Comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations
Neuropsychological evaluations examine your child’s unique style of thinking and learning.


What is a comprehensive developmental neuropsychological evaluation?
A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation is an assessment of the whole child including cognitive functions such as learning, memory, and language; academic skills such as reading, math and writing; and social-emotional-behavioral functioning.

Information is collected within a developmental context including performance on standardized tests, clinical interviews, behavioral ratings, and direct observations. In addition, Dr. Algermissen speaks with important collateral sources such as teachers and therapists.

Multiple areas are assessed including:

  • General Cognitive Ability
  • Language Skills
  • Visuospatial, visual-motor, and fine motor skills
  • Learning and Memory
  • Executive Functions such as Attention, Planning and Organization, Problem Solving, and Working Memory
  • Social-Emotional-Behavioral functioning
  • Academic Achievement


When would my child need a neuropsychological evaluation?
A neuropsychological evaluation should be conducted in any of the following situations:

  • If your child is struggling in school or underperforms on standardized tests
  • When developmental challenges make it harder to understand how your child learns, behaves, or functions in the world
  • When a child has a medical history that can impact learning such as traumatic brain injury, seizure disorder, treatment for cancer, or exposure to toxins
  • To document changes in your child’s abilities or achievement since prior evaluations
  • If it is unclear why your child is having difficulty meeting the demands that other children seem to master


What are the potential benefits?
There are a variety of ways you can benefit from an evaluation, including:

  • Gaining a greater understanding of your child’s learning and thinking style
  • Discovering the causes of your child’s struggles
  • Obtaining recommendations that will help you choose appropriate strategies and interventions to meet your child’s needs
  • Determining whether your child meets criteria for special education services
  • Explaining your child’s unique style to others
  • Assessing the effectiveness of treatments and interventions


What is the typical process of a neuropsychological evaluation?

Most evaluations include (but are not limited to):

  • parent intake to obtain background information
  • direct testing of neurocognitive abilities, academic skills, and social-emotional-behavior functioning
  • parent and teacher questionnaires
  • interviews with collateral sources
  • feedback of evaluation results and recommendations
  • written report
  • follow-up to help assure that the recommendations are put into place. This may include attendance at IEP meetings, attendance at meetings at private schools, or testifying at impartial hearings.


What are evaluation goals?
The goal of a comprehensive evaluation is to provide diagnostic clarity but also to offer an interpretation of your child’s performance, in terms of identified strengths and challenges.

Beyond “scores,” the evaluation uses norm-referenced performance on formal tests and behavioral questionnaires, clinical observations, clinical interviews, and knowledge of child development and brain-behavior relationships to create a comprehensive picture of your child’s unique pattern of strengths and vulnerabilities.
Detailed recommendations are made by examining the match between your child’s individual neuropsychological profile and the developmental expectations surrounding your child. Recommendations will clarify the parenting and teaching strategies that are best suited to your child’s style.


Do you take insurance?

I am not in network with any insurance company. This means you pay me directly for an evaluation. If you have out-of-network benefits, you may be able to get partial reimbursement for your child's evaluation by submitting an in-depth receipt (called a "superbill") to your insurance company following the evaluation. Most families who see me get some reimbursement for an evaluation from their insurance company. Contact your insurance and ask about "Out-of-Network Coverage" for a neuropsychological evaluation and make sure to ask if you need preauthorization.

Here are some suggested questions:

  • What are my out-of-network benefits?
  • How much is my deductible?
  • After I meet my deductible, what percentage of the visit cost will I be reimbursed for?
  • Do I need preauthorization?
  • Up to how much can I be reimbursed for:
               • 120 minute intake appointment (CPT Code 90791)
               • Neuropsychological Testing (CPT Code 96136 for the first 30 minutes,
                 CPT Code 96137 for each additional 30 min)
               • Neuropsychological Services (CPT Code 96132 or the first 60 minutes,
                 CPT Code 96133 for each additional hour)
               • 60 minute feedback session (CPT Code 96133)
  • Do I have a limit of how many units of 96137 or 96133 I can get reimbursed for?
  • How do I submit a claim with the receipt my doctor gave me?
Sometimes insurance companies want to know Dr. Algermissen's "NPI number", "EIN number", or possible diagnosis codes. This information is included in the superbill, which you will receive after the feedback session.