Telehealth and telesupervision for ABA in Kansas

Yes.

Licensed Behavior Analyst / Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst

Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB)

K.S.A. 65-7501 to 65-7505 (applied behavior analysis licensure act); K.S.A. 65-7503 (2018 text read) requires a license to practice ABA on/after 7/1/2016 with exceptions; board may not issue a license until applicant shows certification by a certifying entity.

We could not verify this yet - check with Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB).

Sometimes. See the detail below.

As of 2026-10-21, KMAP bulletin 21234, published by Sunflower on 12/22/2021 and effective 1/1/2022, lists 97151, 97152, 97153, 97155 and 97156 as allowed with POS 10 for telehealth in the patient's home; POS 02 applies outside the home. The bulletin cautions that MCO implementation dates may differ. Sunflower's currently posted CP.BH.104 (revised 02/2026) recognizes ABA telehealth and directs providers to state allowances. Its CP.BH.105 (revised 02/2026) requires telehealth documentation of a HIPAA-compliant platform, the rendering provider/technician's camera being on, and functioning audio. Commercial: BCBSKS's January 2026 autism manual permits parent education and direct supervision by telehealth when eligible under the member's plan, billed with POS 02 or 10 and modifier GT. Its enrollment rules recognize both RBTs, whose BACB certification is verified, and IIS providers, who submit a letter signed by the HCBS Autism Waiver Program Manager or HCBS Director. These provisions do not establish blanket telehealth billing eligibility for an otherwise unqualified BT or coverage across all commercial plans.

K.S.A. 40-2,213, effective 1/1/2019, applies to the specified individual/group insurance policies delivered, issued, amended or renewed from that date and expressly to Kansas Medicaid. It prohibits excluding an otherwise covered service solely because a healthcare provider delivers it through telemedicine or lacks a commercial office. Medical necessity and benefit-plan conditions remain applicable; the law does not create coverage for otherwise uncovered services or permit requiring telemedicine instead of an in-network in-person service. Subsection (d) permits insurers to establish reimbursement in the same manner as for in-person services; it does not expressly mandate identical payment rates.

BCBSKS recommends combining remote direct supervision with in-person supervision; its telehealth section does not specify a mandatory frequency. Sunflower CP.BH.104 describes telehealth as supplementing in-person care. CP.BH.105 requires at least monthly one-on-one supervisor service with the member for protocol modification or documented clinical review, and allows that encounter remotely only when state guidelines permit it. No statewide minimum in-person frequency was verified.

BCBSKS conditionally covers direct supervision by telehealth. Separately, the BACB RBT Handbook (updated 06/2026, pages 16-17) permits supervision observations through live video, subject to applicable law. It requires supervision for at least 5% of monthly service hours, at least two real-time face-to-face contacts monthly, observation of service delivery during at least one contact, and at least one individual supervision session. Telephone or email does not satisfy these contacts; video monitoring without real-time interaction or feedback may not count. These are RBT certification requirements, not Medicaid billing authorization or rules for non-RBT IIS providers. Sunflower CP.BH.105 distinguishes protocol modification from technician supervision alone or team meetings: the latter do not qualify as protocol modification under 97155.