Defense Health Agency officials should formally authorize Applied Behavior Analysis , a widely recognized intervention to help children with autism, as a basic Tricare benefit, according to a report on the findings of a congressionally mandated independent study.

The report, conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, debunks DHA officials’ repeated assertion that ABA services don’t meet their standards for reliable medical evidence.

The researchers lay out their analysis of why ABA meets Tricare’s own standards, defined in law.

Researchers recommend this major shift in Tricare’s policies for military family members diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, citing problems with an 11-year-old demonstration project that in effect limits the care available

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