Initiating ABA services can be a complex and time-consuming task for both patients and providers. A critical step in this process involves documenting the necessity for services and obtaining proper consent, which is achieved through an ABA questionnaire during intake. This step, carried out before the patient’s first appointment, forms the basis for a customized treatment plan and helps avoid future billing issues related to ABA therapy. Collecting patient information early on ensures a smoother path for both patient care and administrative procedures.
Essential elements of the intake process
The most crucial components of ABA intake forms include:
- Patient demographics
- Patient funding information, including a copy of all insurance cards
- Consent for services
- Financial agreement or consent
- HIPAA Policy Consent
Other ABA forms as deemed necessary by the organization:
- Attendance contract
- Letter of engagement
- Consent for handbook or provider policies, if applicable
- In-home therapy survey, if applicable
- Observation or video release form
- Consent to release information to a third party, such as a physician, school, or another provider
Additional ABA documents for the intake process
The following documents are typically required prior to authorization, so a provider may wish to obtain them before the initial evaluation. These include:
- Diagnostic reports
- Individualized Education Plans or IEPs
- Reports from other providers previously or currently in services
- Referrals or scripts from primary care or diagnosing physician
Organization vs. state and federal guidelines
Each organization should tailor its intake and consent paperwork to its needs while referring to state and federal guidelines in order to meet requirements. Some agencies prefer paper documentation that is either mailed or emailed and then printed, while many others use online paperwork through the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems or those located on their website.
Additional components that may be beneficial include:
- Patient demographics
- History of diagnosis: by whom, where, when
- Parent/Guardian(s) contact information
- Primary care physician and contact information
- Patient’s medical history
- Medication
- History of seizures
- Surgeries or major medical history
- Allergies
- Other services currently receiving or previously received
- Counseling or psychiatry
- Speech, occupational, or physical therapy
- Early intervention services
- Other relevant services
- Patient’s developmental history
- Relevant family medical/behavioral health history
- School/educational history
- Problem behaviors
- Nutritional background
- Self-care background
- Verbal/Language background
- Social skills background
- Family/Living arrangements background
- Parent/Guardian status
- Siblings
- Cultural or religious background
- Parent’s concerns or goals for their child
- Daily routines/schedules
- Patient’s preferred items
- Activities
- Food
- Items/Toys
Need help getting started?
Feeling lost on where to begin with ABA paperwork? As part of the onboarding and implementation process for our ABA therapy billing services, Missing Piece Billing and Consulting educates our providers on best practice guidelines for intake and other documentation through the revenue cycle process. We also provide recommendations on incorporating this information into your individualized evaluation and treatment plan. At Missing Piece, we offer ABA therapy providers a complete ABA therapy billing solution, which includes assisting with ABA billing codes, submitting required provider profile information, navigating patient benefits, and many more additional services. To learn more, contact us online or by phone at 765-628-7400.