State of ABA Therapy 2026: Industry Report for Practice Owners
ABA therapy market size, workforce data, Medicaid trends, technology adoption, and outlook for independent practice owners. Updated monthly.
About Dustin
Dustin Schwartz is the founder and CTO of VG Soft Co, where he builds software that protects ABA practices from the operational complexity threatening their clinical missions. With deep exposure to the day-to-day challenges facing growing clinics, from authorization management and billing to staff scheduling and compliance, he designs platforms that reduce administrative burden and give practice owners their time back.
Articles by Dustin
ABA News & Trends: March 2026
Provider exits, OIG audit fallout, Indiana's sweeping Medicaid overhaul, CDC prevalence at 1 in 31, and workforce pressure reshaping ABA in March 2026.
What Is an ABA MSO? Growth Models Compared for Practice Owners
ABA MSOs handle billing, HR, credentialing, and compliance so practice owners can focus on care. Compare MSO vs franchise vs PE acquisition costs and trade-offs.
ABA Billing Codes 2026: Complete CPT Code Reference
Complete 2026 ABA billing code reference. Every CPT code, modifier, and billing rule your practice needs, plus the 2027 code changes on the horizon.
VGPM vs CentralReach: Best CentralReach Alternative for ABA
Honest comparison of VGPM and CentralReach for ABA practices seeking streamlined operations. Pricing, billing, data collection, and which platform fits your practice.
ABA Billing: In-House vs Outsourced Compared
In-house vs outsourced ABA billing compared. Real cost breakdowns, decision framework by practice size, and the metrics that reveal which model fits.
VGPM 1.71 Update: Claim Reconciliation & License Tracking
VGPM 1.71 introduces intelligent claim adjustment guidance, a license tracking report for compliance, and bulk task completion to save admin time.
ABA Franchise Alternative: Own Your Practice
Compare ABA franchises to incubators, accelerators, and going solo. Real costs, royalty breakdowns, honest trade-offs, and which path fits your goals as a BCBA.
Best ABA Billing Software 2026 (Top Systems Compared)
Compare the top ABA billing software in 2026. Real pricing, feature breakdowns, denial management tools, and which platform fits your practice size and billing complexity.
ABA News & Trends: February 2026
Key developments in ABA therapy for February 2026, including Medicaid rate cuts, hour caps, AI adoption, and payer trends impacting independent practices.
VGPM 1.70 Update: Flexible Authorizations & Enhanced Superbills
VGPM 1.70 brings flexible authorization date editing, enhanced superbills with supervisor and diagnosis details, and reliable large-scale session note exports.
Best ABA Data Collection Software (2026 Guide)
Compare the best ABA data collection software for 2026. Features, pricing, mobile tools, AI capabilities, and integrated billing options ranked for ABA practices.
ABA News & Trends: January 2026
ABA Medicaid rate cuts 2026, hour caps, Medicare updates, commercial policy shifts, BACB workforce changes, and major autism research reshaping ABA.
Best ABA Scheduling Software 2026 (Ranked & Reviewed)
Compare the 6 best ABA scheduling software platforms in 2026. Authorization-aware features, EVV compliance, pricing, and which fits your practice.
Best ABA Billing Services 2026 (Ranked)
Ranked comparison of the best ABA billing services and RCM companies in 2026. Pricing models, collection rates, and which partner fits your practice size.
VGPM 1.69 Update: Stripe Payments & RBT Goal Visibility
VGPM 1.69 introduces Stripe payments in the patient portal, RBT goal visibility in-session, flexible NPI handling, and key bug fixes for ABA practices. No additional VGPM fees for Stripe use.
Best ABA Practice Management Software of 2026 (Ranked)
Honest comparison of the best ABA practice management software in 2026. Pricing models, billing features, compliance tools, and top options for ABA practices of all sizes.
VGPM Update 1.68
Streamline ABA audits with bulk session note exports in VGPM 1.68. Plus, experience the new global add button and flexible payer name options for easier billing.
VGPM Update 1.67
Informational events, enhanced goal flexibility, and smarter workflows with Info Events, manual goal entry, form review edits, and AI table support.
ABA News and Trends November 2025
November 2025 delivered a stark message to ABA practice owners "Volume is no longer enough."
VGPM Update 1.65
A whole new Plan of Care experience with AI Generate, Autofill Last, AI Field Helper, flexible claim editing, and form entry deletion.
VGPM Update 1.64
Plan of Care improvements, better scheduling, and more with goal visibility controls, guardian signature requirements, and all-day time tracking.
ABA News & Trends: October 2025
Medicaid rate cuts, NIH Autism Data Science Initiative, state fee schedule updates, and practice recommendations for ABA providers.
VGPM Update 1.63: More Flexibility, Better Usability
More flexibility, better usability with expanded sorting, "New" goal status, expandable table sections, and updated session note layout.
VGPM Update 1.62: Smarter Goals, Faster Workflows, and Automation
Smarter goals, faster workflows, and automation with long-term goals in the Library, goal cloning, and claim auto-update controls.
VGPM Update 1.61: Improved AI, Better Visibility, More Options
Improved AI, better visibility, and more options including supervision reports for clinicians, custom invoices, and claim update syncing.
ABA News and Trends: September 2025
Federal autism initiatives, Medicaid funding pressures, credentialing bottlenecks, telehealth expansion, and autism subtype research.
VGPM Update 1.59: New Tools for Charting, Billing, and Care Management
New tools for charting, billing, and care management including smarter charting options, better claim management, and superbills in the client portal.
ABA News and Trends: August 2025
Medicaid funding instability, legislative scrutiny, clinic expansion, technology innovations, and workforce challenges in ABA.
How to Start an ABA Practice in 2026: The Complete BCBA Guide
10-step guide to starting an ABA practice as a BCBA in 2026. LLC formation, credentialing timelines, billing setup, real costs, and franchise vs incubator paths.
VGPM Update 1.58
Smarter sessions, streamlined billing, and more with in-session goal creation, direct links between sessions and claims, and invoice improvements.
VG Soft Launches New ABA Practice Support Services
VG Soft announces expansion beyond software to offer comprehensive support services for ABA practices, including incubator and accelerator programs.
ABA News and Trends: July 2025
Federal budget cuts, Medicaid cost controls, new autism research identifying four subtypes, and workforce developments in ABA.
VGPM Update 1.57
Smarter goal tracking, easier billing, and more control with duration goal tracking, Claim.md API key management, and auto-reconciliation improvements.
VGPM Update 1.56
Admin time scheduling, clinician scheduling permissions, AR Medicaid support, and private pay functionality.
ABA News and Trends for June 2025
Autism Family Caregivers Act, treatment intensity research, workforce crisis, telehealth expansion, and BACB certification changes.
VGPM Update 1.52
Goals in Plans of Care are now optional, modifiers apply automatically based on education, and scheduling requests must go through supervisors.
ABA News and Trends for May 2025
Technology integration, workforce challenges, market growth, early intervention research, and state legislative updates in ABA.
VGPM Update 1.51
Claim item downloads, improved form usability, clearer notifications, and continued tuning behind the scenes.