Hi, Sreeja.
Yes, self-funded plans are not under the same obligation to pay for ABA. That said, if your son is a client of the regional center, he is likely eligible for institutional deeming and Medi-Cal. My son receives Medi-Cal via this method. Parental income does not count against the child's eligibility; only any resources that are in the child's name would be counted. Then, once your son has Medi-Cal (which can take months), Medi-Cal is obligated to cover ABA.

In terms of purchasing a plan, I think you can also do this doing your child's birthday month. You may want to reach out to an insurance broker familiar with the needs of autism families.

If there is anything I can do, please feel free to get in touch.
Best,
Renee

Thank you

I have not done it myself but I was told by another Mom that there are organizations that often have grants. She told me she was given 5000 dollars and her and her husband make over 100000. I would google about grants in your area.