Alabama Medicaid Delays New Autism-Related ABA Referral Requirements

The Alabama Medicaid Agency has delayed new referral requirements for Medicaid-funded applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy that would require autism-related ABA referrals to come from pediatricians with an ABA specialty designation. The requirements were originally scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, but the agency delayed implementation on June 18 and had not announced a new implementation date as of September 28. Until the new requirements take effect, ABA provider organizations should continue using the existing prior authorization process.

The agency initially notified ABA provider organizations of the new requirements on June 15, 2026. Under the planned changes . . .