Can you guys tell me what it cost you to originally see a psychiatrist and get diagnosed with ADHD? I have had adhd all my life, although I have only known what it was called since high school. I have stayed away from the psychiatrist up to this point because, basically, i had already been labeled as wierd, i just didnt want it to go down permanately-- especially in high school. but now, with myself struggling through college, struggling to get and keep a job, struggling to not just find a girlfriend, but to have friends of any kind(my only real friend in this area just moved back to chicago), and struggling with CONSTANT falling flat on my face with every new idea i try out. oh yea, did i mention what little money i do have, i end up blowing on useless junk?

Anyway, I want to get diagnosed now, because maybe it can help me pull my life together, at least just enough to wear i can get through this important stage of growing up. Soo... back to the original question... anyone know what a psychiatrist costs? on average? and how many visits does it ussually take?

My psychiatriat charges $90 a visit. Some charge more.
If you opt to have neurospyhological testing done you can expect that to run between $800 and $3000 (mine cost $1800). The price tag for the neuropsych testing usually includes a formal diagnosis and a written report.

It often goes like this: Go to an md for an initial diagnosis, then to a neuropsychologist for testing, then to a psyciatrist for treatment. You can go straight to the psychiatrist to cut your costs there, but some docs will send you out for testing first thing. There are also some medical tests to run early in the diagnostic process to rule out medical causes for the adhd symptons. Usually your general practitioner will run these tests (things like thyroid and blood sugar tests) before sending you out for evaluation. Cost for the medical tests run about $60.
Of course, if you have insurance, all you will have for costs will be the copay.

ME :D

...Some charge more...If you opt to have neurospyhological testing done you can expect that to run between $800 and $3000 (mine cost $1800). The price tag for the neuropsych testing usually includes a formal diagnosis and a written report.
<i>Many U.S. attention deficit cases untreated-study
03 Sep 2007 20:00:18 GMT<!-- 03 Sep 2007 20:00:18 GMT ## for search indexer, do not remove--> Source: Reuters

CHICAGO, Sept 3 (Reuters) - More than 2 million U.S. children likely fit the diagnosis for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and more than half go untreated, researchers said on Monday. They found evidence that 8.7 percent of children aged 8 to 15 may have the disorder,... Poor children were least likely to get treatment for their condition...Of those that met ADHD criteria in the study, only 48 percent had been diagnosed by a health professional. Roughly one-third received consistent treatment with medications, the researchers reported in the Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine....</i>

Leading to a few decades of bewildered struggle for the children in question...sounds efficient to me. --Ducky

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N30468052.htm


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Yah I've read that report. It's not very encouraging to know that the health care system is missing most of the people who need treatment.

If you don't have insurance your MD is qualified to diagnose and treat it. A typical visit there is $35.. less than that if you have insurance.

IF you can go the route of getting a formal evaluation and diagnosis, it is worth it, but if you can't afford it, just go to your MD, he is qualified to diagnose and treat the adhd. It's just that you really do get better car if you seek out a professional specializing in ADHD, and many of those will want to do a full neuropsych evaluation.

ME :D

Absoultroot, I had my son evaulated by an educational neuropsychologist. Took a good part of the day for the testing she felt necessary, and she looked for any other behavioural, emotional, learning issues, IQ,, etc along with the ADHD. Diagnosing the ADHD part was easy for her. We also got the followup report visit and hard copy, and recommendations for accomodations, etc, as with Speedo. Then, she gave us some other professional referrences for assistance, including a psyciatrist for med options. It was very worth it to go that route.

If you have insurance, make sure you check with them on the coverage, and also talk with the billing office of the evaluator to make sure any coding issues and/or authorizations are in order before you go in.

The cost of his was around 1300. The billing rep at the doctor's office had to fanagle it to code as a "medical" condition though, because my insurance would not cover that service with her under "behavioural health." Go figure.

We went to a psychologist once for another evaluation, (300.00 cash) and he charged about 100.00 per visit if we wanted to follow up with him for counsel.

Best of luck with what you decide to do.

The best recommendation is to probably call around and take the best offer.

If you don't have insurance your MD is qualified to diagnose and treat it. A typical visit there is $35.. less than that if you have insurance.

IF you can go the route of getting a formal evaluation and diagnosis, it is worth it, but if you can't afford it, just go to your MD...
My MD politely declined to do the dx, and sent me on my way to either a psychologist or psychiatrist --my choice, and my bill. I'm not sure why they do it that way here, but apparently our health system doesn't cover it. They tell me they WILL cover the treatment, though. Go figure. I'd still take Canadian over US health care anyday, just this little glitch is annoying.

Ducky

In my opinion you are taking the correct route to a proper diagnosis. It does take a little more time than just going to a regular MD but it is well worth it in terms of the quality of care that you will get in the long run.


Me :D

I have HealthNet insurance and I pay $30 each visit. Not bad..but it'd be nice if it were free...

Hey Speedo,

I would love to know where you are, that your MD only charges $35 for a visit? My MD charges $70 or more, depending on the length of the visit. My co-pay with insurance is $10, but if I had no insurance, I am sure I would be paying the $70 or more. I just don't want the OP to be mislead - $35 sounds more like a co-pay than an actual bill to me...

Since it is a diagnostic, it usually takes more time than a regular visit. You could be looking at anywhere from $100-$200. All depends on where you live. City will cost more, rural areas won't.

Most doctors miss Adult ADD. They believe the old myths, etc.

The main problem that Adults seem to have with Adult ADD is inadequate Executive Function. (The brain's manager).

If your Brain's Manager is a mess, most areas of a person's life tend to be a mess.
(career wise, school history, financially, rel'ps, planning, housing, organizing, underacheivement despite being bright, etc.

Ask the Doc to explain Executive DYSfunction.

PS If you want real performance testing to show ADD (e.g. deficits in test results), it took me 8 hours of Testing and cost $1000.

You may need more or less testing depending on your goals/future plans.

Is money for testing an issue?

If so, pipe up, b/c that is a different conversation we need to have.

I think it cost me about $500 to see the shrink...

I went to my local mental health facility and it cost me 45.00 for the year and as many appointments as I could get. I of course got on the sliding scale, that's why it was so cheap. My year is almost over and since my hubby makes a decent amount I will probably end up having my regular doc manage my meds, thats 15.00 a visit.

You guys in the USA seem to get ADD testing cheaper. hmmm.

Just got diagnosed at a private facility LANCS) n the UK. It involved 2 consultations, one with a clinical psychologist for 2 hours and one with a psychiatrist for 1 hour.

Cost £750 (probably ~$1500)

Add travel, meals and accommodation as it was a 1400 mile round trip ...and the cost came to more like £1000.

Hopefully now I'm diagnosed I'll get the medications via the NHS for free as I've already got a 12 month prepaid script running for other meds and the ADD ones will get added to that.


kilt

Hi klit I don't know if you are still around, but I was just wondering ow do you get your ADHD for free in the NHS? its because of other problems you have that you are excepmt or because...? :p
Muxu

Not many people from Oz posting here.

It cost around $240 per visit for the two initial visits for my son, (initial diagnosis) - we got around 30% back through Mediscare, (aka Medicare).
Although, we are now trying the med-less route for a while, so I can't comment on visits thereafter.

It's about the same as Tracy for adults - not much difference across country.

all it took for me was a psych eval test, and a couple visits to a therapist

I had just quit my job and during a visit with my Dr. she (point blank) asked me if I ever heard of ADHD! I told her no. She then asked me if it would be ok is she ran some test. She did and after the test and a visit or two later she told me that it might help is I tryed Focalin XR. I did and that was a few weeks ago and I can say that I'm doing so much better in school (BS in CJ), my children are happy, I seem to be more resopnsable in getting my bills in the mail, I think a little more before spending money on junk and keep up with little things like my purse, keys and books. I sleep a little better and don't ramble when I talk as much as I once did. I've never been able to keep a job for more than a year or two and have no friends that I can say I've known for more than a year. I get the itch to move evern other year and hardly ever sit down for a meal. I shop all the time but can hardly see anything I bought. I hardly have any money cause I spend what ever I don't put in the bank right away. things are slowly changeing and I can see that I am moving forward but slowly