LINCOLN — Max Perry was ousted from daycare as a tot. His special needs became so intense that his mom quit her job to be nearby 24-7. His parents once chartered a private plane to transport Max, challenged by autism and epilepsy, to a major surgery because commercial flights sent him into panic mode, frantically kicking, screaming, and peeling off clothes.

Max and his family eventually found doses of calm, joy, and progress through a widely known therapy called applied behavior analysis (ABA), which has been shown to help autistic kids function better in society. But the Lincoln mom and other advocates now face a different anxiety, worried that such services could be jeopardized for a growing number of Nebraska’s most vulnerable youths. Experts say one in 36 youths has autism.

Advocates cite a recent notice sent out by one of the three mega insurers that manage health care benefits for Nebraskans enrolled in Medicaid. They said the state contractor had sought to slash Medicaid rates paid to ABA providers by as much as half. Advocates feared that such a change could lead to reduced access to services and would perhaps drive away providers they say are scarce enough already in Nebraska.

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