Office of the Secretary December 4, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice is to advise interested parties of a Military Health System (MHS) demonstration project entitled Enhanced Access to Autism Services Demonstration Project. The Department proposes a demonstration program under the Department's demonstration authority under 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1092 to expand the availability of Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) services (defined as an intensive application of certain behavior modification interventions) to Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) program beneficiaries with autism. The demonstration program will permit TRICARE cost sharing of services by IBI tutors under a modified corporate services model. This demonstration will determine whether military families are able to make more effective use of the special education benefit in the ECHO program. Additionally, the demonstration will help determine the effectiveness of expanding the provider base in improving the access to services for TRICARE and attendant improvement in functional outcome for those military dependent children receiving services. For purposes of this demonstration, provider qualifications will be established by the Department pending development of national standards by a nationally recognized certifying body for ABA providers, which standards the Department determines appropriate for acceptance in the delivery of quality care under the program. The Department intends to retain the ECHO benefit as currently outlined in 32 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 199.5, except for the changes that will be implemented in the demonstration program noted above.