CMS Urges States To Increase Autism Therapy Oversight

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urged states to strengthen oversight of applied behavior analysis (ABA) funded by Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) plans, citing a 421% increase in ABA spending between 2021 and 2025. During the same period, CMS data indicated the number of children with autism who received ABA services increased by 67%. To help states strengthen program integrity and support child-centered, evidence-based care, CMS released a toolkit with resources.

The State Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Toolkit is intended to help state Medicaid . . .