Insurance Assurance
with Oanh 'Christina' Huynh
Behavior Bites Podcast - Ep82October 7, 2026Have you ever wondered what goes on during an ABA insurance audit?
How often do you focus on your documentation?
During today’s meal — I speak with a behavior analyst about valuing your time as a technician, insurance audits, being shy, international travel, and her favorite meals abroad.
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Amuse-Bouche
Being quite the traveller, any trips planned?
Appetizer
How did you get into Behavior Analysis?
How did you get into insurance review?
What lessons did you learn from auditing?
Palate Cleanser
Favorite countries you’ve visited, and the best thing you ate?
Entree
What are people surprised to find out about you?
Dessert
Your favorite thing about what you do?
Excerpts from the Episode
(*Paraphrased highlights)-
I tell people to write a story that explains the kid. A lot of times what I was hearing from providers was, “If the funding source could sit and observe the kiddo, they can understand why they need these services.”
The funding source isn't discounting the fact that the kid needs services, they're just determining what the kid needs based on what is written. If you're writing that a kiddo has deficits you want to work on, but the data says otherwise and the utilization of hours says otherwise, then you’ll be asked why this kid needs a substantial amount of services or these hours if the data is telling us otherwise.
Describe their story and explain why these goals are needed, why these services are desperately needed. This is the underlying thing that I wish that all BCBAs knew.
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Besides my age, I think the second thing a lot of people don't realize is that even though I have a lot of friends and I do a lot of connections and things, I am incredibly shy and a total introvert.
Growing up with a lot of social anxiety, I'm constantly overthinking about the conversation or mentally preparing myself to meet somebody. This happens a lot in my professional and personal life.
In the past, it was me wanting to sit in the back and not wanting the limelight or taking credit for things. As I've gotten more into my profession and as I've gotten older, I am now embracing my achievements and embracing what I've done. Yes, I did this and take credit for it, and wanting that credit for it.
Another thing is that I did some background acting when I was in LA and working through grad school. That was a really fun time. I got to experience a lot of catering. This was early smartphone era, so I didn't have a lot of things to occupy my time. A lot of it is just waiting and waiting for the directions of the assistant director and stuff like that.
I did an episode of Parks and Rec that you can actually see my face.
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My favorite thing is celebrating people's wins. The newly certified therapist or RBT who just understood what assent-based approach is and is building rapport with the client and just making progress. I try to celebrate those wins.
If a client is making progress, like slow and steady progress, or if I'm in caregiver training and the caregiver seems more relaxed than they did when we first started, I acknowledge their achievements and tell them how great they’re doing.
I love that aspect of it because it wholly encompasses behavior analysis as a whole. When people are having those wins, that means something's working, they're making progress. I love that change. I love the science of behavior analysis for that reason, that we can affect change.
ABOUT Christina
Oanh 'Christina' Huynh, BCBA
Christina is a bilingual Vietnamese American BCBA from Houston, TX. She has been in the ABA field for 20 years working in various settings from in-home to the clinic setting and with various ages ranging from 18 months to 22 years old. She was recently working in the payor field as an auditor.
Christina is currently passionate about trauma informed care, international work, disseminating behavior analysis with regards to generational trauma, and authorizations. Besides talking about all things behavior analysis, Christina enjoys traveling, baseball, going to concerts and learning new languages.
CONNECT with Christina
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