California Medicaid

David Gorn reports at California Healthline:

State officials today said autism therapy clearly is a covered Medicaid benefit, and they hope to submit a state plan amendment by Sept. 30 to start the process to make it a Medi-Cal benefit for those under age 21.

According to René Mollow, deputy director of benefits and eligibility at the Department of Health Care Services, Medi-Cal children are entitled to applied behavior analysis -- known as ABA therapy.

"Right now we're working on the development of a state plan amendment. We want to engage the stakeholders in developing that," Mollow said. "We're looking to have it submitted at the end of September, and having it retroactive to July 1."

Medi-Cal children now receiving ABA therapy likely will have that care retroactively paid for by Medi-Cal.