Press Release -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------July 19, 2013 For immediate release.

Navigation Behavioral Consulting, LLC responds to Tricare's supposed "no changes for active duty" email that was released on 7/18/13. On 7/18/13, Tricare released an email that claims Active duty families will experience no changes to their ABA policy and that they will add services for retired families through the ABA Pilot program. Navigation Behavioral Consulting, LLC's current assessment of this claim is that it is false and that the changes will still affect Active Duty Military, Retired Military, Providers of ABA Services, and other recipients of ABA services. We encourage EVERYONE to continue to fight TRICARE on these changes and have detailed below how these changes will affect you as well as what you can do about it. Do not let TRICARE fool you into thinking this fight is over. HOW THE CURRENT PLAN AFFECTS ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY Tricare's Demonstration project page still says that BCABAs will only be used as reinforcement. This means that they are no longer allowed to supervise: 1. This will greatly reduce service delivery for Active Duty Military because companies that have BCABAs on staff will lose supervisors for tutors. For example, we currently have 3 BCABAs who are supervising at least 5 clients per BCABA. If we aren't able to rearrange our providers so that the BCBAs can supervise these clients, we have at least 15 clients who will lose services. This is just 1 small company in VA multiply this by all of the other service providers 2. There is still a possibility of the other pilot program requirements being implemented with Active Duty military after 1 year of the pilot program. We need to fight for appropriate policies now to avoid another fight/change in the future. HOW THE CURRENT PLAN AFFECTS RETIRED MILITARY Our assessment is that the current plan unequally affects Retired Military. This is crucial because retired military have already been fighting for years to receive access to services but the current plan is likely to further decrease their access to services: 1. Some companies may decide to only provide services to Active Duty military so that they do not have to comply with the new requirements thus limiting access to services for retired families 2. Families are also limited by the same issue described above regarding BCABAs. Not allowing BCABAs to supervise and provide 1-1 services, will limit the number of clients that providers can serve

3. The amount of time it will take to access care will be longer for retirees because of the additional steps they have to take to access care with the ABA assessment HOW THE CURRENT PLAN AFFECTS PROVIDERS Based on previous experience with Tricare policies changes, there is poor communication between TRICARE and the providers, regional contractors, and beneficiaries. We are experiencing this currently as well. Additionally, the impacts of the different policies and requirements on providers will likely be: 1. Lack of understanding regarding these policies changes will result in delayed authorizations for services and delayed payments to providers. Last year many providers had to go months without being paid and many small businesses will not be able to continue if this happens again. Tricare has made no attempts to explain how they are addressing this issue this time around to ensure that the regional contractors and PGBA will properly process these new changes to prevent delays in authorizations and payment. 2. Providers are already experiencing delays or mistakes in authorizations and payments and the policy hasn't even gone into effect yet. Tricare is not addressing how they will fix this issue. 3. Providers who employ or contract with BCABAs or who are BCABAs will greatly be limited in the services they provide because of the new restrictions on BCABAs. This may cause some businesses to go out of business. Tricare has not provided appropriate data to support their decision to change the policy regarding BCABAs. HOW THIS AFFECTS OTHERS RECEIVING ABA SERVICES 1. The new restrictions on BCABAS and demands for BCBA services from a funded insurance may lead to companies cutting back on the services they provide to private pay families or other funding sources. If a company only has a few BCBAs and they are now needed to supervise Tricare clients, this will limit their ability to provide services to other clients. 2. Other insurance companies tend to follow Tricare's policies and Tricare policies have been used to promote insurance regulation/coverage in many states. If Tricare's policies are used as an example, this can affect families who receive other types of insurance or funding. We urge TRICARE to address these issues and we will not stop advocating until they are addressed. Megan Miller, M.S., BCBA Laura Stacey McKane, M.Ed., BCBA Navigation Behavioral Consulting, LLC