Insurance · UnitedHealthcare & Optum

UnitedHealthcare covers ABA therapy — we’ll handle the paperwork.

We’re in network with UnitedHealthcare and Optum Behavioral Health. Most families pay $0 out of pocket after their deductible. Send us your insurance card and we’ll verify your benefits in 24 hours — no commitment.

Verify my benefits Call (888) 989-5011

Typical cost after deductible

24h

Benefit verification

In-Net

UHC & Optum behavioral

In Network

UnitedHealthcare

Optum

Behavioral Health

Plans accepted

We accept every major UnitedHealthcare plan.

UnitedHealthcare is the largest commercial behavioral-health payer in the country, and they administer ABA benefits through their behavioral arm, Optum. Whether your card says UHC, UMR, Surest, or Optum, we’re contracted to deliver ABA therapy and bill your plan directly.

UHC Choice & Choice Plus

The most common employer-sponsored plans. ABA is a covered behavioral-health benefit for autism with a documented diagnosis.

UHC Options PPO

Out-of-network benefits also available, but you’ll always pay less staying in network with us. We’ll show you both numbers before you commit.

UMR (UHC subsidiary)

If your card says UMR, you’re on a UnitedHealthcare-administered self-funded plan. ABA coverage works the same way. Send us the card.

Surest (formerly Bind)

UHC’s newer no-deductible product. ABA copays are listed up front on the member portal. We handle the prior authorization either way.

Optum Behavioral Health

Optum is the behavioral arm of UnitedHealth Group and reviews ABA authorizations. Our clinical team is credentialed directly with Optum.

Oxford, Empire & regional UHC

Same network, same playbook. If it’s UnitedHealthcare anywhere on the card, send us the front and back — we’ll confirm in 24 hours.

The verification process

Three steps. Twenty-four hours.

You don’t have to call UHC, sit through hold music, or decode the explanation of benefits. We do this every day — send us a photo of your card and the rest is on us.

Start verification

Send us a photo of your card

Front and back. Text it, email it, or upload it through our pre-intake form. We need the member ID, group number, and the customer-service phone on the back.

We call Optum on your behalf

Our intake team confirms ABA benefits, in-network status, deductible status, copay, coinsurance, and any session caps. We document everything in writing.

You get a plain-English summary

No jargon. We tell you exactly what your family will pay per week, whether you’ve hit your deductible, and what the authorization timeline looks like. Then you decide.

About Optum behavioral health

Why your card says UHC but the auth comes from Optum.

UnitedHealth Group owns both UnitedHealthcare (the insurance plan) and Optum (the behavioral-health network manager). When you have a UHC plan, Optum is who actually reviews the ABA treatment plan, issues the authorization, and renews it every six months.

That’s good news for you. Optum has a single national medical policy for ABA, so a Choice Plus plan in Utah and an Oxford plan in New York follow the same rules. Once we’re credentialed (we are), the path is consistent. Our BCBAs write Optum-compliant treatment plans, submit re-auths on time, and respond to peer reviews so therapy never lapses.

Optum requires a current autism diagnosis from a qualified provider (we can refer you if you need testing)
Initial authorization is typically 6 months, then renews based on progress data
No annual session caps on most UHC commercial plans
Medical-necessity reviews use the BCBA’s assessment, not a flat formula

Need a diagnosis first?

No diagnosis? We test in-house — covered by UHC.

UnitedHealthcare covers our diagnostic evaluations as a medical benefit. No waitlist. Usually scheduled within a week, results in days, and we can roll directly into ABA if your child qualifies.

Learn about testing

Don’t guess at coverage

Let us read your UHC plan for you.

Most families have more benefits than they realize. We’ll tell you exactly what your plan covers — in writing, in 24 hours — before you sign anything.

Verify my UHC benefits Call (888) 989-5011

Questions families ask us

UnitedHealthcare & ABA, answered honestly.

Does every UnitedHealthcare plan cover ABA therapy?

Nearly every commercial UHC plan covers ABA as a behavioral-health benefit when there’s a documented autism diagnosis. The exceptions are some short-term gap plans and a handful of self-funded employer plans that have explicitly carved out ABA. We verify your specific plan in 24 hours so you don’t have to guess.

What will I actually pay out of pocket?

For most families on UHC, the answer is $0 once the family deductible is met — and because ABA is delivered 15–40 hours a week, most families hit that deductible inside the first month or two. Plans with copays usually run $20–$40 per session day. Surest plans show your copay up front. We tell you the exact number in writing before you start.

My card says UMR, Surest, or Optum. Is that still UHC?

Yes. UMR, Surest, Oxford, and Empire are all UnitedHealth Group brands, and Optum is the behavioral-health arm that reviews ABA authorizations. We’re in network across all of them. Send us the card and we’ll confirm which network your specific plan uses.

How long does prior authorization take?

Optum’s standard turnaround on a new ABA authorization is 7–14 business days after we submit the assessment. We schedule the BCBA assessment within a week of intake, so the typical timeline from first phone call to first therapy session is 3–5 weeks. Renewals run on a 6-month cycle.

What if my child doesn’t have an autism diagnosis yet?

UnitedHealthcare covers diagnostic evaluations as a medical benefit, and we provide testing in-house with no waitlist — usually scheduled within a week. If your child qualifies for an ABA recommendation, we can roll directly into therapy with the same team. One front door, no handoffs.

Ready when you are

Send us your card. We’ll do the rest.

No long forms. No commitment. A real person on our intake team will read your UHC plan, call Optum, and email you a clear summary within one business day.

Start with our intake form Call (888) 989-5011

Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · Serving Utah & Ohio