New York has cut Medicaid reimbursement for behavioral technicians providing one-on-one autism therapy, according to the Times Union.
The state budget authorized the change, and an industry representative said hourly payment for technician-delivered applied behavior analysis fell from about $77 to $38 on Thursday.
The Council of Autism Service Providers warned that lower payments could make it harder for clinics to serve children covered by Medicaid or Child Health Plus.
State Medicaid officials said the payment tiers reflect differences in providers' training and experience, while critics said technicians deliver care under licensed analysts' supervision.
The change comes as spending on the therapy has grown, while evidence of its benefits remains mixed.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.