Arizona: Nearly 1,000 autistic children to lose ABA therapy

Mar 5, 2026, Nearly 1K Arizona children with autism to lose ABA therapy coverageNearly 1,000 Arizona children diagnosed with autism will lose access to applied behavior analysis, or ABA, therapy starting this week after several Medicaid insurers announced they are ending contracts with two major providers.

Mercy Care, United Health and Arizona Complete Health said they will drop coverage with Action Behavior Centers and Centria Health — two providers that perform ABA therapy. Families who rely on those providers will be forced to find new in-network providers or pay out of pocket to continue their children’s care.

Families rally at the Capitol

Dozens of Arizona families gathered outside the state Capitol to urge officials with the state Medicaid program, AHCCCS, to preserve their children’s access to care.

“This is the face of the dreams you will crush. Do the right thing, Mercy Care and AHCCCS,” one parent said at the rally.

Parents described the potential loss of therapy as an around-the-clock crisis for their children.

“That is a 24/7 panic attack. That’s what it looks like if this goes away. A 24-hour day, seven days a week, no vacations, no downtime, panic attack,” one parent said.

Parents cite trauma, sleepless nights

Families said they are struggling with the prospect of transitioning their children to new providers.

“Parents, including myself, are struggling with putting our kids in another center like they want us to. You’re traumatizing these kids. For me, as a parent, it breaks my heart. I am losing sleep,” one parent said.

Another parent expressed hope that officials would respond to the families’ collective push. . . .

Mercy Care responds; lawsuit filed

Mercy Care issued a statement defending its decision. “We stand by our decision to end contracts with certain providers, which was made thoughtfully and in alignment with our responsibility to members and network standards. We are confident that our statewide network of over 70 ABA providers can ensure continuity of care for our members,” a spokesperson said.

United Health did not respond to a request for comment.

Last month, 11 families filed a lawsuit against AHCCCS seeking to temporarily halt the contract terminations. A decision in that case is expected Friday or early next week.