Dec 4 (Reuters) - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Wednesday said it had entered into agreements with Vertex Pharmaceuticals VRTX.O and bluebird bio BLUE.O to help increase patient access to their gene therapies.

The so-called "outcomes-based agreements" will tie payments to whether the therapy improves health outcomes for patients who receive these drugs and are enrolled in government-backed Medicaid insurance plans.

(Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

((Bhanvi.Satija@thomsonreuters.com; Outside U.S. +91 9873062788;))