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Cost of a Diagnosis

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Apple_in_my_Eye
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07 Dec 2010, 10:17 pm

Chronos, what is included in a "proper" assessment for that price?

I figure neuropsych testing and hours of the professional's time interviewing and doing the write-up are obviously part of it, but does it also include things like an EEG to check for seizure disorder, or testing for genetic conditions (Rett's/fragile X/etc.), or ??



Zur-Darkstar
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07 Dec 2010, 10:34 pm

Yikes, I see why so many of you guys are "self-diagnosed". My insurance is pretty useless unless I'm so sick that I'll die in a matter of days (and I had to apply to a government program and pay 3x as much as other people my age to get that, America sucks, there I said it). I'm fortunate to have a behavioral health center that's pretty good in my area for the usual stuff (I go there for depression), but I visited with my counselor today and found out adult AS is way way out of their league.

What do they do that's so costly? Is it brain scans or something, or can the doctors just charge w/e they want because of their expertise. It looks like I'll be joining the ranks of the self-diagnosed myself. Neither me nor my parents have that kind of money to drop for piece of mind.



Chronos
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08 Dec 2010, 1:17 am

Zur-Darkstar wrote:
Yikes, I see why so many of you guys are "self-diagnosed". My insurance is pretty useless unless I'm so sick that I'll die in a matter of days (and I had to apply to a government program and pay 3x as much as other people my age to get that, America sucks, there I said it). I'm fortunate to have a behavioral health center that's pretty good in my area for the usual stuff (I go there for depression), but I visited with my counselor today and found out adult AS is way way out of their league.

What do they do that's so costly? Is it brain scans or something, or can the doctors just charge w/e they want because of their expertise. It looks like I'll be joining the ranks of the self-diagnosed myself. Neither me nor my parents have that kind of money to drop for piece of mind.


I do not believe they do brain scans. However I recall that there is a new way to detect HFA and AS using a brain scan with 95% accuracy.

I imagine they do some interviews and testing. Some testing can be rather time intensive and can span a few days. I'm not sure what's involved in scoring them.



MidlifeAspie
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08 Dec 2010, 10:38 am

Zur-Darkstar wrote:
What do they do that's so costly?


In my area it consists of 4 hours of interviews, and then you take 3 tests which are all readily available on the internet. Then you do a take-home assessment that you fill out over a week and then another 2 hours of interviews to be given your diagnosis. Approx 10 billable hours at $200 an hour for an expert opinion. Most of what the expert is needed for is to rule out anything else (like schizophrenia).



Chronos
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08 Dec 2010, 2:28 pm

MidlifeAspie wrote:
Zur-Darkstar wrote:
What do they do that's so costly?


In my area it consists of 4 hours of interviews, and then you take 3 tests which are all readily available on the internet. Then you do a take-home assessment that you fill out over a week and then another 2 hours of interviews to be given your diagnosis. Approx 10 billable hours at $200 an hour for an expert opinion. Most of what the expert is needed for is to rule out anything else (like schizophrenia).


Yet somehow I get the feeling for one to get a diagnosis of schizophrenia, it would take a $40 co-pay and 15 minutes in the psychiatrist's office.

At least in most instances.



wavefreak58
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08 Dec 2010, 3:02 pm

Chronos wrote:
Yet somehow I get the feeling for one to get a diagnosis of schizophrenia, it would take a $40 co-pay and 15 minutes in the psychiatrist's office.

At least in most instances.



Yeah. That's because autism inspires pity (help the poor sad people) and schizophrenia inspires fear (are you going to kill me?). Autism has helicopter parents willing to part with boatloads of money to 'fix' their children. Autism is a brain malfunction and pulls in large amounts of donations. Schizophrenia is a personality flaw and a sign of character deficiencies hence deserves no massive fund raisers. Autism is found in children (god save the children!! !) and schizophrenia manifests in early adulthood. Children can't take care of themselves. Adults are supposed to.


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shibashaba
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08 Dec 2010, 8:50 pm

Like others have said, you can go to a Neuropsychologist who may diagnose you with Aspergers. I just went to one and he listed Autism and Aspergers and rule out diagnoses, since he didn't have enough information. This was done through DRS, a state agency in Virginia. If your having issues with work, your state should have a similiar agency and they will send you to and pay for an evaluation.


You can also go to a psychiatrist or psychologist. Make sure they specialize in these types of things, ASK them what their specialties are. Don't ask them if they can, cause they'll always say yes. Just because they've read an article doesn't mean they really know what there talking about. It may take a couple sessions of them talking to you, but I've had serveral diagnose me after a couple sessions.

$4000 is absolutely ridiculous.


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Chronos
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08 Dec 2010, 9:06 pm

wavefreak58 wrote:
Chronos wrote:
Yet somehow I get the feeling for one to get a diagnosis of schizophrenia, it would take a $40 co-pay and 15 minutes in the psychiatrist's office.

At least in most instances.



Yeah. That's because autism inspires pity (help the poor sad people) and schizophrenia inspires fear (are you going to kill me?). Autism has helicopter parents willing to part with boatloads of money to 'fix' their children. Autism is a brain malfunction and pulls in large amounts of donations. Schizophrenia is a personality flaw and a sign of character deficiencies hence deserves no massive fund raisers. Autism is found in children (god save the children!! !) and schizophrenia manifests in early adulthood. Children can't take care of themselves. Adults are supposed to.


Schizophrenia and autism are both neurological disorders, and schizophrenia causes more readily visible changes in brain structure...or maybe the changes in brain structure cause schizophrenia. Either way, it is not a personality flaw.