LINCOLN — Nebraska officials for months have anticipated the federal government possibly stepping in to review soaring state expenses for autism-related services for youths, as has been the case elsewhere across the country.
Nebraska’s State Auditor released a review of the state’s spending on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for youths with autism, identifying deficiencies such as duplicate billing, missing or incorrect provider documentation, and reimbursements to providers lacking proper credentials. The report highlighted rapidly rising costs, with autism therapy expenses growing from about $4.6 million in 2000 to more than $85 million last year. The audit, requested by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), comes as the agency is already implementing changes to reimbursement rates and program oversight.
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