UnitedHealthcare

Commercial

ABA billing requirements · Source: UnitedHealthcare/Optum ABA Provider Resource Library

High confidence

Verified 2026-03-01

Authorization Requirements

Requires prior auth Yes

Initial auth duration6 months

Renewal auth duration6 months

Submission deadline30 days

Unit tracking cadenceTotal

Requires FBA Yes

Diagnostic eval validity36 months

Re-eval cadenceEvery 12 months

BH carve-out managerOptum

Parent signatures required Yes

Start/stop times required Yes

Treatment plan componentsDiagnosis, Baseline assessment, Target behaviors, Intervention strategies, Generalization plan

Progress summary cadenceEvery 6 months

ABA managed through Optum. Requires BCBA-signed treatment plan. Auth submitted via UHC provider portal or Availity.

CPT rules require a free account

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Data last verified: 2026-03-01 · Confidence: High · See our methodology