California Medicaid Files Autism Benefit Amendment With CMS

On September 30, 2014, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) submitted a state Medicaid plan amendment (SPA) to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to add autism therapy as a Medi-Cal covered benefit. CMS has until December 30, 2014, to approve the SPA as submitted or request additional information. DHCS accepted comments on the SPA provisions through November 15, 2014.

In the SPA, DHCS said it planned to cover evidence-based behavioral health therapies based upon the medical needs of the beneficiary, including but not limited to, applied behavioral analysis (ABA), speech, and occupational therapies . . .