NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

We often receive many questions regarding the scheduling of appointments for neuropsychological and psychological testing at The Counseling Center, as well as the process that must be followed to obtain insurance company authorization for these services. Therefore, we have compiled this handout to answer some of the most frequently asked questions. Additional information regarding the testing process will be provided by the testing psychologist during your initial appointment.

 

When will the testing take place?

 

When you are referred for neuropsychological or psychological testing, a staff member from the Intake department will schedule you (or your child) for a 45-minute initial appointment, which will consist of: (1) a discussion regarding the referral questions, (2) gathering of history information, (3) a discussion of the overall testing process, (4), a discussion of particular tests that may be used to answer the referral questions, and (5) a discussion of any prior authorization processes that must be followed for your insurance company. If your child or adolescent is the person to be tested, you may be asked to bring him/her to this initial appointment, or to a follow-up intake appointment. No actual testing will occur at this initial appointment. Appointments for testing will either be scheduled at this initial appointment or by phone once your insurance company issues an authorization for testing, if applicable. Testing is usually completed in a total of six to eight hours, with individual testing appointments lasting up to four hours in length, except in cases for young children where testing may be done in smaller more frequent time increments.

 

What should I bring to the initial appointment?

 

Please bring copies of any reports of previous psychological or neuropsychological evaluations. In addition, if your child is to be evaluated, please bring copies of his/her most recent report card, as well as documentation of any school accommodations currently in place (e.g., Individualized Education Plans, Section 504 Plans). Copies of any previous counseling, mental health, or relevant medical or neurologist records may also be helpful, if available. If writing abilities or handwriting is a concern, a sample of this would also be useful.

 

What has to be done to obtain prior authorization for testing from my insurance company?

 

The processes that must be followed to obtain prior authorization for psychological or neuropsychological testing depend upon: (a) your insurance company’s policies, (b) whether you are seeking psychological or neuropsychological testing, and (c) the number of hours needed to complete the test administration, scoring, interpretation, and report writing to answer the referral questions. Some insurance plans do not require prior authorization for testing. Other insurance plans require a primary care physician to complete a referral for testing. And, some insurance plans require the testing psychologist to submit a written request for authorization. In addition, different insurance companies have different guidelines for when testing is a covered service. The psychologist who meets with you during your initial appointment will be able to explain to you what steps must be taken to obtain authorization from your particular insurance company, and typically what is covered.  In some instances, your insurance company may deny a portion (or occasionally all) of the authorization request, and you have the option of appealing any denials with your insurance company (or alternately paying yourself for some or all of the testing). The Counseling Center staff or your psychologist may assist you with that appeal process if you request it. It is also important to note that insurance companies do not cover academic achievement testing that is used to determine the presence of a learning disability since educational related diagnoses are not considered a medical condition. Some plans have limits on testing for ADHD. Some may also limit or deny completely the amount of time requested for reports to referral sources, and instead will cover the cost of summarizing results in your medical record in a far briefer format that is insufficient for school system's needs for educational programming.

 

What expenses might I incur?

 

Once again, this depends upon your insurance company’s policies and the number of hours required for test administration, scoring, interpretation, and report writing. Some insurance plans require flat-fee co-payments per visit, while others require a deductible and a percentage co-payment. Your specific fees will be explained to you after The Counseling Center staff will verify your particular testing benefits, although the ultimate responsibility for understanding your insurance coverage rests with you. The information we obtain from the insurance does not always accurately match the information contained in your insurance benefits booklet, which you should always check for double verification.  Should your insurance company deny all or a portion of the testing request, you always have the option of self-paying for the testing to avoid delays in testing. If the denial is due to the testing being partially educational in nature, one option is to have the academic achievement portion of the testing be conducted by your child’s school district and to have the school district forward the results from that testing to the psychologist at The Counseling Center.  However, this can sometimes take 90 days for them to complete educational testing.  Alternately, we have educational liaison’s who can perform educational testing at the rate of $50 per hour, typically costing about $100 for an achievement test.  Since some insurances may limit or eliminate authorization for comprehensive report writing, there may be cases where parents or school districts may request more detailed information (e.g., specific test scores) to be provided in a report used to determine whether a child should receive accommodations for a learning disability or an emotional/behavioral disorder. Therefore, if a comprehensive report will be necessary, a self-payment agreement must be completed with the testing psychologist. All payments for non-covered services and applicable co-payments and deductibles are expected prior to or at the time of testing. On a case by case basis, special arrangements can be made to allow for a two installment payment plan, one prior to the date of testing, and the other prior to completion of the report and feedback session. It is The Counseling Center’s policy that no final results will be released until payment in full is received.

 

When Might I Expect My Results or Findings From Testing?

 

Testing results typically take between 4-6 weeks to obtain either a draft of the report or a final version and a feedback session to help you understand the findings. In some cases, two feedback sessions are recommended to help individuals and parents absorb the information, read the report, and return for a follow-up meeting to further ask questions or discuss the findings. In some cases, parents will want to bring the information to the school to ask for help establishing an IEP or Section 504 plan to assist their child. If desired, parents may request that the psychologist completing the testing attend the school meeting, although the cost for this are not covered by health insurance and typically range from $300-$400. An alternative and less costly option is for one of The Counseling Center's educational liaison's to attend the feedback session to obtain the results of the testing, and to attend school meetings to help convey the results and ensure that a meaningful plan is put into place for your child. Fees for educational liaisons are $50 per hour, and a typical cost for attending a feedback session and a school meeting is $250. Liaison's can also help monitor progress and implementation after an IEP or Section 504 plan has been established.