Medicaid UpdatesABA Medicaid UpdatePosted: August 11, 2026Dear NYSABA Members,
Please read the following important updates:
ABA OMIG Audit Protocols The New York Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) issued its official audit protocols for ABA providers in early June. The New York State Association for Applied Behavior Analysis (NYSABA) public policy committee had responded to the OMIG’s request for comment before the protocols were finalized and communicated its concerns with the document’s reference to behavior technicians as unqualified personnel. The public policy committee underscored the organization’s commitment to the ethical delivery of applied behavior analysis services and noted the integral role of unlicensed personnel (i.e., behavior technicians) within the tiered service delivery model, pointing to the guidance that was issued by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) supporting the use of unlicensed personnel within the model. NYSABA members will recall that the guidance was the direct result of NYSABA’s educational meetings with the ABA board secretary and staff at SED. We were disappointed that the OMIG did not amend the protocols despite the committee’s urging to revise them to more accurately reflect the delivery model. However, immediately following the submission of NYSABA’s comments, the committee secured a meeting with the OMIG’s team of auditors who will be overseeing the audits which are expected to commence in the near future. During that meeting, the public policy committee provided an in-depth look at applied behavior analysis and the tiered service model and engaged the OMIG team in a lengthy discussion about the importance of understanding the responsibilities of the behavior technician. The public policy committee also provided an explanation of the Medicaid billing codes for ABA and the standard billing patterns that an auditor should expect to find during a claims review. The OMIG team was appreciative of the background that NYSABA was able to provide and the public policy committee will continue to serve as a resource to the office. Immediate Medicaid Provider Enrollment Moratorium At a conference held by the United Hospital Fund on July 30th, New York State Medicaid Director Amir Bassiri announced the immediate start of a six-month moratorium on the enrollment of new Medicaid providers in the following categories: laboratory, durable medical equipment, applied behavior analysis, licensed home care services agencies, pharmacy and managed long term care plans. The moratorium on each provider type will remain in place for a minimum of six months. The Department of Health will also suspend pending Change of Ownership applications during the same six-month period. Mr. Bassiri explained that the temporary enrollment suspension was encouraged by the federal government's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medicaid Revalidation Process through the Provider Services Portal (PSP)
On August 6th, the NY Department of Health (DOH) held a webinar to introduce its new Provider Services Portal (PSP). The webinar was recorded and should be available on demand shortly. DOH released the following press release that details the Provider Services Portal: https://health.ny.gov/press/releases/2026/2026-08-04_revalidation_process.htm. During the webinar, it was stated that ABA providers must have a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number. ABA providers will be categorized as "high risk", which requires more frequent revalidation (every 3 years), fingerprinting and background checks for ABA business owners, and a pre and post-enrollment site visits.
Please note that enrollment in the PSP is following a phased approach. Individual providers will receive an email and a letter from DOH when it is their turn to enroll in the PSP. The anticipated enrollment date for ABA providers is Winter 2026.
The webinar was a broad overview, and specific questions were not answered; however, DOH will hold bi-weekly "office hours" to address individual provider and organization-related questions.
Individual providers can sign up for office hours here: Organizations can sign up for office hours here: Please be aware that we are planning to share updates and provide specific public policy related trainings at our conference in Albany. Please consider attending the conference to stay informed and to network with our public policy committee!
NYSABA Public Policy Committee
ABA Medicaid UpdatePosted: May 30, 2026
Dear NYSABA Members,
It is with a very heavy heart that we report that the cuts to Medicaid applied behavior analysis were included in the enacted budget.
Despite the strong support for ABA in both houses of the legislature, the enacted budget includes a Medicaid rate cut to providers valued at $13.7 million for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The budget does not include the proposal to create a Center of Excellence designation for providers.
NYSABA’s Public Policy Committee, in partnership with the Council of Autism Services Providers, offered a lengthy set of administrative actions that could strengthen the Medicaid ABA benefit, promote provider integrity and ensure that resources are dedicated to medically necessary ABA services. Sadly, none of those recommendations were incorporated into the budget.
All across the country, states are concerned with the significant increases in Medicaid spending for ABA services. We expect that reform measures for Medicaid ABA will be the focus of conversations in New York as well. NYSABA will continue to represent the voices and concerns of providers and families in New York who support and rely on the ethical delivery of ABA, and we will continue to advance proactive solutions for protecting Medicaid resources.
The Legislature’s support for ABA and its response to the Governor’s budget cuts demonstrates strong support for the children and families receiving ABA services and even though this was not the outcome that we had hoped for, our legislators deserve our thanks. We encourage you to contact your representatives in the Senate and the Assembly to thank them for their tremendous support of ABA. Please thank your legislators for listening and for standing up for children and families.
From the beginning, NYSABA has communicated to the Legislature, to the Governor’s office, and to the Department of Health that we support initiatives that ensure and promote provider integrity. We will continue to carry that message forward.
Please reach out to the Public Policy Committee at [email protected] if you have questions about the enacted budget and next steps.
NYSABA's Public Policy Committee
Posted: April 3, 2026 Dear NYSABA Member, First, we would like to clarify our last communication, as we have received several inquiries from members who were confused about the wording of that email. In that email, we highlighted that the Senate restored the budget cut. Further down in the email it states that the Governor may still choose to resist the recommended restoration of the cut, which is what occurred. The Governor chose not to take the recommendation of the Senate and moved forward with the intended 4/1/26 budget cut. We apologize for the confusion that wording may have caused. Effective April 1, a second Medicaid ABA rate cut worth 12.5% was implemented. NYSABA’s public policy team has met several times with the Division of Budget, the Governor’s Office, the Legislature, and the Department of Health to fight the Medicaid ABA cut. We have been working on this tirelessly and have not given up. The 2026-2027 fiscal year began on April 1 without a new budget in place. The budget negotiations in Albany are far from over and it is likely that they will stretch out for several more weeks. On March 31, the legislature passed a one-week emergency spending bill to allow state government operations to continue until April 7 while the Governor and Legislature continue to spar over a new budget agreement. Unfortunately, and even though ABA has had the strong support of the Legislature, the Governor has insisted on implementing the second Medicaid rate cut worth 12.5%. The adjusted rate schedule is now displayed on the eMedNY website. Some of you have received communications about this from the Medicaid managed care plans with whom you contract. If you are a Medicaid provider, then you should expect to see rate reductions in the near future and a possible communication from the Medicaid Managed Care Organization(s) with whom you contract. We have already heard from some of you that you will need to discontinue services for your Medicaid patient population. If that is the case, please provide the NYSABA policy team ([email protected]) with details on the numbers of children who will no longer be receiving care from your agency. The Legislature and the Governor need to understand the real-life implications of a Medicaid rate cut. If you must discontinue serving your Medicaid patients, please explain to them that the Governor has decided to cut reimbursement for the service, which will make it difficult for your agency to continue to pay the individuals who deliver their care. You hope that the Governor will reverse course on this in the future, but at this time, the Governor has made the decision to decrease the state’s investment in this service. NYSABA will continue to fight. We continue to meet with members of the legislature to urge them to include a retroactive restoration of the cut in the final budget, which may not come together for several more weeks. While it will be very difficult for the legislature to restore the cut retroactively, it will be more difficult for them to face their constituents as they lose access to a benefit that has just started to make a real difference in their lives. This is not the outcome that we had hoped for, but our advocacy will not rest until there is a final budget agreement. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to: [email protected] or [email protected]. NYSABA Public Policy Committee Posted: March 10, 2026 Your Assembly and Senate members are making budget decisions this week, and proposed changes could significantly reduce funding for Medicaid‑supported ABA services. Send a letter today to let your voice be heard, and tell them NOT to cut ABA funding by millions of dollars.
This is a NEW campaign, if you have already participated, please SEND a NEW letter today by clicking HERE!
Parents, you can take a short 30 second video explaining how this cut would affect you. Tag NYSABA and YOUR legislatures! In your video, use your voice to speak up, spread awareness and amplify your message of why ABA services matter!
Additional Ways to Help:
Tips for Parents Creating Short Awareness Videos
Here’s a simple, supportive structure families can follow on their own when recording a short video:
Let your voice be heard. Send your letter today! https://actionnetwork.org/letters/reject-cuts-to-medicaid-funded-aba?source=direct_link
Spread the word: Share this post and tag NYSABA so we can help amplify community voices.
Spread the word: Share this post and tag NYSABA so we can help amplify community voices. Your story matters. Your voice matters. Let’s stand together to keep essential ABA services visible and protected. Thank you for standing with families, individuals, and providers across New York. Your participation this week is truly impactful.
Sincerely,
NYSABA Public Policy Committee #NYSABA #ABA #AutismSupport #CommunityAction #Advocacy #NYSABA
Posted: February 11, 2026
Advocacy Day Recap — Albany, NY | February 10, 2026On Tuesday, 2/10, NYSABA’s Public Policy Committee, joined by NYSABA Board members, NYSABA members, ABA business owners, New York families, and our partners at CASP, came together in Albany to advocate against Medicaid-funded ABA service cuts. Together, we: ✅ Met with 34 legislators On February 10, 2026, testimony was also delivered on behalf of NYSABA before the Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Health, urging the Legislature to reject the Executive Budget’s second Medicaid cut impacting vulnerable children seeking behavioral health care. Read the testimony here: https://tr.ee/xMFlohwAxo During these meetings, we also learned that additional Medicaid cuts to ABA services may be proposed beyond the initial reductions, making it even more urgent that lawmakers hear from our community right now. Access to Medicaid-funded ABA services is something many families in New York have only recently begun to receive, and further cuts threaten life-changing services for children and adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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