Take Action to Preserve ABA Services in the Budget
Virginia lawmakers are considering changes that could significantly limit access to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for children and families across our state. Even if your family is not on Medicaid, this still affects you. When Medicaid changes coverage rules, private insurance companies often follow.
What is being proposed in the state budget by your elected officials at the Virginia General Assembly? Beginning July 1, 2026, Virginia Medicaid would:
Set a 20-Hour Per Week “Default” Limit on ABA: A 20-hour weekly cap would become the standard starting point. For many children—especially young children early in treatment and children with more significant needs—more than 20 hours per week is often medically necessary. Although exceptions may exist on paper, an arbitrary 20-hour default cap would likely lead to delays, reduced hours, more appeals, and disrupted care plans. ABA is individualized for a reason. A one-size-fits-all limit does not reflect how children learn or grow.
Restrict ABA to children with a confirmed autism diagnosis: The proposal would require a formal autism diagnosis before ABA can be authorized. Families in many parts of Virginia wait up to 18 months for an autism evaluation. Under this proposal, children could receive no services during that wait.
Once limits like this are written into the state budget, they are very difficult to undo—and private insurance companies often adopt similar rules. Even if your child is not affected today, this could impact your family in the future or limit access for other children who need support. Decisions about therapy should be based on a child’s individual needs, not arbitrary caps or administrative hurdles.
What We Are Asking Lawmakers To Do: We are not asking for new funding, we are asking lawmakers to preserve the access to ABA that families currently have.
Your Voice Is Critical: Lawmakers need to hear from families, not just providers. Please use this form to share your family’s story.
Set a 20-Hour Per Week “Default” Limit on ABA: A 20-hour weekly cap would become the standard starting point. For many children—especially young children early in treatment and children with more significant needs—more than 20 hours per week is often medically necessary. Although exceptions may exist on paper, an arbitrary 20-hour default cap would likely lead to delays, reduced hours, more appeals, and disrupted care plans. ABA is individualized for a reason. A one-size-fits-all limit does not reflect how children learn or grow.
Restrict ABA to children with a confirmed autism diagnosis: The proposal would require a formal autism diagnosis before ABA can be authorized. Families in many parts of Virginia wait up to 18 months for an autism evaluation. Under this proposal, children could receive no services during that wait.
If this change takes effect:
Children without a confirmed diagnosis could lose access to services while waiting for an evaluation.
Children with other developmental diagnoses, such as intellectual disability, may no longer qualify.
Families in rural and underserved areas would be hit hardest.
Early intervention, when it matters most, could be delayed.
Why This Matters — Whether It Affects You Today or Another Day
This proposal is not just about paperwork or policy language. It changes how children access care in Virginia. An arbitrary 20-hour limit and a strict autism-only requirement could delay services, reduce needed therapy, and create new barriers for families who are already navigating long waitlists and complex systems.
Once limits like this are written into the state budget, they are very difficult to undo—and private insurance companies often adopt similar rules. Even if your child is not affected today, this could impact your family in the future or limit access for other children who need support. Decisions about therapy should be based on a child’s individual needs, not arbitrary caps or administrative hurdles.
What We Are Asking Lawmakers To Do: We are not asking for new funding, we are asking lawmakers to preserve the access to ABA that families currently have.
Your Voice Is Critical: Lawmakers need to hear from families, not just providers. Please use this form to share your family’s story.
Take action now
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Who in your family receives ABA and how old are they? *
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Dear (name and title inserted automatically),