What is a Comprehensive Neuropsychological Evaluation?
The goal of a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation is to assess your brain functioning across multiple cognitive and psychological domains. We want to get a full picture of how you are doing cognitively and emotionally.
- A clinical interview where we discuss your concerns and gather your complete background history.
- A battery of tests designed to assess your cognitive functioning compared to others with similar backgrounds.
- A detailed neuropsychological report summarizing your concerns, background, and test results, along with diagnostic insights and personalized recommendations.
- A feedback session where we review the results with you and answer your questions.
- We may also review your medical records and, with your consent, speak with someone who knows you well to gain additional perspective.
What happens during testing?
During testing, we will ask you to do various tasks that may include remembering information, reading, writing, drawing designs, and solving problems. We may also ask you to rate your sensory experiences and emotions for the psychological part of the evaluation.
Will my evaluation be covered by my insurance?
The Center for Cognitive Testing currently accepts Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield. For coverage, most insurance plans require that neuropsychological evaluations be medically necessary.
- To support medical necessity, we require a referral from a physician (e.g., primary care, psychiatrist, or neurologist) detailing cognitive and behavioral concerns and how an evaluation will inform treatment.
- If we don't accept your insurance or if your referral question isn't covered, you have the option of private pay. We use a flat fee for the complete evaluation, including the clinical interview, testing, report, and feedback session. Please contact our office for more information.
How Should I Prepare for My Evaluation?
Neuropsychological testing can be affected by factors beyond cognitive abilities, including vision or hearing problems, fatigue, health or emotional stress, and certain medications. To get the most accurate assessment of your current functioning, it's important to minimize these factors.
- Get a good night's sleep.
- Bring reading glasses or hearing aids if you use them.
- Take all medications as prescribed, except stimulant medications if we're assessing for attention deficits.
Potential Risks
Risks during a neuropsychological evaluation are minimal. They may include temporary anxiety about performance, frustration, fatigue, or discomfort when discussing stressful or emotional topics. Occasionally, individuals may experience emotional distress from becoming aware of challenges they hadn't previously recognized.
