Tennessee Medicaid Autism Coverage

Quick Answer

Tennessee's Katie Beckett Program (relaunched 2020) provides Medicaid access to children with significant disabilities regardless of family income through Parts A and B. TennCare covers ABA under EPSDT, and ECF CHOICES funds long-term community supports for individuals with IDD.

• ABA benefit: covered under EPSDT for under 21 (via epsdt).
• HCBS waivers: 3 relevant waiver options listed on this page.
• Commercial insurance: Tennessee has a state autism insurance mandate.

About this information

This page summarizes public Medicaid, waiver, and insurance-mandate information for general reference.

Medicaid benefits, managed-care rules, and waiver waitlists can change quickly, so families should verify eligibility, prior authorization, and enrollment steps with the administering agency before relying on this page.

Last reviewed 2026-04-21 by Autism Hearts Editorial Team

Tennessee Commercial Insurance Mandate

Year enacted

2016

Age limit

Varies by plan

Self-funded employer plans (often from large employers) are regulated by federal ERISA law, not state mandates, and may be exempt. Always confirm your plan type on your Summary of Benefits and Coverage.

Medicaid ABA Therapy Benefit

Covers ABA

Yes

Age limit

Under 21 (via EPSDT)

Prior auth required

Yes

TennCare covers ABA as a medically-necessary service under EPSDT. Services are delivered through TennCare MCOs (Amerigroup, BlueCare, UnitedHealthcare).

Tennessee HCBS Waivers

Katie Beckett / TEFRA Option

Available — Tennessee Katie Beckett Program (Parts A and B)

Relaunched in 2020. Part A provides full TennCare with long-term supports for children meeting institutional level of care (limited slots). Part B is a premium buy-in with a smaller wraparound benefit package open to a broader group of children with disabilities.

Early Intervention (Birth–3)

Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) — Tennessee's IDEA Part C program. Children under 3 with developmental delays can access services without a formal autism diagnosis.

Official Sources

Use these primary sources when you need to confirm current Medicaid rules, waiver access, or state-agency guidance in Tennessee.

• https://www.tn.gov/didd.html
• https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/members-applicants/katie-beckett.html
• https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/long-term-services-supports/employment-and-community-first-choices.html