How Much Does Neuropsychological Testing Cost?
A neuropsychological test is considered to be a comprehensive evaluation that evaluates your behavioral, cognitive, learning style and emotional function. This test, according to WebMD, is designed to help a doctor find out how a problem, such as concentrating, solving problems or remembering things, may be affecting your brain. Your doctor may recommend this test if they believe you have a disease affecting the brain such as Alzheimer’s disease, a stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s or epilepsy.
How much does neuropsychological testing cost?
On average, the price for neuropsychological testing for pediatrics/children or adults can range anywhere from $700 to as much as $3,000+. This price will depend on the type of tests being taken, the complexity of the case, the time required, where you live and what the doctor is going to include with their fees. If you need to discuss anything related to neuropsychological services, then plan on spending about $200 to $300 per hour for a private consultation.
WebMD, for instance, says the costs will start at $1,000 and insurance may not cover it.
Neurodynamics.biz breaks down why these tests cost so much and states it can require at least 14 hours of the doctor’s time, bringing the total to $2,100 to $3,000 when you’re charged $150 per hour. This would include the telephone intake, initial consultation, review, one-on-one testing, scoring write up and feedback session.
The Brain Clinic notes that most evaluations should be in the $2,500 to $3,500 range, and a co-pay could be in the $500 range if your insurance were to accept it.
Neuropsychological testing overview
According to NeuroDynamics.biz, the key areas that are assessed during this type of test will include your IQ, academic achievement, language-based abilities, executive functioning, attention capacities, memory abilities and social functioning. Doctors will use a variety of testing strategies and most will involve a series of tests that may be spread out throughout multiple appointments. Refer to our subheading below to see what may be tested. Most tests will be performed by a licensed psychologist with special training, and regardless of the test you take, most will involve answering questions and/or performing tests.
If the doctor is testing you for attention span, you may be asked to repeat a series of words or look at a drawing and then re-draw it from memory. On the other hand, if they were testing for language skills, then he or she may make you name pictures, point to a picture or name as many words that begin with a certain letter.
These assessments will offer detailed information about your functions in areas to help guide you for strategies you can use at home, in the community or even at home. Children, for instance, may often have problems that are hard to be sorted out at the doctor’s office, while adults who have experienced neurological changes or other conditions may benefit with this sort of evaluation since it can pinpoint the exact issue. This assessment can help evaluate your overall functions, isolate the problem areas and create a solution for the said problem. The doctor, once they receive the results, will be able to create a tailored plan to help you succeed.
Most assessments will involve multiple appointments, which could take up to 12 hours combined when everything is said and done. The first appointment will be considered a consultation where the doctor will review your medical and academic history. The second appointment will usually be the testing appointment and will usually last two to four hours, depending on the testing strategy being used. After the testing, a third appointment will involve discussing the findings and recommend a treatment plan. Depending on the doctor’s workload, it can take up to six weeks to develop a report for this follow-up appointment.
Types of neuropsychological tests
- Ammons Quick Test
- Beck Depression Inventory, Anxiety Inventory, and Hopelessness Scale
- Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test
- Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination
- Boston Naming Test
- California Verbal Learning Test
- Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery
- CDR Computerized Assessment System
- Clinical Dementia Rating
- CNS Vital Signs
- Cognitive Assessment Screening Instrument
- Cognitive Function Scanner
- Cognitive Symptom Checklists
- Comprehensive Aphasia Test
- Cognistat
- CogScreen: Aeromedical Edition
- Controlled Oral Word Association Test
- Continuous Performance Task
- d2 Test of Attention
- Dean-Woodcock Neuropsychology Assessment System
- Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System
- Dementia Rating Scale
- Digit Vigilance Test
- Figural Fluency Test
- Finger Tapping (Oscillation) Test
- General Practitioner Assessment Of Cognition
- Grooved Pegboard
- Halstead Category Test
- Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery
- Hayling and Brixton tests
- Hooper Visual Organization Test
- Iowa gambling task
- Kaplan Baycrest Neurocognitive Assessment
- Kaufman Functional Academic Skills Test
- Kaufman Short Neuropsychological Assessment
- Lexical decision task
- Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological battery
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
- MCI Screen
- Memory Assessment Scales
- MicroCog
- Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory
- Mini mental state examination
- Mooney Problem Checklist
- Multilingual Aphasia Examination
- NEPSY
- North American Reading Test
- Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test
- Pediatric Attention Disorders Diagnostic Screener
- Paulhus Deception Scales
- Personality Adjective Checklist
- Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status
- Quick Neurological Screening Test
- Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test
- Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure
- Rivermead Behavioural memory Test
- Rogers Criminal Responsibility Scale
- Rorschach test
- Ruff Figural Fluency Test
- Sensory Screening Test
- SCL-90 (Symptom Checklist 90)
- Shipley Institute of Living Scale
- Stroop Task
- Symbol Digit Modalities Test
- Tactual Performance Test
- Test of Memory Malingering
- Test of Memory and Learning
- Test of Variables of Attention
- Tower of London Test
- Trail-Making Test
- Validity Indicator Profile
- Verbal fluency tests
- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
- Wechsler Memory Scale
- Wechsler Test of Adult Reading
- Wide Range Achievement Tes
- Wisconsin card sorting task
- Wonderlic Personnel Test
- Word Memory Test
Source: Mentalhelp.net
What are the extra costs?
Depending on the situation, other tests may be required if the doctor were to find something during the tests. For example, if the doctor wasn’t able to find the root cause of the issue, then they may need to order another type of test that could be more specific for the issue. Other tests commonly ordered can include an MRI and/or PET scan. Bapta.com says these types of tests are highly accurate, with a predictive accuracy rate in the 80 to 95 percent range.
Tips to know
To view a neuropsychological evaluation sample report, neuropsychologysketches.com posted a sample template online, showing you what may be included in the report.
How can I save money?
Neuropsychological testing can sometimes be covered by insurance depending on the diagnosis. Check with your insurance provider regarding how much they can cover so that you will be able to identify how much you can save as every policy will be very different. Medicaid, for instance, will only cover neuropsychological testing if it’s for a certain diagnosis such as ADHA, dyslexia or for a speech disorder.
If you cannot afford the testing, check with local health services to see if there are any grants or discounts available. If you are able to pay out of pocket, check with the doctor’s office to see if they can provide you with a full cash discount or even off your a simple payment plan. Since most insurance companies won’t cover this testing, most offices know this and setup payment plans because of it.
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