My Primary Care suggested I contact University of Penn's Adult ADHD program. It doesn't look like my insurance will cover them but I'm still looking into it. Anyone have experience with their assessment or treatment program? I'm also looking for a new therapist or psychiatrist.
For context, I was diagnosed with ADD as a kid in the 80's (inattentive type) but have gone without medication or professional help as an adult. I'm really struggling now at age 40 and just need a place to start. I'm in the Philadelphia area and would love to find someone who has experience with adults with ADHD.
Searching for therapists or psychiatrists with ADHD experience through my insurance keeps leading me to child/adolescent specialists. My last therapist didn't know anything about it (I was the one who told him that it impacts executive functioning). I'm currently looking for a new therapist and my PCP wants me to talk to a psychiatrist about medication (for ADHD, anxiety, depression).
I welcome any info on Penn's program or suggestions for finding a therapist and/or psychiatrist in the Philly area. Thanks!
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My daughter was diagnosed through this Center at Penn I have taken a few ADHD and parenting courses that were offered with her diagnosis. Very good experience. That said, I did not utilize the group for private therapy. I believe at the time they were not accepting new patients - they offered me a suggested list. this was for a child therapist. Re: an adult ADHD specialist, I’d imagine If you require somebody who takes insurance that will drastically limit your options. Definite first step would be to reach out to the folks at Penn to see if anyone is accepting new patients. Also, someone I would recommend who specializes in adult ADHD is based in West Chester - Dr. Ari Tuckman. He’s wonderful. Perhaps you reach out and maybe he can help. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your experience at Penn. I called them and left a message. I have the feeling that their services are out of my price range without insurance but hopefully they'll have some recommendations.
I wouldn’t necessarily rule out all child/adolescent psychiatrists, as many of them also see adults. I see a child/adolescent psychiatrist, and she’s amazing. Worth asking, at least. Unfortunately, most specialists don’t take insurance, but they will provide you with forms for insurance, and you can submit on your own for reimbursement. It’s more expensive than in-network, for sure, but I’ve found it incredibly difficult to find a good provider in-network and ended up going to a Hallowell Center near me, which is probably similar to the Penn program. Maybe you could see someone there just for the medication assessment? They may be willing to work with your PCP to get the prescription(s) right, and then you don’t have to pay out of pocket on a long-term basis. Best wishes, this is not easy.
That's good to know. I may just start reaching out to child/adolescent specialists that are conveniently located and accept my insurance. They may recommend someone knowledgeable about ADHD treatment for adults. A specialist would be great, but I'd be happy with anyone that I connect with and trust who has some knowledge of ADHD. My last therapist was nice but unhelpful and my old PCP didn't believe my diagnosis and wouldn't help me find someone (she didn't believe anything I reported including an arm injury that ended up needing months of physical therapy). My current PCP is so much better and is doing his own digging to help me find someone. Thanks for your advice!
I heard back from Penn and it costs $900 self-pay for an evaluation! 😬
Unless I somehow misheard or misunderstood what that fee covers (maybe treatment as well?), that is waaaaay out of my price range. Especially considering I already have a diagnosis and I have decent insurance (but the Center doesn't accept it).
I'll keep searching for treatment that is covered by my insurance. Birdwatcher19 's advice to get in touch with a child/adolescent ADHD specialist will probably be my next move.
That does sound like a lot for an initial evaluation, though if it includes testing, that’s actually on par with what I’ve found here (full neuropsych testing is even more). An initial diagnostic intake with an MD should be in the $350-$450 range. You’re lucky that your PCP is helpful and open to learning more. Wish mine was! Anyway, trying in-network child psychiatrists sounds like a good bet. Good luck!
Insurance would cover evaluations in network. Then again, this is the United States and certain kinds of insurance sometimes get in the way more than help.
If an ADHDer is doing well enough as an adult to afford private treatment, then they're the one's who need the help the least.
ADHD treatment professionals are not only letting down most of the ADHD population, but what kind of conclusions and experience can they accumulate treating only the best functioning among us?
Unfortunately, in the United States, our broken health care system pushes the best providers into private practice and deters them from accepting insurance. We need to fix the system so that more people have access to the best available treatment. Until that happens, if I need to go to a specialist to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment for myself and my children, then that’s what I need to do.
Yes. In my attempts to find a therapist I had one suddenly drop me when I insisted we go through insurance (only way I could afford it). She said she was “no longer interested” and then ghosted. Luckily, I have found a great psychologist through the virtual mental health option offered through my insurance. It’s Doctor on Demand. He’s not local and the app is limiting but he’s been amazing for ADHD. If anyone has the option, I really recommend him - Dr. John Drozd. It’s only been a few weeks but I’m learning so much. He also told me about Dr. Daniel Amen’s research identifying 7 subtypes of ADHD, which is helping me understand my specific type - overfocused ADHD. I’d recommend looking him up, too.
Just a word of warning, Dr. Amen's theory of ADHD is a minority view and not widely accepted among psychiatrists. Some people have even claimed that he uses it to sell patients expensive brain scans which have no proven diagnostic reliability.
Good points. Also, student debt contributes tremendously to this problem as well.I've learned to be leery about the political cooptation of the phrase "access to healthcare" as that often means nothing to people who can't afford it. e.g. I have access to buying a private jet, I just can't afford one.
If you are in the Philadelphia area, check out the Council for Relationships councilforrelationships.org/ . They offer the model of "pay what you can, with proof of income" and there are therapists there who understand ADHD. They also have workshops. If you strike out there and don't connect with a therapist another good resource is Dragonfly Psychological Associates out of Media, PA. Not sure about their pay model. Good luck!
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