Show notes
ABA therapy is under fire — and autism families deserve the full story. Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott dig into the federal fraud audits targeting ABA providers, with up to $600 million in improper Medicaid payments identified by the Department of Health and Human Services. They walk through how ABA earned its status as a covered benefit, how private equity exploited that coverage, and what fraudulent billing actually looks like in practice.This episode is paired with the Refrigerator Moms paper "ABA: As Easy as ABC," which gives families a comprehensive resource for understanding and navigating ABA therapy. Kelley and Julianna share their own experiences navigating the ABA world as autism parents and give concrete steps families can take right now to vet providers, monitor therapy delivery, and protect themselves from fraud without walking away from a therapy that — done right — can still make a real difference.Bottom line: don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. The fraud is real and it's serious, but so is the value of quality, evidence-based ABA. Your job as a parent is to be an informed, engaged consumer — and this episode tells you exactly how.🔗 Learn More: Website: refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMomsRefrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments including SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as MeRT (Magnetic e-resonance therapy) for autistic people aged three or older. Learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com00:00 Fraud and disabled people00:33 ABA fraud audits overview01:12 ABA history and insurance coverage02:00 Parents fought for ABA benefits03:02 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies03:40 Private equity enters the ABA space04:57 Bankruptcies and billing fraud05:34 Federal audit findings: $600M06:36 Industry credibility takes a hit07:08 Types of fraud: billing, credentials08:02 Should you still pursue ABA?08:53 Step 1: Decide if ABA fits your family09:07 What ABA actually looks like09:53 Range of ABA applications10:18 Step 2: Verify provider credentials10:47 Filing complaints with insurers11:53 Sponsor: SAINT protocol12:35 Step 3: Understand the therapy plan13:19 Step 4: Research provider reputation13:42 University programs as a resource14:32 High therapist turnover — what to do15:40 Step 5: Monitor therapy delivery15:58 In-home vs. center-based therapy16:39 Step 6: Review billing and claims16:57 Step 7: Stay informed and advocate17:10 Consumer power and whistleblowing17:40 Step 8: Balance caution with access17:54 Most ABA providers are ethical18:03 Closing thoughts
