INDIANAPOLIS — State budget regulators on Friday approved a request from Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration to set new reimbursement rates for autism therapy services for Hoosier children with Medicaid.
While the rate of $68 an hour is above what the FSSA originally proposed it is below an average rate of $91 an hour that has been given previously under an old formula.
The new rates will take effect Jan. 1.
But Democrats on the State Budget Committee remained skeptical over whether the rate will be enough to serve Hoosier children.
Families, multiple state lawmakers and even Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch have pushed back, saying the state’s first, smaller proposal of $55 an hour would have caused some therapy providers to lay off staff, reduce services or shut down altogether.
In response, the state upped its proposal to about $68 an hour. The increase is reflected in a larger reimbursement for administrative overhead costs, in addition to more money to cover time that supervisors can’t bill for.
Rep. Greg Porter, D-Indianapolis, who has spent months calling for increased reimbursement rates, emphasized Friday that the new rates “are not sufficient.” He said he’s still worried that services will be lacking for Hoosiers.
“I’m very concerned that we will not meet the needs of individuals within the state of Indiana, particularly minorities, and in rural and suburban communities, too,” Porter said. “I know there have been some bad actors, we know that. However, I don’t think that this should be so prescriptive and punitive.”
FSSA released its updated plan last month, which increased the proposed reimbursement rate for autism therapy services rendered by a registered behavioral technician (RBT) by 24% to $68.24 per hour — up from $55.19 per hour in the state’s earlier proposed rate.
The initial $55 reimbursement plan for providers for Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy was a significant decrease from the average $91 they received before. This common form of therapy can improve social, cognitive and behavioral outcomes in some children with autism spectrum disorder, as well as the overall wellbeing of the child and their family, according to the state agency.
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