Hi,

I am an adult and recently got diagnosed with ADHD and the bills haven't come in yet (Assura very slow...).

I'm wondering what the costs will be like. My therapist is about 150 an hour and I go monthly which I believe is covered by basic insurance. How much will the medication (Ritalin) cost approximately and will this be covered by the basic insurance?

I currently have basic insurance only which has a 2500 deductible and I am wondering if I should change my insurance for next year now that I got my ADHD diagnosis. My therapist is very unhelpful with answering these questions so I hope some of you can help me.

Thanks a lot!

Get a new therapist.

Tried to... this is already the second therapist and the wait times are insane right now. Waited months just to get an appointment

Ritalin should be covered. I have a box of 200 Ritalin tabs, 10 mg and the price on the box is 54.10. other meds that are prescribed should also be covered if they are listed in the compendium.

I do have a chf 300 deductible, but I pay a higher monthly cost. In the end it‘s a wash….do you want to pay more monthly or in big chunks.

Great, thanks so much

We have a son with ADHA and had to do quite a bit of work to get a treatment which suited him this varies with therapists if they are prescribing medication. ADHA varies greatly so matching medication to your personal situation is critical, there is a whole world of stuff besides Ritalin. He is on Evanse which is non cumulative so by the end of the day it wears off, which was a bit interesting when he was younger with behavior! All good now.

One other thing thing to be aware of is the health of your stomach bacteria can play a part in the symptoms you show and the strength of medication you need. Get your blood tested for everything and add supplements as required. Lots of yogurt, kombucha and fermented vegetables also help, but it is more about building a new lifestyle than taking a pill and I am fixed!

I see my therapist on a quarterly basis, or if I need a change to my prescription. These consultations are covered by my medical insurance. I am prescribed Concerta in 3 doses (18mg, 36mg, 54mg) - it is for me to decide my dose (I'm what she calls an emancipated patient, I know me well and I tell her what works or what doesn't)

The Concerta is covered by the medical insurance. Concerta and Ritalin are the same compound (Methylphenidate) - and I can't have both. There is no short-acting Concerta (it's a slow release capsule) so if I want Ritalin I must pay for it myself.

In short, you should be covered by your insurance for therapy and medication, whether it be methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin) or dexmethylphenidate (Focalin), Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) or Adderall (Amphetamine Sulphate - AKA Speed).

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The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few

Although it doesn't contain numbers, to understand the system more than your therapist will explain it to you (possibly because the don't know, themselves), you might find the post about costs useful, here:
https://www.englishforum.ch/3358117-post8.html
in the thread Psychotherapy, what is is and how to get it
https://www.englishforum.ch/family-m...ml#post3358117

My son’s ped told us that at least for children methylphenidate must be prescribed in first intention, as other molecules such as Evanse are covered only if the doctor can document the first one was a failure.

My husband has ADHD and his Ritalin isn’t covered by insurance ... how were you able to get it covered? Thanks!

I honestly don‘t know for sure, because at first it was not covered. I gave my GP a copy of my diagnosis and test results from the US and she wrote a letter. We had viva care insurance. They wrote back something about the fact that I wasn‘t diagnosed as a child, so no coverage. This was probably 2013, maybe.

A couple of years later, I noticed that my Ritalin was covered. We switched to SWICA, but idon‘t think that was the issue. I thought I had seen that Ritalin was now covered for adults. I‘ll check when I get my next bill for out of pocket expenses.

What do you mean by 'non cumulative'?

I think the biggest difference between Elvanse and the other drugs (apart from the molecule, of course!) is the use of Pro Drug technology which means that the drug acts in a smooth manner, avoiding the traditional 'spikes' of many stimulants. It also means there is almost no opportunity for abuse.

Glad you are getting on well!

I wasn't able to get Ritalin on insurance. Depends on dosage but I pay about 200 a month.

Where did you see this?

It also doesn't make you so anxious. However, I started at a 20mg dose about three years ago (or two, don't ask ADHD peeps about time scales) and am now on to 60 mg. To be fair, I acquired a stomach problem last year that means I don't process nutrients etc. as well, so that may be part of the issue. So I'm not sure how to proceed from here as I'm noticing the effect is starting to wear off and I don't really want to further up the dosage.

I know you genuinely mean well, but ADHD is not a mental health condition ... it can definitely have an impact on mental health if not treated properly.

I can‘t remember…..sorry!

Except, who treats it? Psychologists and psychiatrists!
Who diagnoses? Psychologists and psychiatrists!
You‘re likely to get more support in the mental health realm.

On one hand, it‘s not clear that it is an illness at all. On the other hand it seems that mental health and educational professionals are the ones who deal with it.

I'm certainly not trying to imply that these things are the only causes of ADHD or are the causes of the OP's ADHD, but I just wanted to mention that our son was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago and then all of his symptoms disappeared once we began giving him magnesium supplements each evening, at the advice of his doctor. We noticed a huge improvement in his behavior and overall demeanor and ability to focus. He could also tell a big difference in the way it made him feel -- so much so that he asks for his magnesium every evening because he knows it helps him.

A bit similarly, my sister was also diagnosed with ADHD (as an adult) about five years ago, and her symptoms went away once she started taking certain supplements (including magnesium) and also stopped using social media and freed herself of her phone addiction. Apparently, some studies have found a correlation between heavy social media use and internet addiction and ADHD, though most of those studies seem to have been done on teenagers.

Magnesium: The Missing Link in Mental Health?
https://www.greatplainslaboratory.co...-mental-health

"Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 325 enzymatic reactions—in DNA and neurotransmitters; in the bones, heart and brain; in every cell of the body. Unfortunately, a deficiency of this crucial mineral is the most common nutritional deficiency I see in my practice as an integrative psychiatrist. Fortunately, supplementation with magnesium is the most impactful integrative treatment I use, particularly in depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)."

Again, though, I am certainly not trying to imply that I think ADHD is only caused by a magnesium deficiency. But I thought I'd mention the (possible) correlation in case it is of any help to anyone else.

Hi all


I would avoid providing opinions on ADHD, as a disorder, what causes it, what type of disease/disorder it is etc. The OP has asked a specific question and side discussions can detract from the original topic. While many of you, no doubt have experience in ADHD, it's likely to be a narrow perspective that could divert away from the topic asked.