California DHCS Revised All Plan Letter: Responsibilities For Behavioral Health Treatment Coverage For Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder

In this December 3, 2015, letter to Medicaid managed care plans, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) advised the plans of their responsibilities under a newly approved state plan amendment to provide behavioral health treatment (BHT) services, including applied behavior analysis (ABA) as a covered Medi–Cal service for youth and young adults under age 21 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Previously BHT and ABA for this population were provided by the state's Regional Centers that provide developmental disability services. Starting February 1, 2016, DCHS started a six-month process to transition the affected beneficiaries from Regional . . .