60% Of Specialty Centers That Conduct Autism Evaluations Have Wait Times Longer Than Four Months

About 60% of specialty centers that conduct autism evaluations have wait lists longer than four months. The delays are due to shortages of autism specialists; time- and labor-intensive evaluations; absence of a standard of care for diagnostic processes, and heavy documentation requirements for provider organizations. Additionally, wide variation in reimbursement levels limit access to evaluation.

In a nationwide survey of 111 specialty centers located in 38 states in the United States that conduct autism evaluations, about 25% of autism diagnostic centers reported wait lists of longer than six months. Another 21% reported wait lists of more than a year . . .