Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, (CMS) officials released federal guidance for states on Medicaid coverage of therapies for autism, indicating that such treatments are covered for beneficiaries under age 21. While the guidance focuses on the provision of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, it also acknowledges other treatments.
The Center for Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Plan) Services, a division of CMS, released the informational bulletin to clarify Medicaid coverage of services to children with autism. That bulletin was issued in response to increased interest in this topic—specifically, the provision of ABA therapy. Although the bulletin was written to address services for children with autism under the Medicaid program, it also serves to clarify services that speech-language pathologists and audiologists may provide to individuals diagnosed with other conditions.
The 5-page informational bulletin outlines four major categories of treatment that are beneficial for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and more specifically, services available to individuals with ASD through the federal Medicaid program. The categories are (1) behavioral and communication approaches, (2) dietary approaches, (3) medications, and (4) complementary and alternative medicine. ABA therapy is recognized as one treatment for children with autism, but the bulletin also identifies other treatments that are available to the ASD population and to others in need of those services.
