Which states changed ABA Medicaid payments in 2026?
The four states below made changes this year that can affect ABA jobs. The table lists only changes we could check against a state notice or a named report.
| State | What changed | Effective | Who it touches most |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Fee-for-service Medicaid pays $9.63 per 15-minute unit for technician-delivered ABA (CPT 97153), or $38.52 an hour. The notice changes only 97153. | October 1, 2026 | RBTs and behavior technicians in Medicaid-funded direct therapy |
| Georgia | Amerigroup, the Medicaid plan for children in foster care, cut ABA payments by 30% and said it would raise rates for caregiver training instead. | September 1, 2026 | Clinics serving children in foster care, and their staff |
| Indiana | Maximum ABA fees fell 6%, with another 4% planned. Comprehensive ABA is capped at 4,000 lifetime hours, then up to 15 targeted hours a week. Coverage ended for members 21 and older. | April 1, 2026; next cut April 1, 2027; age limit October 1, 2026 | RBTs, BCaBAs and BCBAs in long-term comprehensive programs |
| Florida | Projected yearly Medicaid ABA spending fell from $3.86 billion to $2.88 billion after a move to managed care, utilization management and fraud enforcement. This is a spending projection, not a published rate cut. | Fiscal year 2026-27 | Providers under review, and staff of providers removed from Medicaid |
In New York, Behavioral Health Business reported that Autism Learning Partners stopped taking New York Medicaid patients after an earlier cut. In Georgia, industry representatives told the chair of the House health committee that 75% of clinics they surveyed expect to reduce or stop serving children in foster care within three months at the new rate.
Why are technician hours hit first?
Most ABA treatment time is direct therapy delivered by an RBT or behavior technician, billed under CPT 97153. That makes it the largest line in a Medicaid ABA budget. New York's notice cut only that code. Its stated reason is that the new method pays providers "equitably for their training and experience." StreamABA calculated that three New York cuts in twelve months halved 97153 from $19.26 to $9.63.
Indiana took a different route. Its maximum fees fell across ABA codes, and since April 1, 2026, BCaBAs, BCBAs and licensed psychologists may also bill 97153 at the same technician rate. These are Medicaid changes. Commercial insurance pays separately, and the Georgia cut does not apply to Anthem's commercial plans, according to the Georgia Recorder.
What should RBTs ask an employer in an affected state?
- How much of the caseload is Medicaid? A clinic that is mostly Medicaid in New York or serves many children in foster care in Georgia has the least room to absorb a cut.
- Are my hours guaranteed? When a client's hours are reduced or a client leaves, guaranteed hours protect your paycheck. Compare offers with the RBT guaranteed hours and cancellation pay guide.
- What happens if Medicaid clients are dropped? Ask whether you would move to other clients, change locations or lose hours.
- Has pay changed since the cut? Ask whether hourly pay, drive pay or bonuses changed in 2026, and get the answer in writing.
What should BCBAs ask?
- Will my caseload hold? Fewer funded technician hours can mean fewer cases, or caseloads spread across longer drives. Compare jobs that state a caseload size or a billable-hour target.
- Will I deliver direct therapy? In Indiana, a BCBA can now bill 97153 at the technician rate. Ask how much of your week would be direct therapy and how that counts toward your billable target.
- Can I leave freely? If the market shifts, a non-compete can make it hard to move. Some employers state that they use no non-compete.
Can RBTs work New York Early Intervention ABA cases?
No. Under Department of Health guidance dated June 18, 2026, New York's Early Intervention program authorizes "ABA services" as their own service type only for New York State Licensed Behavior Analysts and for Certified Behavior Analyst Assistants working under an LBA. An RBT credential alone does not qualify you for those Early Intervention cases. Other ABA work in New York, outside Early Intervention, is not covered by this guidance.
Current RBT jobs with employer-stated guaranteed hours
122 current openings match this search. Job availability updates with employer feeds; the research above retains its original checked date.
- Registered Behavior TechnicianProud Moments ABA · Chattanooga, TN
Employer wording: “• Potential for part-time and/or full-time guaranteed hours in a center environment”
- Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)Ally Behavior Centers · Fredericksburg, VA · $30,000 - $35,000 per year
Employer wording: “• Guaranteed 40 hours per week & semi-monthly paycheck, regardless of client cancellations”
- Center Based Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)Propel Autism · Atlanta, GA
Employer wording: “• 60% of scheduled hours are guaranteed”
Sources and review notes
- New York State Medicaid Update, August 2026: "Reimbursement Change for Unlicensed Individuals Providing Applied Behavior Analysis Services" (97153 at $9.63 per unit from October 1, 2026).
- NYS DOH Bureau of Early Intervention guidance, June 18, 2026: ABA as a unique service type for LBAs and CBAAs.
- StreamABA, September 23, 2026: history of the three New York 97153 cuts.
- Behavioral Health Business, April 21, 2026: Autism Learning Partners and New York Medicaid.
- Georgia Recorder, October 5, 2026: Amerigroup's 30% foster care ABA cut and clinic survey.
- Indiana Health Coverage Programs bulletin BT202627: rate reductions, 97153 rendering providers, lifetime hours and the age limit.
- Florida Governor's office, October 6, 2026: Medicaid integrity results and projected ABA spending.
We reviewed these sources on November 1, 2026. Requirements, fees, state rules, and testing details can change. See our editorial policy and confirm important decisions with the issuing organization.
Frequently asked questions
Which states cut ABA Medicaid payments in 2026?
New York cut its fee-for-service rate for technician-delivered ABA to $9.63 per unit on October 1, 2026. Georgia's foster care Medicaid plan cut ABA payments by 30% from September 1. Indiana lowered its maximum ABA fees by 6% on April 1 and plans another 4% in 2027. Florida reports nearly $1 billion less in projected yearly ABA spending after tighter oversight. Other states may have changes we have not reviewed.
Will Medicaid cuts lower RBT pay?
Not automatically. Medicaid sets what a provider is paid, not what it pays you. A provider with mostly Medicaid clients has less money for each technician hour, which can mean fewer hours, slower raises or fewer Medicaid openings. Ask about the employer's payer mix and whether your hours are guaranteed.
Do the New York cuts affect BCBAs?
New York's October notice changed only CPT 97153, the technician code. BCBA assessment and supervision codes were not part of that notice. BCBAs can still be affected, because fewer funded technician hours can mean fewer cases to supervise.
Can an RBT work New York Early Intervention ABA cases?
New York's Early Intervention program now authorizes its ABA service type only to state Licensed Behavior Analysts and to Certified Behavior Analyst Assistants working under one. Department of Health guidance dated June 18, 2026 describes this. An RBT credential alone does not open those Early Intervention ABA cases.
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