Key points
- No New York-specific fee survey for adult ADHD psychiatric evaluations was found as of October 2026, so NYC price ranges quoted online are not verified.
- Medicare's 2026 allowed amount for a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation with medical services (CPT 90792) in Manhattan works out to about $224, which is a public benchmark and well below typical private self-pay fees.
- A February 2026 handout by a New York psychologist puts university training clinic testing at often $500 to $1,500, against $5,000 or more in private practice.
- Neuropsychological testing is not required to diagnose adult ADHD in standard practice, and it is the most expensive route.
- Anyone not using insurance can ask a clinician for a written Good Faith Estimate before the visit under federal rules.
People looking for a price usually find a single number on a clinic or directory website and assume it reflects the market. It does not. As of October 2026 there is no published survey of what psychiatrists, primary care clinicians or psychologists in New York charge for an adult ADHD evaluation. What exists is a handful of benchmarks from named sources, each measuring something different. This article sets them side by side and labels each one for what it is.
Nothing here describes the fees of Dr. Shershow's practice. Those are on the fees and insurance page.
Why the route matters more than the city
An adult ADHD evaluation is not one standard product. Three different services go by that name, and they are billed in different ways.
- A psychiatric diagnostic evaluation. A psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner takes a full history, reviews symptoms across your life, screens for other conditions and gives a diagnosis and treatment plan. It is billed as a medical visit, commonly under CPT code 90792 or a new-patient office visit code.
- A primary care visit. Some primary care clinicians evaluate and treat adult ADHD themselves. The visit is billed as an ordinary office visit.
- Psychological or neuropsychological testing. A psychologist administers and scores a battery of tests over several hours and writes a report. It is billed by the hour or half hour under separate testing codes.
Testing is not required for an adult ADHD diagnosis in standard practice. Some people need it anyway, for example for certain exam accommodations or because a campus health center asks for it. The difference between the two is explained in clinical evaluation or neuropsychological testing.
The benchmarks that exist, and what each one measures
| Route | Figure | What the figure is |
|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation (CPT 90792) | About $224 in Manhattan, about $198 in the rest of New York | 2026 Medicare allowed amount, calculated from CMS fee schedule files. Not a private fee. |
| New patient medical visit, high complexity (CPT 99205) | About $269 in Manhattan | 2026 Medicare allowed amount, same CMS files. |
| Initial psychiatric evaluation without insurance | Roughly $250 to $500 nationally | Ranges published by two commercial websites (Thervo and Talkspace). Not surveys, and both say large-city prices run higher. |
| Testing at a university training clinic in the New York City area | Often $500 to $1,500 | A February 2026 handout by a New York psychologist. Each clinic's current fee was not confirmed. |
| Testing in private practice in New York City | $5,000 or more | The same handout. |
| Neuropsychological testing battery of 8 to 10 hours | Roughly $1,000 to $1,400 | What the hours would total at 2026 Medicare rates in Manhattan. Not a private fee. |
Read the table with two cautions. Medicare amounts are what a federal program recognizes for a service, and private self-pay fees in New York are typically well above them. The commercial ranges are national and come from companies that sell or advertise care, so treat them as a rough floor for New York City and nothing more.
What the visit after the evaluation costs
The evaluation is the first bill. If you start medication, follow-up visits come next, more often at the start and then at regular intervals, because New York limits how stimulant prescriptions are written and refilled. For the same Medicare benchmark, a 30-minute follow-up visit (CPT 99214) is about $153 in Manhattan and about $131 elsewhere in the state in 2026. Talkspace's national range for self-pay follow-up visits is about $100 to $200. Private fees in New York City may be higher than both.
When you compare two clinicians, compare the first year, including the evaluation, the expected number of follow-ups and any charge for forms, letters or prescription renewals between visits.
How insurance changes the number
With an in-network clinician you pay your plan's copay or coinsurance, after any deductible. With an out-of-network clinician you pay the full fee and then claim back whatever your plan allows, which is often much less than the fee. How that calculation works is covered in out-of-network reimbursement in New York.
Testing is a separate question. Plans differ on whether they cover psychological or neuropsychological testing for ADHD and whether they want prior authorization. Ask before you schedule a battery, and get the answer in writing or note the call reference number.
How to get a real price before you book
- Ask which service you are buying. A diagnostic interview, a testing battery, or both. Ask how many visits the evaluation takes and whether each is billed separately.
- Ask for the billing codes. With a CPT code and your ZIP code you can look up the local benchmark for billed charges on FAIR Health's free consumer site, and you can ask your insurer what it allows for that code.
- Request a Good Faith Estimate. If you are uninsured or not using insurance for the visit, federal rules entitle you to a written, itemized estimate. When you schedule 3 to 9 business days ahead, it is due within 1 business day. When you schedule 10 or more business days ahead, or ask without scheduling, it is due within 3 business days.
- Keep the estimate. If the bill from that clinician comes in at least $400 above the estimate, you can start a federal dispute process within 120 calendar days of the bill.
- Ask what is not included. Rating scales, collateral interviews, written reports, accommodation letters and lab work may be charged separately.
In New York a clinician who is outside your network must tell you so before treating you and must give a cost estimate if you ask.
If the price is the obstacle
Reduced-fee testing at university training clinics, hospital outpatient departments that bill insurance, and public programs with sliding fees are all real options, each with limits on what they offer. They are laid out in lower-cost adult ADHD care in New York. If you have coverage and cannot find anyone in network, the state's appointment-access rule may help, depending on your plan type.
Questions
What is the average cost of an ADHD evaluation in New York City?
No verified average exists. No fee survey for adult ADHD evaluations in New York was found as of October 2026, so figures presented as NYC averages are estimates by whoever published them. The dependable approach is to ask the clinician for a written estimate with billing codes.
Why is neuropsychological testing so much more expensive than a psychiatric evaluation?
Testing is billed by the hour for administering, scoring and interpreting a battery of tests, and a full battery can run many hours. A psychiatric evaluation is a clinical interview billed as one or two medical visits. Testing is not required for an adult ADHD diagnosis in standard practice.
Can I get a Good Faith Estimate if I have insurance?
Yes, if you choose not to submit a claim to your plan for that care. Federal rules treat insured patients who are not using their insurance as self-pay for this purpose. The estimate covers the expected charges from that one provider.
Does insurance cover an adult ADHD evaluation?
A psychiatric diagnostic evaluation is an ordinary outpatient mental health service, and New York-regulated plans must cover diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions. What you pay depends on your deductible, copay and whether the clinician is in network. Coverage of testing varies by plan.
Are Medicare rates what a private psychiatrist charges?
No. Medicare allowed amounts are the amounts Medicare recognizes for a service. They are useful as a public benchmark and because some commercial plans set out-of-network payment as a percentage of Medicare, but private self-pay fees are typically well above them.
Sources
- CMS: Physician Fee Schedule relative value files, RVU26D (released August 26, 2026)
- CMS: Good Faith Estimate guide (last modified October 5, 2026)
- NYS Department of Financial Services: Surprise medical bills
- FAIR Health Consumer: New York consumer protections (2026)
- Brian Neff, PhD, hosted by Manhattan School of Music: Reduced-fee neuropsychological testing in NYC (February 9, 2026)
- Thervo: Psychiatrist cost (commercial listing, undated)
- Talkspace: How much does a psychiatrist cost (commercial listing, undated)
- NYS Senate: Insurance Law section 3221
