According to the most recent estimates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, approximately 1 in 68 children in the United States of America are identified with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder have difficulty with communication and navigating social interactions and engage in restricted and/or repetitive patterns of behavior. (Read the CDC official estimates here)

While each individual’s experience with autism spectrum disorder is unique, the trajectory and impact of the diagnosis can be ameliorated when effective interventions are implemented. As early as 1999, the United States Surgeon General, when describing the treatment options for autism, wrote, “Thirty years of research demonstrated the efficacy of applied behavioral methods in reducing inappropriate behavior and increasing communication, learning, and appropriate social behavior.” (Read the five diagnostic criteria here)

Since the Surgeon General’s statement, the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has become even more sophisticated, recognized, and regulated. As such, many states in the country have begun passing laws requiring insurance companies to cover ABA services for members diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. In Kansas, insurance companies must cover ABA services for members up to age 12. (Read more about this requirement here) In Missouri, insurance companies must cover ABA services for members up to age 18. (Read the official requirement here)

GoodLife’s North Star Academy is an in-network provider of ABA services with multiple insurance companies and wants to make sure that all Kansas and Missouri residents are able to take advantage of the coverage guaranteed to them by law.

For questions about insurance-funded ABA services, please call our experienced team at 913-649-3838 or email: kristenkunze@mygoodlife.org.