ABA Insurance and Intake Guide

Updated October 2026

Starting ABA therapy involves some paperwork, and we take as much of it off your shoulders as we can. This page answers the questions parents ask most about insurance, documents and the steps before therapy begins.

Insurance and payment

We work with Medicaid, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Evernorth – Cigna, Sunshine and Health Network One. We also accept self pay and offer a sliding scale fee based on financials.

Coverage rules differ from plan to plan and can change, so please call the office at (561) 705-7099 to verify your specific plan and benefits before you start. Our team does the coverage checks and requests the authorizations needed to begin therapy.

What intake needs from you

• An order for ABA services
• A letter of medical necessity
• Prior medical documentation, such as records from a pediatrician or neurologist, or an IEP from the public school
• A comprehensive diagnostic evaluation (CDE). If you do not have one, our intake coordinator can coordinate with a psychologist.

The steps, in order

1. Call or register. Call the office or complete the registration form.
2. Gather documents. The intake coordinator tells you what is still needed.
3. Diagnostic evaluation. The CDE is required, and we can help arrange it.
4. Insurance approval. Once the CDE is in, we request approval from your insurance. When it comes through, the intake coordinator lets you know and collects the location and schedule of services.
5. BCBA assessment. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst contacts you to schedule the assessment. Two questionnaires are sent to your email to complete before the evaluation date.
6. Review and sign. The assessment is sent to you for review and signature, then to the insurance for approval of hours.

How many hours

Hours depend on your child’s needs and what is approved after the BCBA’s assessment. Once approval is in place, the schedule is arranged with the primary caregiver, our case manager, the RBT and the BCBA.

Where we serve: Dania Beach, Broward County, Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County.

Frequently asked questions

Does Behavior Specialists accept insurance for ABA therapy?

Yes. We work with Medicaid, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Evernorth – Cigna, Sunshine and Health Network One. We also accept self pay and offer a sliding scale fee based on financials.

Will you check my coverage for me?

Yes. Our team does the coverage checks and requests the authorizations needed to begin therapy. Plan rules differ, so call the office at (561) 705-7099 to verify your specific plan.

What documents are needed to start ABA therapy?

Intake typically needs an order for ABA services, a letter of medical necessity, and prior medical documentation such as records from a pediatrician or neurologist, or an IEP from the public school.

Do we need a diagnostic evaluation first?

A comprehensive diagnostic evaluation (CDE) is required. If you do not have one, our intake coordinator can coordinate with a psychologist to schedule it.

How many hours of ABA therapy will my child get?

Hours are based on your child’s needs and what is approved after the BCBA’s assessment. Once approval is in place, the schedule is arranged with the primary caregiver, our case manager, the RBT and the BCBA.

How long does intake take?

It depends on how quickly records, the evaluation and the insurance approval come through. The intake coordinator keeps you updated at each step.