Cash Flow for ABA Providers — How to Manage the Ups & Downs

Ask any ABA provider the #1 financial stressor, and you’ll hear the same thing: payer delays.

Insurance and Medicaid payments rarely arrive on your schedule. Meanwhile, payroll, rent, and vendors don’t wait.

This mismatch makes cash flow one of the biggest challenges in ABA.

Common Pitfalls

• Overhiring based on projected revenue, not actual.

• Ignoring receivables until they pile up.

• Running without a reserve.

Cash Flow Basics

Cash flow = money coming in vs money going out. It’s not profit. It’s survival.

Strategies That Work

1. Forecast weekly. Know your inflows and outflows before they hit.

2. Build a buffer. Even two weeks of payroll in reserve reduces stress.

3. Collect aggressively. Don’t let receivables linger.

4. Align expenses. Time big costs to match expected revenue cycles when possible.

The Payoff

When you manage cash flow proactively, you stop living in panic mode. You can plan with confidence, even if payers drag their feet.

Cash flow isn’t luck. It’s strategy. Build yours now so you can grow without fear.