Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island

CommercialRI

ABA billing requirements · Source: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island — Medical Policy: Applied Behavior Analysis

High confidence

Verified 2026-03-17

Authorization Requirements

Requires prior auth Yes

Initial auth duration6 months

Renewal auth duration6 months

Submission deadline14 days

Unit tracking cadenceTotal

Requires FBA Yes

Diagnostic eval validity36 months

Re-eval cadenceEvery 6 months

BH carve-out managerBeacon

State licensure requiredBCBA state licensure required via RI Department of Health

Documentation Requirements

Parent signatures required Yes

Start/stop times required Yes

Treatment plan componentsASD diagnosis, Functional Behavior Assessment, Baseline data, Measurable goals, Intervention strategies, Caregiver training plan

Progress summary cadenceEvery 6 months

Policy Notes

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island is an independent BCBS licensee covering ~400K members. ABA prior auth required. Behavioral health managed through Beacon Health Options (now part of Carelon/Elevance). BCBA must be enrolled with BCBS RI. Auth submitted via Beacon portal. RI has a strong autism mandate requiring coverage of ABA for members under 21.

CPT & Modifier Rules

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View H-codes, modifiers, unit limits, and billing restrictions for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

Official policy source:Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island — Medical Policy: Applied Behavior Analysis

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Data last verified: 2026-03-17 · Confidence: High · See our methodology

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