News and Events

October 28, 2009

California ruling denying coverage of behavioral treatment for autism

October 10, 2009

INSURANCE COVERAGE
Two new Association for Behavior Analysis International committees are being formed to address issues related to practice and insurance. The Insurance Billing Committee will will be developing and submitting an application to the CPT Advisory Committee of the American Medical Association to create a set of procedure codes for behavior analysis services.  It is the hope of the committee that by creating these codes, Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies will recognize and reimburse applied behavior analysis services in the future. Committee co-chairs are Dr. Travis Thompson and Dr. Wayne Fisher. The second committee, which is chaired by Michael Dorsey, Ph.D., will focus on broader insurance issues, including providing training to practitioners on how to develop treatment plans, obtain pre-authorization for services, and billing for those services using existing CPT codes.

The Practice Board will sponsor several insurance-related events at this year's conference, including an Insurance Summit that will promote dialogue between ABA providers, advocates, legislators, and insurance industry representatives around the issue of the implementation of autism insurance mandate bills and funding of ABA services.  Thanks to the hard work of many, there are now 15 states with such bills in-place and six more will shortly be considered in their respective state legislatures. The Insurance Summit will bring together representatives from ABAI, the BACB, insurance companies, Autism Speaks, and other advocacy groups.

LICENSURE
Applied behavior analysis is in the process of becoming a licensed profession, as shown by independent initiatives in many states in the U.S. and in other countries. In response to growing developments in the field, the ABAI Council and the Practice Board have taken the time to study the implications of licensure. They are ready and able to assist affiliated chapters in the U.S. and internationally to respond when their legislative bodies take up the issue of licensure. Licensing laws have recently passed in Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, and legislation is currently in process in the Massachusetts legislature. As well, new initiatives for licensure are being proposed in New Jersey and Vermont, among other states. The ABAI Practice Board is now assisting chapter advocates in the development of licensure laws that protect the field and practicing behavior analysts. Conversations are continuing with the BACB to reach a consensus on a single model licensing act. It is our hope that we can join efforts to represent the field cohesively.

Massachusetts

Hearings on licensing legislation were held last week in Massachusetts. ABAI members in the state received an e-mail earlier this month providing links to the language of the bills and the names of members of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure reviewing the licensing bill.  The hearing on licensing was attended by over 100 individuals, with testimony supporting HB 181/SB 47 from MA State Senators and Representatives, the ABAI Practice Board, and numerous parents, professionals, and other interested individuals.

Nevada

Nevada recently passed a bill mandating insurance coverage for applied behavior analysis services in the treatment of autism. One of the requirements of the bill was the inclusion of a behavior analyst on the Nevada State Board of Psychological Examiners. ABAI member Kimberly Nix Berens has been appointed to this position by Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons.

Contact Information:
Telephone: 856-256-5470
E-mail: abacenter@rowan.edu
Location: Robinson Hall, First Floor

Page revised 10/28/09
Center for Behavioral Research & Services •abacenter@rowan.edu•856-256-5470