ABA Business Weekly: HIPAA, M&A, and Turning the Tide in Special Ed - Live at 8AM Eastern today!

Posted 14 hours ago      Author: 3 Pie Squared Marketing Team

HIPAA Breaches Aren’t Just a “Big Company” Problem: What ABA Businesses Need to Learn from the WellNow Settlement

The recent WellNow Urgent Care data breach and settlement is a wake-up call for ABA business owners everywhere. In April 2023, a ransomware attack on WellNow’s billing vendor Practicefirst exposed tens of thousands of patient records—including sensitive data like names, addresses, and Social Security numbers. The root cause wasn’t some advanced hack, but a mix of routine oversights: missing or outdated Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) and insufficient vendor security checks. The resulting class action settlement, scheduled for final court approval in August...

2025, will see WellNow pay significant damages and make sweeping changes to its compliance systems.

For ABA business owners, the lesson is clear: you don’t need to be a massive company to face HIPAA risks. Any practice that works with outside vendors or digital records can be vulnerable. The best protection is proactive—auditing your BAAs, upgrading your HIPAA policy manual, and investing in real-world staff training. 3 Pie Squared now offers HIPAA consulting and a robust policy manual tailored for ABA, so you don’t have to do it alone.

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Navigating the 2025 ABA M&A Surge: What Ethical Practice Owners Need to Know

The ABA field is seeing a dramatic rise in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) heading into 2025, but this gold rush brings both opportunities and real risks for ethical practice owners. As private equity and larger companies ramp up dealmaking, smaller ABA providers are often left wondering how to keep up—or cash out—without sacrificing quality or their core values. Key challenges include maintaining compliance, staying competitive, and making sure your company is truly “deal ready.”

For business owners considering a sale (or just wanting to future-proof their practice), it’s essential to focus on core compliance issues like accreditation, HIPAA, payer contracts, and documentation. Accreditation not only strengthens your clinical systems, but also increases your value if you want to sell or merge in the near future. With deal volume up and investor interest rising, now is the time to get your systems and story in order—before a potential buyer starts asking the hard questions.

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Turning the Tide: How ABA Leaders Can Rebuild Trust in Special Education

Many families and ABA professionals know the frustration of working with school systems that resist collaboration or leave parents and providers feeling unheard. Inspired by the advocacy of Minnesota parent Dawn Ganje, this article explores what it takes for ABA leaders to bridge the gap and rebuild trust in special education.

ABA business owners are uniquely positioned to set a higher standard—by training staff to collaborate effectively with schools, supporting families through the IEP process, and keeping ethical, transparent communication at the center of every partnership. Real change doesn’t require perfection—it requires intention, humility, and clear leadership. This story is a practical guide to building a more inclusive, values-driven ABA practice that parents and educators can truly rely on.

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