kelkar M, Phillips N, Lu CW, Yeung P, Bachmann G. The Prevalence and Payer Costs of Potentially Avoidable Emergent Care Visits for Suspected Amniotic Membrane Rupture in Pregnant Women. Am Health Drug Benefits. 2018 Jul;11(5):241-250. PMID: 30464792; PMCID: PMC6207302.

Professional Designations

Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP)

Education

BA, Economics, Statistics minor, Rutgers University, 1998

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Publications

Read their latest work

Article

Thromboprophylaxis patterns of care following surgery

10 March 2021 - by Kate Fitch, Christine Ferro, Melissa A. Caplen, David Destephano

Thromboprophylaxis patterns of care following surgery show underutilization with respect to guideline recommendations

Article

Comparing the Demographics of Enrollees in Medicare Advantage and Fee-For-Service Medicare

15 October 2020 - by Catherine M. Murphy-Barron, Bruce S. Pyenson, Christine Ferro, Matthew Emery

To better understand the increasing role of Medicare Advantage for Medicare beneficiaries, this report looks at similarities and differences among enrollees in a Medicare Advantage plan and those in a Medicare fee-for-service plan across several years.

Article

The cost burden of blood cancer care in Medicare

16 October 2019 - by Christine Ferro, Kate Fitch, Sean Pittinger

This paper analyzes the healthcare costs incurred by Medicare beneficiaries with newly diagnosed blood cancer including acute leukemia, chronic leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and bone marrow disorders.

Article

A claims-based analysis of sickle cell disease: Prevalence, disease complications, and costs

10 October 2019 - by Carol Bazell, Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro, Harsha Mirchandani

This research report uses real-world medical and pharmacy claims data for sickle cell disease patients covered either by commercial insurance or managed Medicaid to develop relevant diagnosis, utilization, and cost metrics by payer type.

Article

A claims-based analysis of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS): Prevalence, demographics, and costs

08 April 2019 - by Carol Bazell, Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro

This paper examines the prevalence, demographics, and healthcare cost of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients.

Article

A Claims-Based Analysis of Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS): Prevalence, Demographics, and Costs

28 March 2019 - by Carol Bazell, Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro

This paper examines the prevalence, demographics, and healthcare cost of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients.

Article

Breaking through the hype of real-world evidence

17 January 2019 - by Maggie Alston, Carol Bazell, Christine Ferro, Jocelyn Lau

This paper discusses the expanding use of real-world evidence in healthcare decision-making, as well as the importance of clean and reliable data, robust disease identification algorithms, consistent patient attribution methodologies, and relevant outcomes metrics that can be generated from reliably reported data.

Article

The cost burden of blood cancer care

29 October 2018 - by Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro

This study identifies the total healthcare allowed spending and patient out-of-pocket costs from the year before diagnosis with a blood cancer through the three years after diagnosis.

Article

Alternative payment model financial settlements: Preparing for and learning from the process

17 September 2018 - by Maggie Alston, Christine Ferro, L. Daniel Muldoon, Pamela M. Pelizzari

This paper focuses on alternative payment model reimbursement methodologies through the lens of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Oncology Care Model as an illustrative case study.

Article

Newly diagnosed hepatitis C in the U.S. commercially insured population before and after the 2012 implementation of expanded screening guidelines

30 July 2018 - by Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro, Bruce S. Pyenson

This research compares the demographics, comorbidities, and medical costs of newly diagnosed patients and those who were previously diagnosed with HCV infection after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its HCV testing recommendations to target adults born between 1945 and 1965.

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Experience

She has provided consulting services to a wide range of clients, including health plans, hospitals and providers, research organizations, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies.

Read their latest work

Article

Thromboprophylaxis patterns of care following surgery

10 March 2021 - by Kate Fitch, Christine Ferro, Melissa A. Caplen, David Destephano

Thromboprophylaxis patterns of care following surgery show underutilization with respect to guideline recommendations

Article

Comparing the Demographics of Enrollees in Medicare Advantage and Fee-For-Service Medicare

15 October 2020 - by Catherine M. Murphy-Barron, Bruce S. Pyenson, Christine Ferro, Matthew Emery

Article

The cost burden of blood cancer care in Medicare

16 October 2019 - by Christine Ferro, Kate Fitch, Sean Pittinger

Article

A claims-based analysis of sickle cell disease: Prevalence, disease complications, and costs

10 October 2019 - by Carol Bazell, Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro, Harsha Mirchandani

Article

A claims-based analysis of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS): Prevalence, demographics, and costs

08 April 2019 - by Carol Bazell, Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro

This paper examines the prevalence, demographics, and healthcare cost of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients.

Article

A Claims-Based Analysis of Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS): Prevalence, Demographics, and Costs

28 March 2019 - by Carol Bazell, Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro

This paper examines the prevalence, demographics, and healthcare cost of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients.

Article

Breaking through the hype of real-world evidence

17 January 2019 - by Maggie Alston, Carol Bazell, Christine Ferro, Jocelyn Lau

Article

The cost burden of blood cancer care

29 October 2018 - by Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro

This study identifies the total healthcare allowed spending and patient out-of-pocket costs from the year before diagnosis with a blood cancer through the three years after diagnosis.

Article

Alternative payment model financial settlements: Preparing for and learning from the process

17 September 2018 - by Maggie Alston, Christine Ferro, L. Daniel Muldoon, Pamela M. Pelizzari

This paper focuses on alternative payment model reimbursement methodologies through the lens of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Oncology Care Model as an illustrative case study.

Article

Newly diagnosed hepatitis C in the U.S. commercially insured population before and after the 2012 implementation of expanded screening guidelines

30 July 2018 - by Gabriela Dieguez, Christine Ferro, Bruce S. Pyenson

Christine Ferro

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Experience

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Read their latest work

Thromboprophylaxis patterns of care following surgery

Comparing the Demographics of Enrollees in Medicare Advantage and Fee-For-Service Medicare

The cost burden of blood cancer care in Medicare

A claims-based analysis of sickle cell disease: Prevalence, disease complications, and costs

A claims-based analysis of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS): Prevalence, demographics, and costs

A Claims-Based Analysis of Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS): Prevalence, Demographics, and Costs

Breaking through the hype of real-world evidence

The cost burden of blood cancer care

Alternative payment model financial settlements: Preparing for and learning from the process

Newly diagnosed hepatitis C in the U.S. commercially insured population before and after the 2012 implementation of expanded screening guidelines

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CHOOSE A LOCATION AND LANGUAGE

Christine Ferro

Experience

Read their latest work

Thromboprophylaxis patterns of care following surgery

Comparing the Demographics of Enrollees in Medicare Advantage and Fee-For-Service Medicare

The cost burden of blood cancer care in Medicare

A claims-based analysis of sickle cell disease: Prevalence, disease complications, and costs

A claims-based analysis of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS): Prevalence, demographics, and costs

A Claims-Based Analysis of Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS): Prevalence, Demographics, and Costs

Breaking through the hype of real-world evidence

The cost burden of blood cancer care

Alternative payment model financial settlements: Preparing for and learning from the process

Newly diagnosed hepatitis C in the U.S. commercially insured population before and after the 2012 implementation of expanded screening guidelines

CHOOSE A LOCATION AND LANGUAGE