Special Needs Care Network Logo

Special Needs Care Network Data Report

Medicaid ABA Spending by State: What the 2026 Report Shows

Medicaid ABA spending by state varies widely. The latest CMS release reported $12B in payments across 50 states, while median payment per beneficiary ranged from $151 to $48,296. An aggregate comparison based on SPCN proprietary data found that higher payment levels did not consistently line up with the pattern of families looking for ABA support.

Analysis by: Special Needs Care Network Federal data: CMS T-MSIS ABA heat map, published 2026 SPCN data: proprietary family-interest data Updated: August 30, 2026
CMS payments$12B

Total reported across the 50 states in the latest CMS release.

State variation320×

Highest-to-lowest median payment per beneficiary.

States compared26

States included after SPCN’s internal quality and privacy checks.

Pattern relationship-0.12

Near zero: the two state patterns barely moved together.

State comparison

Florida reports the highest median payment per beneficiary

Each state is shaded by its CMS-reported median Medicaid ABA payment per beneficiary for calendar year 2025. Darker means a higher median payment, not better access or quality.

Median Medicaid ABA payment per beneficiary by state A geographic map of 50 states. Darker blue represents a higher CMS-reported median ABA payment per beneficiary in calendar year 2025. Exact figures are available on hover, focus, or in the state table. Alabama: $12,293 median paid per beneficiary · $51.9M total · #35 by total payments AL Alaska: $5,933 median paid per beneficiary · $5.5M total · #43 by total payments AK Arizona: $18,292 median paid per beneficiary · $230.7M total · #14 by total payments AZ Colorado: $22,106 median paid per beneficiary · $329.6M total · #10 by total payments CO Florida: $48,296 median paid per beneficiary · $2.6B total · #1 by total payments FL Georgia: $19,375 median paid per beneficiary · $598.6M total · #4 by total payments GA Indiana: $34,841 median paid per beneficiary · $503.5M total · #6 by total payments IN Kansas: $15,081 median paid per beneficiary · $42.9M total · #36 by total payments KS Maine: $22,674 median paid per beneficiary · $163.6M total · #18 by total payments ME Massachusetts: $17,549 median paid per beneficiary · $316.7M total · #11 by total payments MA Minnesota: $32,909 median paid per beneficiary · $381.1M total · #7 by total payments MN New Jersey: $260 median paid per beneficiary · $269.1M total · #13 by total payments NJ North Carolina: $28,417 median paid per beneficiary · $695.9M total · #3 by total payments NC North Dakota: $6,855 median paid per beneficiary · $3.5M total · #45 by total payments ND Oklahoma: $24,727 median paid per beneficiary · $115.8M total · #22 by total payments OK Pennsylvania: $10,952 median paid per beneficiary · $587.5M total · #5 by total payments PA South Dakota: $10,846 median paid per beneficiary · $6.7M total · #42 by total payments SD Texas: $15,043 median paid per beneficiary · $193.2M total · #16 by total payments TX Wyoming: $6,409 median paid per beneficiary · $2.5M total · #46 by total payments WY Connecticut: $780 median paid per beneficiary · $111.5M total · #24 by total payments CT Missouri: $10,509 median paid per beneficiary · $130.9M total · #20 by total payments MO West Virginia: $151 median paid per beneficiary · $9.3M total · #39 by total payments WV Illinois: $4,074 median paid per beneficiary · $2.3M total · #47 by total payments IL New Mexico: $9,567 median paid per beneficiary · $122.8M total · #21 by total payments NM Arkansas: $17,955 median paid per beneficiary · $62.5M total · #31 by total payments AR California: $791 median paid per beneficiary · $2B total · #2 by total payments CA Delaware: $1,837 median paid per beneficiary · $7.4M total · #41 by total payments DE Hawaii: $19,047 median paid per beneficiary · $25.5M total · #37 by total payments HI Iowa: $14,919 median paid per beneficiary · $57.9M total · #33 by total payments IA Kentucky: $8,457 median paid per beneficiary · $77.3M total · #30 by total payments KY Maryland: $27,216 median paid per beneficiary · $218.3M total · #15 by total payments MD Michigan: $22,611 median paid per beneficiary · $312M total · #12 by total payments MI Mississippi: $5,078 median paid per beneficiary · $8.8M total · #40 by total payments MS Montana: $8,764 median paid per beneficiary · $4.2M total · #44 by total payments MT New Hampshire: $9,905 median paid per beneficiary · $20.4M total · #38 by total payments NH New York: $13,276 median paid per beneficiary · $378.7M total · #8 by total payments NY Ohio: $11,883 median paid per beneficiary · $99.9M total · #26 by total payments OH Oregon: $13,770 median paid per beneficiary · $59M total · #32 by total payments OR Tennessee: $12,366 median paid per beneficiary · $189.1M total · #17 by total payments TN Utah: $20,423 median paid per beneficiary · $104M total · #25 by total payments UT Virginia: $19,313 median paid per beneficiary · $332.2M total · #9 by total payments VA Washington: $9,871 median paid per beneficiary · $54.3M total · #34 by total payments WA Wisconsin: $11,176 median paid per beneficiary · $111.5M total · #23 by total payments WI Nebraska: $25,415 median paid per beneficiary · $86.4M total · #28 by total payments NE South Carolina: $8,175 median paid per beneficiary · $78.6M total · #29 by total payments SC Idaho: $946 median paid per beneficiary · $363.2K total · #50 by total payments ID Nevada: $20,237 median paid per beneficiary · $90.2M total · #27 by total payments NV Vermont: $546 median paid per beneficiary · $659.3K total · #48 by total payments VT Louisiana: $17,923 median paid per beneficiary · $150.9M total · #19 by total payments LA Rhode Island: $1,072 median paid per beneficiary · $626.8K total · #49 by total payments RI
LowerHigher
Median paid per beneficiary Get the data

01 The national finding

What Medicaid ABA spending by state shows and does not show

Across 26 states that passed SPCN’s internal quality and privacy checks, the rank association between CMS median payment per beneficiary and SPCN’s family-interest pattern was -0.12. In regular language: the two state patterns barely moved together.

Four key findings from the 2026 Medicaid ABA spending by state report, including an aggregate comparison based on SPCN proprietary data.
This public graphic shows the aggregate result without exposing SPCN’s state-level family volumes, request shares, channel mix, or internal screening thresholds. Descriptive only; no causal conclusion is supported.
CMS payment range

Florida to West Virginia

Florida had the highest median amount paid per beneficiary at $48,296. West Virginia had the lowest at $151.

Robustness check

The near-zero pattern persisted

The result stayed near zero when SPCN repeated the analysis using stricter internal quality checks. SPCN keeps the underlying state counts and acquisition details private so this report does not expose commercially sensitive demand data.

Interpretation

Spending is not the same as availability

Payment totals can reflect population, state benefit design, service intensity, billing definitions, and managed-care arrangements. Family requests can reflect need, awareness, search visibility, and SPCN’s own reach. Neither measure provides wait times or open capacity.

02 Federal payment context

Five states accounted for the largest CMS payment totals

Total payment is not population-adjusted. It gives scale, while the median-per-beneficiary measure is the cleaner comparison used in the scatter plot.

#1Florida$2.6B

Median per beneficiary: $48,296

#2California$2B

Median per beneficiary: $791

#3North Carolina$695.9M

Median per beneficiary: $28,417

#4Georgia$598.6M

Median per beneficiary: $19,375

#5Pennsylvania$587.5M

Median per beneficiary: $10,952

03 State table

Medicaid ABA spending by state

The public table contains the official CMS measures only. SPCN’s state-level family data is used for the aggregate comparison but is not published.

50 states
State CMS providers CMS total paid Median / provider Median / beneficiary Payment rank
AlabamaAL 697 $51.9M $24,923 $12,293 #35
AlaskaAK 147 $5.5M $9,572 $5,933 #43
ArizonaAZ 937 $230.7M $136,772 $18,292 #14
ArkansasAR 1,509 $62.5M $13,628 $17,955 #31
CaliforniaCA 23,235 $2B $12,920 $791 #2
ColoradoCO 1,385 $329.6M $130,207 $22,106 #10
ConnecticutCT 2,063 $111.5M $11,520 $780 #24
DelawareDE 60 $7.4M $20,098 $1,837 #41
FloridaFL 44,917 $2.6B $44,621 $48,296 #1
GeorgiaGA 4,440 $598.6M $63,893 $19,375 #4
HawaiiHI 305 $25.5M $41,301 $19,047 #37
IdahoID 49 $363.2K $1,722 $946 #50
IllinoisIL 44 $2.3M $13,671 $4,074 #47
IndianaIN 11,027 $503.5M $16,343 $34,841 #6
IowaIA 439 $57.9M $37,600 $14,919 #33
KansasKS 1,510 $42.9M $12,691 $15,081 #36
KentuckyKY 495 $77.3M $68,047 $8,457 #30
LouisianaLA 2,349 $150.9M $38,862 $17,923 #19
MaineME 264 $163.6M $167,096 $22,674 #18
MarylandMD 7,233 $218.3M $14,876 $27,216 #15
MassachusettsMA 2,022 $316.7M $61,615 $17,549 #11
MichiganMI 188 $312M $313,451 $22,611 #12
MinnesotaMN 10,646 $381.1M $25,542 $32,909 #7
MississippiMS 96 $8.8M $35,156 $5,078 #40
MissouriMO 730 $130.9M $81,669 $10,509 #20
MontanaMT 49 $4.2M $51,024 $8,764 #44
NebraskaNE 2,697 $86.4M $11,991 $25,415 #28
NevadaNV 2,426 $90.2M $18,552 $20,237 #27
New HampshireNH 263 $20.4M $16,764 $9,905 #38
New JerseyNJ 1,488 $269.1M $45,633 $260 #13
New MexicoNM 2,368 $122.8M $27,267 $9,567 #21
New YorkNY 1,552 $378.7M $97,806 $13,276 #8
North CarolinaNC 1,633 $695.9M $10,446 $28,417 #3
North DakotaND 218 $3.5M $7,081 $6,855 #45
OhioOH 702 $99.9M $63,079 $11,883 #26
OklahomaOK 3,117 $115.8M $20,114 $24,727 #22
OregonOR 441 $59M $41,490 $13,770 #32
PennsylvaniaPA 267 $587.5M $956,650 $10,952 #5
Rhode IslandRI 18 $626.8K $7,162 $1,072 #49
South CarolinaSC 621 $78.6M $61,277 $8,175 #29
South DakotaSD 51 $6.7M $79,639 $10,846 #42
TennesseeTN 1,016 $189.1M $139,489 $12,366 #17
TexasTX 1,391 $193.2M $51,223 $15,043 #16
UtahUT 104 $104M $229,206 $20,423 #25
VermontVT 39 $659.3K $1,361 $546 #48
VirginiaVA 1,979 $332.2M $55,850 $19,313 #9
WashingtonWA 1,529 $54.3M $7,101 $9,871 #34
West VirginiaWV 260 $9.3M $4,010 $151 #39
WisconsinWI 5,929 $111.5M $8,730 $11,176 #23
WyomingWY 61 $2.5M $5,463 $6,409 #46

04 Methodology

Two datasets, kept in their proper lanes

National trend context

CMS’s August 2026 ABA Toolkit reports that, from 2021 through 2025, the number of children with an ASD diagnosis receiving ABA rose 189%, while ABA spending among children with ASD rose 421%. These are national Medicaid and CHIP trends based on T-MSIS claims and associated eligibility data across 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. They do not show that a particular family can obtain care, that a provider has an opening, or that any state’s payments were improper.

CMS payment layer

CMS’s August 2026 Applied Behavior Analysis heat map reports calendar-year 2025 state provider counts, total paid, median payment per provider, and median payment per beneficiary. It uses Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System data and includes fee-for-service and managed-care utilization. CMS notes that state definitions and limits differ and that geographic variation alone does not indicate fraud, waste, abuse, or improper billing.

How SPCN compared family interest

SPCN compared the CMS payment pattern with a 90-day pattern of families looking for ABA support through its website. Related requests were counted once, and only states that passed internal sample-quality checks were included.

Privacy and commercial safeguards

No names, email addresses, phone numbers, messages, or individual records were used in the public report. SPCN also withholds family volumes, state request shares, marketing-channel details, and the exact screening thresholds. Those details are not needed to understand or cite the aggregate finding.

Association measure

The report uses Spearman’s rank coefficient to ask a simple question: did states with higher CMS median payments per beneficiary also tend to rank higher in SPCN’s family-interest pattern? The answer was barely. The coefficient was -0.12, where a value near zero means the rankings did not move together in a consistent direction. This does not test cause and effect.

05 Common questions

Questions about Medicaid ABA spending by state

Which state had the highest total in the CMS Medicaid ABA data?

Florida had the highest CMS-reported total at $2,639,198,783. Total spending is not adjusted for state population.

Are these ABA Medicaid reimbursement rates by state?

No. These are CMS-reported payment measures, not state fee schedules or CPT-code reimbursement rates. A reimbursement-rate comparison requires the current fee schedule for each state and billing code.

Does higher Medicaid ABA spending mean families have better access?

No. Spending does not show provider openings, wait times, Medicaid acceptance, service fit, treatment quality, or outcomes.

06 Download and cite

Built for reporters, researchers, and advocates

You may reuse the chart and CMS state table with attribution to Special Needs Care Network. Federal definitions and caveats must travel with the numbers.

01

Download the data

Fifty state rows containing the public CMS payment measures. SPCN family data is not included.

Download CSV
02

Reuse the chart

Source-ready vector artwork sized for articles, newsletters, and presentations.

Download SVG
03

Copy the citation

Special Needs Care Network. “Medicaid ABA Spending by State: 2026 Report.” Updated August 30, 2026. CMS payment data with an aggregate comparison based on SPCN proprietary family-interest data. https://specialneedsusa.com/data/medicaid-aba-spending-by-state

Sources

  1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Applied Behavior Analysis National Heat Map and State Statistics for CY 2025, published August 2026.
  2. Medicaid.gov, Autism Services, including the August 2026 ASD/ABA Data Book and State Medicaid & CHIP ABA Toolkit.
  3. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, State Medicaid & CHIP ABA Toolkit, August 2026; source for the national 2021–2025 utilization and spending figures.
  4. Special Needs Care Network proprietary family-interest analysis, 90 days ending August 30, 2026. Public methodology and privacy limits are documented above.

Questions, interview requests, or requests for a state cut: admin@specialneedsusa.com.

Looking for support, not statistics?

Browse ABA therapy options near you

The directory can help you compare listed providers. Always confirm services, insurance participation, availability, and fit directly with the provider.

Explore the therapy directory

Looking for ABA therapy near you?

Tell us where you are and we’ll help you find ABA therapy providers that fit your family.