ABA Today 6.5: Autism Policy Is Shifting Fast. Are Providers Ready?
Plus, free CEUs and a tips for pre-payment audits
📰 Top Stories This Week
Payers Press for Outcomes Amid Autism Therapy Changes: Autism therapy providers are facing tighter insurer networks, more prior authorization hurdles and staffing uncertainty in 2025, pushing them to prove value and focus on patient outcomes to secure reimbursement . Industry leaders at a recent investor summit advised collaborating with payers and emphasizing measurable results as the best path forward. Read More.
Florida Expands Autism Services with New Law: Governor Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping law to improve early autism intervention and education. The measure expands free early screening, extends early intervention services through age 4 (pending federal approval), boosts school choice and even funds autism-focused charter schools . It also promotes more state-led autism research and services collaboration. Read More.
Market Report Highlights Provider Shortages: A new U.S. autism treatment market report finds high demand and growth in ABA services amid ongoing therapist shortages and policy uncertainty. The autism therapy sector now exceeds $4.4 billion with nationwide waitlists and untapped need, spurring virtual care offerings and outcome tracking improvements . Still, the current administration’s shifting priorities and too few clinicians pose challenges for ABA providers. Read More.
Major Autism Provider Grows via Acquisition: Southern California-based autism services provider Alongside announced the acquisition of San Diego ABA, a regional ABA therapy agency. The move expands Alongside’s footprint and will increase access to in-home, school and clinic-based ABA services across the region . Leadership from both organizations noted the partnership will help serve more families while supporting staff development. Read More
Autism Research Funding Faces Cuts: An analysis found that U.S. federal funding for autism research dropped about 26% in early 2025 compared to prior years . While Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has launched a $50 million initiative to study autism’s causes – including controversial research on vaccines – the Trump administration’s NIH budget reductions for autism studies have alarmed advocates who fear progress on new treatments could stall. Read More.
HHS Secretary Touts Environmental Autism Theory: At a press conference, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called autism’s rising prevalence a “real epidemic” caused by unidentified environmental toxins, pledging to find the culprit. He dismissed the idea that better diagnosis explains higher autism rates and said HHS will probe factors from mold to chemicals . Health experts refuted his claims, noting that expanded diagnostic criteria largely account for the increase and warning that focusing on debunked causes could misdirect resources. Read More.
🎓 Free CEU Opportunities
Shaping Behavior with Words: A Behavior Analyst’s Guide to Copywriting
Presented By: Mellanie Page
Date: June 10, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EST
CEUs: 1 COA HRS, 1 BACB LRN
ADHD in focus: What every BCBA needs to know for effective treatment
Presented By: Motivity & Nicole Stewart
Date: June 26, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
CEUs: 1 BACB LRN
💡 The Compliance Playbook: Avoiding and Navigating Pre-Payment Reviews
Even the best providers get audited – in this live fireside chat co-hosted by Brellium & RethinkBH, we’ll sit down with Pessy Bergman of Aim Higher ABA to talk through how her team responded to their first pre-payment audit, and the lessons they learned along the way.
You’ll walk away with practical ideas to strengthen your documentation and reduce compliance risk, without slowing down your operations.
Learn:
How to prepare for a pre-payment audit
The most common reasons for failed audits and how to prevent them
How Aim Higher rebuilt their QA infrastructure to ensure that all their notes are compliant
Thanks for reading, see you in the next update!
Team Brellium