TRICARE Insurance for ABA Therapy in Florida
Now accepting TRICARE • Proudly supporting military families
If you are a military family looking for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for your child, Hope Center for Behavior Change is here for you. We accept TRICARE and walk alongside you through referrals, authorizations and every step in between.
Does TRICARE cover ABA therapy?
Yes. TRICARE covers ABA through the Autism Care Demonstration (ACD), a program run by the Defense Health Agency. The ACD began in 2014 and is currently authorized through December 31, 2028.
There are no yearly or lifetime caps on ABA services. The number of hours your child receives comes from their individualized treatment plan and is approved based on medical necessity.
Program details from TRICARE’s Autism Care Demonstration page, checked October 2026. Rules can change; we confirm your child’s coverage before therapy starts.
Who is eligible?
- Your child is enrolled in a TRICARE health plan, such as TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select.
- Your child has an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis from a TRICARE-approved diagnosing provider.
- The diagnosing provider has sent a referral to your regional contractor, and ABA has been pre-authorized.
Eligible beneficiaries include family members of active-duty service members, retirees, and certain National Guard and Reserve members. Active-duty sponsors must enroll in their branch’s Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), and the child must be enrolled in the Extended Care Health Option (ECHO).
What does TRICARE ABA coverage include?
- AssessmentsAn initial ABA assessment by a BCBA, then reassessments to update your child’s treatment plan.
- Individualized therapySkill-building in communication, social interaction, adaptive behavior, emotional regulation and daily living.
- Parent and caregiver trainingCoaching so you can use ABA strategies at home and in other settings. TRICARE expects parents to take part.
- Progress monitoringRegular outcome measures to track your child’s growth and adjust the plan.
- Plan updatesTreatment is authorized in six-month periods; your child’s BCBA reassesses and requests the next authorization.
Treatment is authorized in six-month periods. A new referral from your child’s diagnosing provider is needed every two years.
How to get started
Getting TRICARE-covered ABA therapy takes a few steps. Our team is with you through all of them.
- 1Get an autism diagnosisFrom a TRICARE-approved diagnosing provider. That can be your child’s primary care provider (family physician, pediatrician, or pediatric or family nurse practitioner) or a specialist such as a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, pediatric neurologist, child psychiatrist or doctoral-level clinical psychologist. Children first diagnosed at age 8 or older need a specialist.
- 2Referral and pre-authorizationThe diagnosing provider sends an ACD referral to your regional contractor. In Florida that is Humana Military (TRICARE East). ABA must be authorized before it starts. Active-duty families also enroll in their branch’s Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) and the Extended Care Health Option (ECHO).
- 3Baseline outcome measuresBefore ABA begins, four measures are completed: the PDDBI, the Vineland-3, the SRS-2 and a parenting stress index (PSI-4, or SIPA for teens). They are repeated during treatment to track progress.
- 4Begin ABA therapyOnce authorized, a BCBA at Hope Center for Behavior Change completes the assessment and builds your child’s individualized plan, delivered at home, in the community or wherever best supports your child’s growth.
Why military families choose Hope Center for Behavior Change
Military life brings relocations, deployments and the demands of service, which can make consistent, compassionate care hard to find. We provide ABA therapy that meets your family where you are.
- TRICARE-accepted providerWe work directly with TRICARE to keep billing simple for your family.
- BCBA-led programsPrograms developed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts and carried out by Registered Behavior Technicians.
- Family-centeredStrategies and support that carry over into everyday life.
- Flexible locationsTherapy at home, in the community and in school settings.
- Compassionate, child-ledModern, evidence-based ABA that respects your child’s dignity and individuality.
- Serving Florida familiesOffices in West Palm Beach and Temple Terrace, for military families across South Florida and Tampa Bay.
Frequently asked questions
Does TRICARE cover ABA therapy?+
Yes. TRICARE covers ABA through the Autism Care Demonstration (ACD), run by the Defense Health Agency. The ACD began in July 2014 and is currently authorized through December 31, 2028.
Who is eligible?+
Children and family members with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis who are enrolled in a TRICARE health plan: family members of active-duty service members, retirees, and certain National Guard and Reserve members. A referral and pre-authorization are required.
Which TRICARE plans include the ACD?+
The ACD is open to beneficiaries enrolled in a TRICARE health plan, for example TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select, and the US Family Health Plan takes ACD referrals too. Plans differ for Guard and Reserve families, so call us and we’ll check your child’s plan.
How many hours of ABA does TRICARE cover?+
There are no yearly or lifetime caps. The number of hours comes from your child’s treatment plan and is approved based on medical necessity.
What will it cost?+
You pay your plan’s usual copayment or cost-share for ABA. All ABA services on the same day count as one copayment, and costs count toward your plan’s annual catastrophic cap. Active-duty family members in TRICARE Prime generally pay nothing for network care. We confirm your costs before therapy starts.
How long does an authorization last?+
The first authorization covers the ABA assessment. Treatment is then authorized in six-month periods, and a new autism referral from the diagnosing provider is needed every two years.
What happens if we relocate?+
The ACD is available throughout the United States and its territories. If you receive new orders, contact the regional contractor for your new area, because a new referral or authorization may be needed. We help coordinate the handoff so your child’s progress isn’t lost.
Schedule a free consultation
Tell us about your family and we’ll check your TRICARE benefits and explain the next steps. Prefer to talk now? Call 561-337-8865.
Monday to Friday 8:30am to 6:30pm, Saturday 9:30am to 1:30pm