Frequently Asked Questions

Neuropsychology is a speciality of psychology focusing on brain-behavior relationships. Clinical neuropsychology is generally focused on the assessment and treatment of individuals that may have brain disorders and conditions that can affect cognition (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury). Cognition refers to thinking skills, like memory, attention, and executive functioning.

A neuropsychological evaluation is a formal evaluation of cognitive abilities. It involves an interview with a clinical neuropsychologist and administration of various paper and pencil tests to test skills such as memory, attention, and executive functioning.

By purchasing our concierge membership, you gain access to providers who can offer appointments in the next 1-2 weeks, rather than waiting 9-12 months (average wait-time nationally). We also offer personalized care that is not typically covered by insurance (e.g., brain health tracking, 6-month check in).

Minder sees patients who are billing through their insurance and also those paying out-of-pocket for their services. For those who are paying out-of-pocket, Minder developed the dual phase cognitive evaluation process to reduce costs for patients. Rather than completing 4-6 hours of cognitive testing from the start, patients can save time and money by completing the evaluation in phases. At Minder, all patients paying out-of-pocket (not using insurance) complete a 2-hour cognitive evaluation (Phase 1) and only the minority of patients who could benefit from more testing are asked to complete Phase 2. For patients who are billing their insurance company, we typically complete the full evaluation rather than breaking the appointment into phases. Click on the link below to watch videos about the dual-phase process.
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https://www.mindermemory.com/video-gallery

Appointments are completed online through Zoom and will last approximately 3-4 hours. First, you will complete a clinical interview with one of our expert neuropsychologists, to better understand your history, symptoms, and concerns. Next, you will complete tests that measure a range of cognitive functions, including memory, language, and attention. These tests are non-invasive and will be completed live through Zoom using oral and written questions, paper and pencil tests, and other standardized procedures. Feedback will be provided by the neuropsychologist and will include a discussion of results, diagnoses, and recommendations. Patients will also be provided with a written report.

All fees are refundable within 24 hours of purchase.

After you book your appointment, you will be sent a brief set of instructions for preparing for the neuropsychological evaluation. We will also send you a packet of testing materials by mail, including a tripod for your phone/tablet and a paper-based tests. Regarding other technical preparations, we have created a document and a video to help you get your electronic devices ready for the online appointment. We can also call you before your appointment for a "Tech Check" to make sure everything is ready to go.

If we are in-network with your insurance plan then the only fees that need to be paid up front would be the concierge membership fee and any copay/coinsurance or deductible that your insurance plan requires us to collect.

If you are paying out-of-pocket, fees for the Phase 1 cognitive evaluation range between $1080 and $3600 and are due at the time of booking. Most people will only need to complete phase 1 testing, so they can save 40-60% by approaching the evaluation in phases. For those who are recommended for Phase 2 testing, an additional $900-$1800 will be due upon scheduling the additional testing. Fees for other services, including cognitive treatment groups and annual repeat cognitive testing are also due at the time of booking. To discuss low income discounts, including payment plans, give us a call at 855-264-6337. Keep in mind that if you have a PPO insurance plan, most of these costs can be submitted to your insurance plan for reimbursement.

Yes, Minder is now in-network with most major insurance companies including Medicare, United, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Aetna.  However, if it is determined that we are NOT in-network with your particular plan, we have additional options avaliable to lower your out-of-pocket costs: -For those with Medicare/Medicaid/Supplemental insurance that is considered out-of-network, Minder offers up to 40% off the cost of the evaluation. Call us now to find out what discount your qualify for and to discuss payment plan options!

If you have a PPO insurance plan that is considered out-of-network with Minder, you would need to pay these costs out-of-pocket. However, most of these costs are likely eligible for reimbursement (typically 50-80%). Your insurance company should be able to tell you how many hours of each CPT code you can expect reimbursement and at what rate. After completing the evaluation, patients will be provided with a Superbill that includes all of the appropriate CPT codes that were used. Below are the codes you can use to inquire about your out-of-network insurance coverage. Please note that if we are out-of-network, we will not be able to communicate with your insurance provider.

‍Phase 1 Evaluation Codes (needed for all patients):96116 – Neurobehavioral status exam by QHP (1 hour)96121 – Each additional 30 minutes (1 hour)96136 –Psychological/neuropsychological test administration/scoring by QHP (30 min)96137 –Each additional 30 minutes (30 min)96132 –Neuropsychological Testing Evaluation Services by QHP (1 hour)96133 –Each additional hour (1 hour)

‍Phase 2 Evaluation Codes (*needed for minority of patients):96138 –Psychological/neuropsychological test administration/scoring by tech (30 min)96139 –Each additional 30 minutes (4-5 hours)96132 –Neuropsychological Testing Evaluation Services (1 hour)96133 –Each additional hour (3-4 hours)

*All patients will utilize Phase 1 evaluation codes. Only a minority of patients may be recommended for additional Phase 2 testing. For those who complete both, Phase 1 and Phase 2 testing will be reflected on one SuperBill.

Typically, patients can expect to pay out-of-network costs for a neuropsychological evaluation, even when using insurance. For example, even patients who have in-network insurance plans will still pay a concierge fee and may also have to pay copay/coinsurance or a deductible. For those paying fully out-of-pocket, it should be noted that Minder's dual-phase process was developed to increase out-of-network reimbursement rates and reduce overall costs for patients.

All fees are refundable within 24 hours of purchase, minus 10% for credit card processing fees and mailing costs. All appointments can be rescheduled at no additional cost if done at least 72 hours in advance. If you reschedule with less than 72 hours notice, you will be charged a $199 rescheduling fee.

Close friends or family members can be present during the first part of the appointment (interview portion). In fact, the neuropsychologist will likely have questions for your loved one, such as asking whether they have noticed any changes in your thinking or behavior. However, once cognitive testing begins, friends and family are typically asked to leave.

We created Minder to increase accessibility of neuropsychological services and expertise to patients. We are best able to accomplish this by providing our services online. Our online portal allows patients to access our team of experts from the comfort of their own home instead of having to travel long distances. Providing services virtually also allows us to offer services at lower rates. With that said, there are some circumstances where an in-person testing appointment is possible.

Yes, but you do NOT need to be a technology wiz to use Minder's services. For cognitive evaluation appointments, you will need a computer or tablet with a screen that is at least 10 inches wide. This is the screen that you will see your neuropsychologist on. Minder will mail you a tripod that will hold a second device, ideally your smartphone. However, this second device could also be a computer or tablet of any size. This second device will be used to view the papers you will be writing on.  Setting up your devices should only take a few minutes of your time. We  email you simple written instructions and a short video showing you how set up these two devices and how to access Zoom. If needed, Minder will call you before your appointment to help you with any technical issues. For treatment appointments and feedback sessions, you only need one device (e.g., phone, tablet, computer), though we recommend using a screen at least 10 inches wide.

A neuropsych, or cognitive evaluation, can be useful in many ways including: 1) Documenting your cognitive strengths and weaknesses; 2) Determining whether you  may have a cognitive disorder, taking into consideration factors such as age, sex, education, mood, sleep, pain, etc.; 3) Determining etiology, or what is causing the cognitive disorder. For example, determining whether cognitive or behavioral changes are likely related to Alzheimer's disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, or another brain disease; 4) Providing a baseline against which subsequent evaluations can be compared. Thereby we can determine whether your functioning has declined because of a disease process or document whether your functioning has improved as a result of treatment (e.g. medications, cognitive training); 5) Determining whether you might benefit from certain cognitive or behavioral treatments or pharmacotherapy.

Typically the first hour of the evaluation is a clinical interview with an expert clinical neuropsychologist. The testing portion of the appointment will typically be done by a psychometrist. A psychometrist is a specially trained technician with advanced training on how to administer cognitive tests. The clinical neuropsychologist will then interpret the results and then meet with you again for a feedback appointment to go over the results and diagnoses. You will also be sent a written report.

After scheduling your appointment, you will be asked to complete an online intake questionnaire and provided with a link to upload relevant medical documents, such as results from any brain imaging (e.g., MRI, CT) or prior neuropsychological testing, if available.

The main reason to get a neuropsych evaluation is concern related to your thinking skills, or cognition. If you, your doctor, or those close to you have noticed changes to your thinking or behavior, a cognitive evaluation may be helpful.

We do not recommend cognitive evaluations for individuals who are already dependent on others for basic activities of daily living  (e.g,. showing, bathing, feeding, toileting) due to a well-documented cognitive disorder (e.g., late stage Alzheimer's disease). These patients, who we already know have a cognitive disorder, would likely perform so poorly on our cognitive tests that their scores would not be informative. However, testing may be helpful for those who are dependent on others for daily living but have not been diagnosed with a cognitive disorder yet. We don't recommend cognitive evaluations for those who are currently abusing alcohol or drugs or those with untreated severe psychiatric conditions (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar).

Most patients will receive results within 7-10 working days from their appointment. However, in some cases you may be able to receive results on the day of testing. Results are given in a feedback session with your neuropsychologist via Zoom or phone. This appointment is focused on explaining the results of testing, going over the diagnoses made (if any), and offering recommendations for treatment. Some of the recommendations may include services available through Minder whereas others will be for services available in the community. It will be your choice whether you follow the recommendations made.

We will send you the written report via email and it will be password protected. You can save your written report for your own record and/or send it to your medical providers or anyone else you want to have it. We will NOT send your report to anyone else, unless you ask us to.