Oh my, oh my...autism+ABA fraud again
Distractions in the face of real need?
Autism is in the news with links to fraud yet again (still?). Articles in Indiana Public Media, the Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere reported that government officials have cited problems in billing for therapeutic services for individuals with autism. Do these difficulties give sustained focus on apparent fraud in Minnesota that the administration of President Donald J. Trump has used to pursue policies for removing immigrants from the US?
Christopher Weaver of the Wall Street Journal for 25 March 2026 published “Autism-Therapy Firm That Was Paid $340,000 per Patient Is Barred From Medicaid: Indiana officials move to terminate Piece by Piece Autism Centers, cite federal pressure for crackdown after a Journal investigation” (paywall);
Casey Smith and Niki Kelly of Indiana Public Media (WFIU) 24 March 2026: “State coming down on autism therapy providers that potentially abused system”;
Claire Carter for the Washington Examiner 25 March 2026, “Indiana bars autism therapy provider from billing state Medicaid program.”
Here’s what bugs me: The recent stories from Indiana are about allegations of fraudulent billing by a specific business, a putative provider of ABA services. Coming on the heels of the highly publicized (and continuing) concerns about fraudulent activities in Minnesota, these problems cast shade on autism and ABA. That is, the illegal activities of some businesses are making ABA and autism look bad.
Dagnabbit! We don’t need that!
Our kids need good services (and who knows, maybe some rip-off artists actually deliver good services even though they overcharge) and ABA is a valuable guide to beneficial services. Let’s not the opprobrium taint the kids and the services.
I’m supportive of efforts to identify and thwart fraud. Fraud hurts our kids and families by costing $$ and (AND) it hurts, too, by casting negative light on individuals with disabilities and their families and on beneficial therapeutic methods.