Evaluating large and complex demonstrations: The CHAMPUS reform initiative experience

Objective. To examine the evaluation process for the CHAMPUS Reform Initiative (CRI) both to highlight issues that evaluators must consider when undertaking such projects and to provide policymakers with tools to better assess demonstration project evaluations. Data Sources. The CRI evaluation. Study Design. Case study. Data Collection. Review of CRI evaluation reports. Principal Findings. Although policymakers increasingly rely on the evaluations of demostration projects to determine whether to extend the scope and funding of many public programs, the results of these evaluations are often difficult to assess. Despite its analytical sophistication, the CRI evaluation was no exception. The somewhat artificial time constraints imposed by policymakers made projection of the CRI's performance beyond the demonstration period particularly difficult. Conclusions. Much uncertainty generally remains even after well-planned and wellexecuted evaluations of demonstration projects.