There have been questions posed to me recently about TRICARE's ECHO
program and if it really pays for ABA services. It does but in a very
rigid and non-functional manner in my opinion. Attached is a press
release asking members of ECHO to email their suggestions about
improving the quality of that coverage. I strongly recommend that you
do. The biggest problem I see is that only state certified or BCBA
and BCABA's can offer direct service. We currently do not provide
direct ABA services under this program although we are enrolled in the
ECHO program.

Although this is a good thing for quality it is preventing many
families from receiving services becayse the current need far exceeds
the number of people who would qualify to offer support (remember that
the direct therapy must be performed by the BCBA or BCABA). Imagine
if your every therapist had to be a BCBA? I would propose that if you
are involved in TRICARE at all that you push to have service options
changed to include "consultants or therapists under the direct
supervision of a state certified ABA provider or BCBA". This little
wording change would allow deserving families with consultants and
therapists I have trained, supervise, and trust to receive much needed
and effective ABA therapy. Here is the article with the link listed
below.

Please consider making this and any other suggestions you feel would
be beneficial and please forward this email to any other groups or
military (TRICARE) families you know.

Thanks, for your time and help in this important issue for many
military families
_____________________________________________________
TRICARE Seeks Input to Improve Autism Benefit

December 01, 2006
No. 06-52

FALLS CHURCH, Va.— TRICARE will create a plan under the Extended
Care
Health Option (ECHO) to provide services for military dependent
children with autism. The 2007 National Defense Authorization Act
calls for this plan to include the following:

1. Education, training and supervision requirements for individuals
providing services to military dependent children with autism;
2. Standards to identify and measure the availability, distribution
and training of individuals (with various levels of expertise) to
provide such services; and
3. Procedures to make sure such children receive these services in
addition to other publicly-provided services.

TRICARE seeks assistance from affected military families to
participate in the plan’s development. Any affected military family
may e-mail comments to ChildrenWithAutism@...; TRICARE will
accept comments until Jan. 31, 2007.

“It is vital we learn about affected beneficiaries and their personal
experiences, so TRICARE may better meet their needs,” said Army Maj.
Gen. Elder Granger, deputy director, TRICARE Management Activity.
“We
look forward to expanding available treatment options and access to
care for beneficiaries with autism.”

Currently, there are a number of treatments available for children
with autism, including Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). TRICARE
shares the cost of ABA for an active duty family member only if a
certified provider administers services. It will not cover
non-certified individuals— even if a certified ABA provider
indirectly
supervises the individual.

In the meantime, TRICARE continues to share the cost of certified
provider hands-on ABA therapy, under ECHO. The TRICARE maximum
allowable charge for all ECHO services is up to $2500 per month.

Even when an active duty family member sees a certified provider
several hours each week, an ABA-trained family member may increase
the therapy’s success. To encourage family member involvement,
TRICARE may cost share family members’ ABA training, if a certified
provider trains them.

About TRICARE Management Activity

TRICARE Management Activity, the Defense Department agency that
administers the health care plan for the uniformed services, retirees
and their families, serves more than 9.2 million eligible
beneficiaries worldwide.