FAQS
You Ask - I Answer
WILL MY INSURANCE PLAN PAY FOR ANY PART OF THE EVALUATION?
Often, your insurance will cover some part of the cost of a psychological or psycho-educational evaluation. However, I do not directly accept payment from insurance companies. Working with insurance requires significant administrative time, which would increase the fees that would be passed on to you. In addition, insurance companies may try to limit the amount of time I spend working with you or your child, or reduce the number of tests I might use, in order to cut costs. As a professional, my number one goal is to provide the type and quality of services necessary to meet your needs, without cutting corners. This doesn’t mean that insurance won’t pay some (or even most) of the cost when you file the claim. However, accepting payment directly from you at the time of service permits me to move forward and provide the type of evaluation you need, at the time that you need it, without the costs in time and fees associated with negotiating with an insurance company. At the conclusion of testing, I will provide you with an itemized bill containing the insurance codes you will need to file a claim. I always recommend that clients contact their insurance companies prior to our first appointment to determine whether or not they will reimburse you for some of the costs.
WHY DO COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BEING EXPENSIVE?
Providing a comprehensive evaluation that will provide you with the information you need requires a significant investment of time. In addition to the time spent in face-to-face testing, it is necessary for clinicians to spend considerable time planning and researching the best approach to take for you (or your child); consulting with other experts (if needed); scoring tests and analyzing the results; and finally, integrating it all into a detailed report containing diagnoses and specific recommendations tailored to your needs.
My reports are often 12 - 17 pages in length, and are intended to provide you with the guidance you need to address areas of concern, at home, work, or school. At the conclusion of the process, I provide a separate one hour meeting with you to discuss the report and answer any questions. Despite the length and complexity of the evaluation and report writing process, I have been able to keep my fees to a rate that is generally below that charged by others with similar expertise in the Northern Virginia/Metropolitan DC area. To do so, I make considerable effort to limit administrative costs. If you have questions about fees for comparable testing, please contact me for a free phone consultation. I wish to ensure at all times that you are comfortable with costs associated with the services I provide.
HOW LONG WILL THE PROCESS TAKE? AND WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY REPORT?
Completing a comprehensive evaluation can be a complex process. This is likely the reason that many practices may take up to 3 - 4 months to provide a report. However, I limit my appointments so I am able to provide you with a detailed report about 3 - 4 weeks after testing. Approximately two weeks after testing, I am often able to provide a verbal summary to you (over a video call) so you can begin implementing any needed recommendations as quickly as possible.
The direct testing time itself will vary according to the type of testing you need. A test for FCPS Advanced Academic testing (or other school admission testing) will generally take one session of about three hours, and the report will often be available within a week. Upon request, I am often able to provide AAP testing on an expedited basis when needed to meet a particular application or appeals deadline. A comprehensive phsycho-educational evaluation, on the other hand, will require two or three sessions of about 3 - 4 hours each, on separate days. More time is required for the administration, scoring and preparation of a comprehensive diagnostic report. Please call if you would like an estimate of a time -line more specific to your needs.
WHO CONDUCTS THE TESTING? DO YOU USE PSYSHOMETRICIANS OR INTERNS?
No. I complete every evaluation myself. Many people refer complex cases to me because of my experience and training in psychological assessment, and I believe that each and every one of my clients deserves the benefit of my time and experience. I often obtain valuable information from direct observation and interaction with a client, that would not be available if I were hearing it "second hand" from an intern or associate who had completed the actual testing.
HOW SHOULD I PREPARE MYSELF (OR MY CHILD) FOR TESTING?
Get a good night's sleep, and eat a good breakfast. For children, what you tell them will depend on their age. A general explanation such as "You will be meeting with someone to get some information about how you learn and solve problems. Some of the questions might be hard, and some might be easy, but just do your best. These are not like tests in school where you are supposed to know all the answers. The only right answers are the ones that are honest for you. Many kids enjoy learning about themselves and find the experience to be fun!" (Note: this last sentence is actually true, based on my experience.) If you have any questions about how to talk to your child about testing, please let me know, and I will be happy to talk with you.