NCAAS is concerned with the most recent report from the MA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) that appears to be missing critical information from its analysis of ABA provider Medicaid claims payments. In addition to measuring “adequate ABA” using a quantitative treatment limitation prohibited by federal law, the OIG report ignores the fact that a significant percentage of supervision activities are not billable, so an analysis of paid claims will not yield an accurate picture of supervision hours. Additionally, the report implies that services provided on federal holidays did not occur, wholly disregarding the diverse demographics of its Medicaid population and the fact that autism—like other conditions—does not take a holiday. Read the full letter here.
How TRICARE’s Autism Care Demonstration Differs...
Time-Picayune: Letters: What's preventing mental health providers like me from helping kids with autism
Autism is more prevalent than ever. Yet, it's growing harder for children with autism to access the mental health care they need.
Fifteen million Americans could lose Medicaid now that the COVID-19 public health emergency has ended, including many children with autism who have come to rely on Medicaid for care.
Benefit News: How equitable healthcare can set autistic talent on the right path from childhood
When Ava Bullard was two and a half years old, she was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact to varying degrees. Those with autism commonly struggle with social and conversational cues, as well as physical hypersensitives.
Op-ed in The Hill: "The Autism Act is again up for reauthorization... there is a new opportunity for America to get this right."
What if 1 of every 218 American children [the CDC calculation is 1/(4.59/1000)] faced lifetimes of pain and panic, unable to communicate their distress, having a much shorter life expectancy than their unafflicted peers, their families usually broke and often broken as they seek medical care and services that are terribly inadequate.
NCAAS Stands in Opposition to the Limitation on Access Treatment Services for Autism Spectrum Disorder by the DOD
NCAAS Supports CMS's Guidance As Continuous Coverage Comes to an End
The National Coalition for Access to Autism Services (NCAAS) supports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidance to maintain continuity of care for Medicaid enrollees as Medicaid continuous coverage comes to end and urges states to provide guidance to state agencies to prevent disruptions to ongoing treatment. Continuing to advocate for access to quality autism services for the children and families that need it, NCAAS recognizes that the end of continuous Medicaid coverage may disrupt care for thousands of children if states fail to provide proper guidance.
Opinion: Insurance cos. vs. autism therapy
In the coming decades, almost every American will have a friend or relative whose child has been diagnosed with autism — or will have a child with autism themselves.
That’s among the implications of the most recent data on autism from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Today, the CDC says that one of every 44 children has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
NCAAS Applauds Omnibus Legislation for Promoting Access to Autism Therapy
The National Coalition for Access to Autism Services (NCAAS) today applauded the newly enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 for its focus on expanding mental health parity, which will increase equitable access to mental health services including applied behavior analysis, a scientifically proven therapy for people with autism and their families.
NCAAS Reports Important Step Forward For ABA Therapy In U.S. National Defense Authorization Act 2022
The National Coalition for Access to Autism Services welcomes the involvement of the National Academies of Science in ensuring military families have access to effective autism services and supports.
Read the NCAAS Letter on the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act 2022
NCAAS Seeks Postponement of New TRICARE Policies in Absence of Clarification to Providers
NCAAS has submitted letters to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees seeking a postponement of the implementation of new policies described in the TRICARE Operations Manual (TOM) published in March. Find a list of specific concerns in the NCAAS letters, including the elimination of services in a school setting; changes in assessment requirements; risks of recoupment for issues outside of the provider’s control; and the contractors’ general lack of clarity about how to administer the benefit in the context of this new TOM.
CMS Increases MUE For 3 Billing Codes
NCAAS is pleased to announce that CMS has increased the Medically Unlikely Edits for three of the adaptive behavior codes: 97152 (increased from 8 to 16 units); 97154 (increased from 12 to 18 units); and 0362T (increased from 8 to 16 units). NCAAS continues to work with CMS to increase the MUE for 97151. Although the MUE on the Medicaid side is 32 units, it remains at 8 units for Medicare, and insurers’ claim processing predominantly defaults to Medicare MUE.
NCAAS Issues Statement Establishing ABA Employees’ Status As Health Care Workers
NCAAS issued a statement to ensure ABA providers are recognized as health care workers in the prioritization of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution. State public health departments will provide additional information on how to access the vaccine once COVID-facing workers have been vaccinated. Read the NCAAS statement here.
HHS Issues 2nd Extension Of Deadline To Apply For Provider Relief
Medicaid Provider Relief Deadline Extended
NCAAS lobbied Congress to secure funding for ABA providers and to ensure providers are eligible when their patient population is comprised of both Medicaid and commercially insured patients. The deadline to apply for Medicaid providers to apply for CARES Act funding has been extended to August 3, 2020.
Our Campaign Update
Following the recent passage of federal funding bills, NCAAS has launched a new effort to secure federal financial assistance for ABA providers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the first campaign was launched less than two weeks ago, we are proud to have secured the support of hundreds of additional providers.