Bill > SB2190

This bill amends North Dakota's medical assistance benefits law to expand coverage for applied behavioral analysis (ABA), a therapeutic approach primarily used to help individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Specifically, the bill adds applied behavioral analysis as a covered service, allowing medical assistance to pay for assessments and treatments for behavioral challenges across an individual's lifespan. The bill removes language referring to "a variety of psychological" diagnoses and replaces it with a specific focus on autism spectrum disorder. The amendment also includes ABA in the list of medical assistance services alongside existing covered services like family adaptive behavioral treatment and guidance, dental screenings and assessments, dental case management, and asynchronous teledentistry. Importantly, the bill notes that the newly added ABA service, along with certain dental services, does not apply to Medicaid expansion programs. This change aims to provide more comprehensive medical assistance coverage for individuals with autism spectrum disorder by ensuring insurance support for behavioral analysis and treatment.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/bill-overview/bo2190.html