The following excerpt comes from a release sent to NewsChannel 3 from the Department of Defense regarding changes in autism reimbursement:
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2014 – TRICARE has delayed until April a 46-percent reduction in the reimbursement level for some autism services while it awaits the results of an independent assessment of the prevailing rate for the services, defense officials said today.
The reduced reimbursement rate — for one-on-one therapy with a board-certified behavior analyst for those with autism spectrum disorder — was one of several program changes scheduled to go into effect Oct. 20 as TRICARE implements its new Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration, or Autism Care Demo.
On Sept. 19, after the Defense Department published related changes to the TRICARE Operations Manual, providers and beneficiaries raised issues.
