Answers to the most common questions about our center, all in one place

In addition to the information listed below, we offer resources and workshops for all families.

How do I make an appointment at Marcus Autism Center for a new patient?

• To be eligible for services provided at Marcus Autism Center, our referral form must be completed and submitted by a licensed healthcare provider (i.e. your child’s primary care physician or psychologist).* Speak to your child’s healthcare provider about your concerns and ask about what services he or she recommends.
• If our services might benefit your child, ask your provider to visit our appointment page to submit a referral for your child.

*The Multidisciplinary Feeding Program takes self-referrals.

When is Marcus Autism Center open?

• Marcus Autism Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

What’s the age range of patients you see?

• We serve children up to age 21.

How do I request a copy of my child’s medical records?

• For medical record inquiries, visit choa.org/medicalrecords or call 404-785-2431 for more information.

How can I take part in research studies?

• We know that research is the key to proper diagnosis, early intervention and groundbreaking discoveries for children with autism. You can help transform the future for kids with autism by enrolling your child in one of our research studies.
• Join a study or call 404-785-7600 to learn how you can make a difference.

Will my insurance cover services at Marcus Autism Center?

• We provide services that are covered under both Medical and Mental Health Plan Benefits. It’s important for you to understand how your insurance covers mental health services for your child or teen. Coverage may be different than medical services.

Will my insurance cover my child for behavioral health services?

• Coverage of behavioral health services at Marcus Autism Center depends on the insurance plan you have. Even though most insurance plans cover behavioral health services, some plans use a different company with a different list of contracted providers.
• Marcus Autism Center may not be an in-network provider for behavioral health services for your plan even if we are in-network for medical services. Call your insurance to find out about behavioral health benefits for your child including which behavioral health providers are included in your plan.

Is behavioral health insurance coverage different than coverage for Children's?

• If your child has been to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for other medical reasons, and your insurance was in-network for those services, behavioral health insurance coverage may still be treated differently.
• Some insurance companies cover behavioral health services the same as medical services. Others cover these services using a special behavioral health insurance company (referred to as a carve out). Some insurance plans have Children’s as an in-network provider for medical services and out-of-network for behavioral health services.
• Some employer plans have exclusions for some Marcus Autism Center services.
• We are in-network with the following insurance companies:

• Medicaid
• Peachstate
• Caresource
• Caresource Marketplace
• Amerigroup
• BCBS
• Aetna
• Coventry
• Kaiser
• Humana
• Cigna
• United Healthcare*
• Tricare**

*Out-of-network for behavioral health
**Out-of-network for Autism/ABA Benefits

Which provider visits at Children’s are billed as a mental health visits?

• Visits with a psychologist, psychiatrist, BCBA, or nurse practitioner*are billed as behavioral health services.

*Nurse practitioner visits in our Multidisciplinary Feeding Program are billed as medical services.

What questions should I ask my insurance company?

• Can my child see any provider, or do I have to choose from a list?
• Are the providers at Marcus Autism Center in-network?
• Is authorization required for services? If so, what happens if visits are not authorized?
• Is autism spectrum disorder (ASD) F84.0 is covered in my plan?

If you are scheduled to receive services at Marcus Autism Center, our insurance verification team will contact your insurance team on your behalf to verify the benefits included in your plan. If your child’s plan is out-of-network for a scheduled service, our insurance verification team will contact you.

Note: The most common procedure billing codes used at Marcus Autism Center are: Psychiatry Diagnostic Evaluation (90791 or 90792), Follow-up and Management (99214 or 99215), Individual Therapy (90834), and Family Psychotherapy without patient (90846). Ask your insurance company if these codes are covered.

If behavioral health services are not contracted with my insurance, what do I do?

• If Marcus Autism Center does not have a contract with your child’s insurance company and/or for a specific service, this means that we are out-of-network. You will either need to find a provider who is in-network with your insurance or choose to pay for your services out of pocket.

Does Medicaid cover autism services?

• Learn more about navigating Medicaid.

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