Does Medicaid Cover ABA Therapy in Maryland?
Published April 8, 2026
Yes — Maryland Medicaid (HealthChoice) covers ABA therapy for children and teens under 21 with an autism diagnosis. Maryland also has a strong commercial insurance mandate and the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) provides additional services for eligible individuals. Here's everything families need to know.
Key takeaways
- Maryland HealthChoice covers ABA for all children under 21 with autism
- Managed care plans include Amerigroup, Jai Medical Center, Priority Partners, and UnitedHealthcare
- Maryland's commercial insurance mandate covers children through age 14
- Baltimore metro and suburban DC counties have strong ABA provider networks
- Adults may access services through Maryland's DDA Waiver program
Maryland HealthChoice managed care plans
Maryland HealthChoice is the state's managed care program for Medicaid. Eligible enrollees choose from several plans based on their county:
- Amerigroup Maryland — statewide
- Jai Medical Systems — Baltimore City and surrounding counties
- Priority Partners (Johns Hopkins) — Central Maryland
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of MD — statewide
- Carefirst Community Health Plan Maryland — Baltimore and surrounding areas
Maryland's autism insurance mandate
Maryland law requires fully-insured commercial health plans to cover ABA therapy for individuals diagnosed with autism through age 14. Coverage must include diagnostic evaluation and behavioral health treatment. Families with children on private insurance should contact their insurer directly to understand their specific benefits.
How to access ABA through Maryland Medicaid
- Confirm your HealthChoice plan at mmcp.health.maryland.gov or call 1-800-456-8900.
- Get an autism diagnosis from a licensed professional.
- Contact your plan for in-network ABA providers or search FindABA.
- Complete prior authorization — typically 7–14 days for approval.
- Services begin at no cost to you.
Maryland resources
- Maryland Medicaid: mmcp.health.maryland.gov
- Maryland DDA: dda.health.maryland.gov
- Autism Society of Maryland: autism-society.org/maryland
- HealthChoice helpline: 1-800-456-8900
Find Maryland ABA providers that accept Medicaid
FindABA lists ABA providers across Maryland showing accepted plans including HealthChoice, Priority Partners, and Amerigroup.
Search Maryland providers →