Oregon SB 696 Of 2015: Autism Spectrum Disorder & Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy

Oregon Senate Bill (SB) 696 was enacted in November 2015 to correct conflicts created by an earlier law that requires commercial health plans to cover applied behavior analysis (ABA) for children diagnonsed with autism. The conflicts concerned professional certification and licensure needed by health plans to develop ABA provider organization networks. The earlier legislation that established the mandate had also established a framework for insurer approval and management of treatment for autism by previously unlicensed behavior analysts, and created the Behavior Analysis Regulatory Board (BARB) within the state Health Licensing Office . . .