On this page
- It depends on how well it handles authorizations, concurrent 97153/97155 rules, provider modifiers and session-note completeness for your payers.
- No prices are stated here unless they come from the vendor's own published page, linked in Sources.
- Not necessarily. Many denials come from the session note or claim details, which a pre-claim check can catch while you keep your current system.
AlohaABA vs CentralReach: how to compare them fairly
Both are used by behavior analysis practices. Rather than repeat marketing claims, this page lists the billing questions that decide whether claims get paid, so you can put both vendors through the same test.
This page does not list AlohaABA's prices or feature details because we have not verified them from a published source. Ask the vendor for current pricing and terms in writing.
The links in the Sources section go to CentralReach's own published pages. Prices, plans and features change, so confirm current terms with the vendor in writing.
What to check in any ABA billing system
- Authorization tracking. Units per code and per period, with a warning before a session is scheduled past the authorization.
- Concurrent billing rules. How the system handles 97155 overlapping 97153, since payers differ on whether both can be billed for the same minutes.
- Provider-level modifiers. Whether HN, HO and HM (or a payer's own scheme) are applied from the rendering provider's credential instead of typed by hand.
- Session note fields. Start and stop times, place of service, participants, and the client's response, since reviewers compare the note to the claim line.
- Unit math. Units should come from documented minutes. Florida Medicaid's behavior analysis coverage policy describes 15-minute units with an 8-minute threshold.
- Denial handling. Whether the 835 remittance is posted automatically and CARC/RARC codes are shown per line, so you can see why a line was adjusted.
- Data export. Whether you can export clients, authorizations, notes and claims in a usable format if you ever leave.
- Contract terms. Term length, renewal notice, price changes and what happens to your data at termination.
- HIPAA. A signed business associate agreement before any patient data is loaded.
Questions to ask AlohaABA and CentralReach (or any vendor)
- Can you show a 97153 and 97155 session on the same day, and exactly what goes on the claim?
- Where does the provider-level modifier come from, and can a biller override it?
- What happens when a session would exceed the authorization: a warning, a block, or nothing?
- Which fields must be complete in the session note before a claim can be created?
- How are 835 remittances posted, and can I filter denials by CARC code?
- What is the contract term, renewal notice period and any price-increase clause, in writing?
- How do I export all my data, in what format, and is there a fee?
Score them side by side
Use one sheet with a row per question above and a column per vendor. Mark what you saw in the walkthrough, not what was promised. Add the written quote, contract term and renewal notice. The vendor that handles your three test claims correctly and gives clear contract terms is usually the better fit.
Keep your PM software; add a pre-claim note check
Switching practice management software is a large project: data migration, staff retraining and a period of slower billing. If the main problem is denials, a smaller step is to keep the system you have and add a check between the session note and the claim. The check compares each note to the rules the claim depends on (times, units against the authorization, signatures, modifier, place of service) and flags gaps before the claim goes out.
Whatever software you use, the pattern is the same: the claim is built from the session note, so most denials can be caught before the claim is submitted.
Tip. Score both vendors on one sheet, one row per question, so the comparison stays fair.
Watch out. Compare what you saw in the walkthrough, not what was promised. Get contract terms in writing.
FAQ
Is AlohaABA or CentralReach right for a Florida ABA practice?
It depends on how well it handles authorizations, concurrent 97153/97155 rules, provider modifiers and session-note completeness for your payers. Ask for a walkthrough using one of your own denied claims.
Does this page list AlohaABA or CentralReach prices?
No prices are stated here unless they come from the vendor's own published page, linked in Sources. Pricing changes, so get a written quote.
Do I have to switch software to reduce denials?
Not necessarily. Many denials come from the session note or claim details, which a pre-claim check can catch while you keep your current system.
What should I export before changing systems?
Clients, payers, authorizations with remaining units, session notes, claims history and remittances, in a format you can open without the old system.
Clean notes, clean claims, paid claims.
We check every ABA session note before the claim is built, and you keep the PM software you already use.
Sources
- CentralReach, home page (product description)
- CentralReach, Pricing Policy
- AHCA, Florida Medicaid Behavior Analysis Services Coverage Policy (Dec 2024), incorporated in Rule 59G-4.125, F.A.C.
- X12, Claim Adjustment Reason Codes
- NUCC, 1500 Claim Form Reference Instruction Manual (v13, July 2025)
Last reviewed October 2026. This page summarizes public rules and vendor pages for education; it is not legal or billing advice. Payer contracts and plan manuals can add requirements, so confirm with the payer.