Feb 5, 2025, WIBQ: Terre Haute, IN: Proposed Medicaid cuts could affect autism therapy
The state of Indiana is looking to move the limits of Medicaid coverage, which would affect therapy for people with autism.
The proposed cuts would limit coverage of ABA, or applied behavior analysis. . . .
ABA would only be covered by Medicaid for 30 hours per week and each individual would have a three-year lifetime cap.
The Crabbs, a local family in the valley, have had their son in ABA therapy full time, which is 40 hours per week, for the past seven years.
The mom of the family, Kristin Crabb, said her son has reached a variety of developmental milestones throughout the ABA process, and if he was forced to receive public education, his growth would be extremely limited.
“Public schools just aren’t equipped to be able to handle the behaviors that come along with classic or profound autism”, Crabb said. “We go to ABA, it’s perfect for him, it’s exactly where he needs to be. If Medicaid cuts that funding, nobody is going to be able to pay out of pocket, or with only primary insurance, to be able to send their kids to therapy.”
The family has created a petition on Change.org to promote keeping ABA covered by Medicaid. It currently has over 1600 signatures.
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