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How can I get a diagnosis in the US without insurance?

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09 Jun 2016, 11:02 am

Billywasjr wrote:
r00tb33r wrote:
I've read on here that insurance won't pay for it anyway (which is odd, considering mental health services are in my plan's coverage description).


Not all health insurance plans are the same, coverage varies significantly from one to the next. Mine covers it 100%.
Wow. The insurance I had at that time covered nothing. It only covered if you are between the ages of 2 and 6 and then it covered 100% but any other age group got nothing.


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09 Jun 2016, 11:06 am

SocOfAutism wrote:
Is there a reason why you can't just do an online RAADS-R and/or the Aspie quiz?

So I am about to defend a Master's in Sociology with a concentration in adults on the autism spectrum. I'm already enrolled in a PhD program in the same subject. I have been considering a special autism studies certificate at another university, but all autism certificates involve information about autistic people UP TO 21 YEARS OF AGE. I don't know about you guys, but I didn't stop living when I turned 21.

Most people who study autism are psychologists. When I have tried to have professional conversations with these people about adults on the spectrum, they don't appear to know what I'm talking about. The exception would be a couple of people I know PERSONALLY, who have adult autistic relatives. So think carefully before you put TOO much energy in a professional. You may happen to be in an area where people are educated and you can get a lot out of a psychologist or a psychiatrist. But if you can't really afford it right now, I would advise you to take some self-assessments, read what other autistic adults have posted in places like WrongPlanet, and do some thinking about what makes sense for you.

I could easily be wrong. It could be that when I am trying to talk to psychologists who study autism, they find my presence as a sociologist in this field threatening and they do not want to talk to me. But I get the distinct impression of confusion from them, which bothers me. If someone has spent 20 years or more studying a topic, I feel like they should know about and be confident discussing it with others. 20 years ago I was watching Star Trek and thinking about what kind of blizzard I would get at Dairy Queen. I didn't have any academic interests at all. So I shouldn't know more than these people. Do you see where I'm going here?

I have my own RAADS-R and Aspie quiz results saved if you would like someone neurotypical to compare yours to. You certainly don't have to say what yours were. But if you want to take these tests I can post my scores for you.

If you qualify with your local Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, that is a great option. That is how I got my diagnosis. All the testing is free with them and, at least in my OVR situation, the diagnosis was very comprehensive. The tests took 8 hours. And they are trained to diagnose adults because OVR is a program for adults.


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10 Jun 2016, 10:49 pm

@SocOfAut

There are two reasons psychologists don't shoot the breeze with sociologists.

1) In their POV, sociology is psychology's stupid and ugly twin sister. They don't talk to social work majors either. (Associate with the rabble? NEVER!) Since getting into a graduate psychology program is as hard as medical school now, they really lord it over the mundane.

2) You never talk shop because people thieve ideas, run with them and publish it before you do. I was told this as a chemistry major and so was my husband in astronomy. There is no free exchange of ideas. People's rent money and utility bills ride on getting published first. A professor might shoot the s**t with an undergraduate about current research work. No way in hell are they doing it to someone outside their research group unless it's joint publishing an a paper.

I have had many friends start out in sociology and switch to psych. There is a huge bias between the two studies. My university psych and linguistics departments got placed in a beautiful new building. Sociology got moved to the 1954 built roach motel with no real working AC, when the university tore down the building that housed all three. I think there is a scrap of a department to teach a few under grad classes now, but that's it.

So, it's more bless her heart, than intimated.

Also people publish papers that can lead to a better gig/more money. Is there any money to be made with adults with Aspergers? When insurance starts paying for therapies for adults at the high end of the spectrum, you'll see more psych majors hustling that angle.

I think the work you are doing is really cool and needed, but I'm not surprised at all the psychologists played stupid. They know what's going down, but will die before showing you their hand.

Welcome to the world of high stakes research. Grand isn't it?

PS. As a undergrad I thought about majoring in sociology, but enjoyed chemistry more.