In San Francisco, the published price of an "adult ADHD evaluation" runs from $600 to $15,000. Both numbers are real, and both come from practices with offices in the city.
They are not the same thing at different prices. The low end is one visit with a clinician who can prescribe. The high end is a full day of psychological testing with a long written report. Most adults who want to know "is this ADHD?" need the first kind, not the second.¹ Testing earns its cost when someone must also rule out a learning disorder, memory change or another complicated picture, or when a school or testing board demands a full report.
So before you compare prices, decide which service you are buying. The tables below are sorted that way.
What San Francisco practices publish
How a practice gets on this list: it has a San Francisco office, and its own website publishes a price for an adult ADHD evaluation, or for an adult psychological evaluation that includes ADHD. We read every page on November 6, 2026. Nobody paid to be here and nobody was asked. Being listed is not a recommendation, and the order is by lowest published price. We checked more than a dozen other San Francisco practices that offer or mention adult ADHD assessment; they publish no price, so they are not here.
A published price is not a quote for you. Ask for a written estimate before you book.
Visit-based evaluations: a clinician who can prescribe
These are priced per visit. The diagnosis comes from interviews and history, not a testing battery.
| Practice | What the price buys | Published price | Insurance, as published | Published wait |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intuitive Psychiatry — San Francisco; first visit in person. Clinician listed as a nurse practitioner ("NP"). | A 60-minute first visit after an at-home intake and a history call | First visit $600–$800; follow-up $250–$450 | In network: Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna. Out of network: Blue Shield of California, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Kaiser, Medi-Cal, Medicare | "Usually within one week" |
| Bay Area Neuropsychiatry — 870 Market Street; "almost entirely by secure video." Physicians (MD, DO). | Billed "as standard psychiatric visits"; a complete evaluation "typically takes two to three sessions" | Initial evaluation (60 min) $700, or $1,000 with Dr. Lodhi; follow-ups $350 or $500 | In network: Aetna, Alameda Alliance, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, Curative, Lyra Health. "Blue Shield is not in network." | Not published; replies to requests "within two business days" |
| Andrew Chacko, MD — San Francisco. Board-certified psychiatrist. | A 1.5-hour intake; longer follow-ups priced separately | Intake $750; 50 min $500; 80 min $750 | "Private pay and out-of-network"; a superbill after every visit | Not published |
What it adds up to: from $600 for a one-visit evaluation to about $2,000 for three sessions at the highest published rate, before insurance. Ask how many visits the evaluation takes, and price all of them.
Psychological and neuropsychological testing
These include testing sessions, scoring, a written report and a feedback meeting, in the practice's own words.
| Practice | What the price covers | Published price | Insurance, as published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Know Now Psychological Services — 399 Laurel Street. Psychologist. | A "psychodiagnostic evaluation" for teens and adults; ADHD is on its list of conditions evaluated | Average total $1,200–$3,500; $200–$250 an hour | "Some of these services may be reimbursable" | The range is not ADHD-only |
| Unfold Psychology — 2860 Laguna Street (also San Jose, Corte Madera, Oakland). Clinical psychologists. | "Our ADHD assessment is priced within our comprehensive assessment range" | $3,750–$15,000 | In network: UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Aetna | Adults are assessed. The range covers every comprehensive assessment, so ask where yours falls |
| Mind Matters — 721 Monterey Boulevard (also Berkeley). Clinical and educational psychologists. | A focused ADHD evaluation, or ADHD inside a full psychoeducational evaluation | Focused $4,200–$4,800; full $7,200 or $8,100 by clinician | "Does not accept insurance directly" | Serves college students and young adults. Its fees page says $7,500 for a full evaluation, not $7,200 or $8,100. Ask which applies |
| Jessica M. Foley, PhD, PsyD — San Francisco. Board-certified clinical neuropsychologist. | 15 to 18 hours: interview, records, a collateral interview, feedback | ADHD or autism evaluation $5,625–$6,750; full neuropsychological evaluation $8,250–$9,375; $375 an hour | Out of network; superbill provided | Her practice is "largely serving adults" |
What the two tables tell you
- Three of the seven publish an in-network contract. Aetna appears at three (Unfold, Intuitive Psychiatry, Bay Area Neuropsychiatry), Anthem Blue Cross at two, Cigna and UnitedHealthcare at one each.
- None of the seven says it is in network with Blue Shield of California. Two say outright that it is not. If you are on Blue Shield, start with the plan, below.
- Only two publish anything like a wait time, and neither is a promise.
If you have coverage, start with the plan
Kaiser members
Call 1-888-937-5748 (TTY 711), Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Kaiser Northern California's own page says: "You don't need a referral from your doctor to access care."² Ask for an adult ADHD evaluation by name. None of the seven practices above lists Kaiser as in network.
San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
Call Carelon Behavioral Health at 1-855-371-8117. The plan's page says: "You do not need a referral to get mental health care," and lists "testing for mental health issues" among the covered services.³ Say: "I'm an SFHP member and I need an adult ADHD evaluation. Who in network can do it, and can that person also prescribe?"
Anthem Blue Cross Medi-Cal
Call Anthem's Medi-Cal Customer Care Center at 1-800-407-4627 (TTY 711), Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and ask for behavioral health.⁴
Commercial insurance, including Blue Shield
Call the behavioral-health number on your card. Ask for "an in-network adult ADHD diagnostic evaluation, not automatically a testing battery," and ask what you will pay for the evaluation and the follow-up. If no one in network can see you within the state's timely-access standard, generally 10 business days for a non-urgent mental-health appointment, ask the plan to arrange care.⁵ If nobody in network has an opening →
No insurance, or not sure what you have
San Francisco's 24/7 behavioral health access line is 888-246-3333 (TDD 888-484-7200). The city describes it as help "finding and connecting with the mental health and/or substance use service that's right for you."⁶ The walk-in Behavioral Health Access Center at 1380 Howard Street, 1st floor, offers "screening and referrals to care."⁷ Neither is an ADHD clinic. Ask which service does an adult ADHD evaluation for someone in your situation.
If you are a student in San Francisco
Campus counseling centers here do not do ADHD testing. Know that before you wait for an appointment.
- SF State: CAPS lists "comprehensive psychological assessment testing for ADD/ADHD" among the concerns it refers out. Call (415) 338-2208 for a referral.⁸
- University of San Francisco: CAPS lists "request for formal psychological evaluation or testing" as outside its services, and "does not offer medication services." Front desk: (415) 422-6352.⁹
- UCSF: psychiatry starts with "a counselor for a Brief Consult." Call (415) 476-1281.¹⁰
Your student health insurance is then the plan to call, as above.
Before you pay anyone
Ask one question that sorts every quote:
"Is this a diagnostic interview or a full testing battery? Who makes the diagnosis, what is the total price, what document do I get, and who handles treatment afterwards?"
If you pay yourself, you can ask for a written good-faith estimate. If you may want medication, ask who prescribes and what follow-up costs; online prescribing of ADHD medication runs under temporary federal rules through December 31, 2026.¹¹ Check an online evaluation → · Compare two full quotes → · Prepare a one-page history →
Q&A
How much does an adult ADHD evaluation cost in San Francisco? Published prices on November 6, 2026 ran from $600 for a first psychiatric visit to $15,000 at the top of one practice's assessment range. Visit-based evaluations came to $600–$2,000 at published rates, depending on how many visits they take. Testing-based evaluations ran from $1,200 to $15,000.
Do I need full psychological testing to be diagnosed with ADHD as an adult? Usually not. A qualified clinician can often diagnose ADHD from a thorough interview and history. Testing earns its cost when there is another question an interview cannot answer.¹
Which San Francisco ADHD practices take Blue Shield of California? None of the seven that publish a price says it is in network with Blue Shield. Call the number on your card and ask Blue Shield to find an in-network clinician.
Do I need a referral on San Francisco Health Plan? No. SFHP says you do not need a referral to get mental health care, and lists testing among covered services. Call Carelon at 1-855-371-8117.³
Our therapist directory: See its current status →
Sources
- National Institute of Mental Health, "ADHD: What You Need to Know" — how ADHD is diagnosed — nimh.nih.gov.
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, mental health services page — appointment line, hours, no referral needed — healthy.kaiserpermanente.org (read November 6, 2026).
- San Francisco Health Plan, Medi-Cal behavioral and mental health services — Carelon 1(855) 371-8117, no referral, testing covered — sfhp.org (read November 6, 2026).
- Anthem Blue Cross Medi-Cal, Contact us — Customer Care Center outside Los Angeles County — mss.anthem.com (read November 6, 2026).
- California Department of Managed Health Care, Timely Access to Care — dmhc.ca.gov.
- City and County of San Francisco, Department of Public Health, Behavioral Health — the 24/7 access line — sf.gov (read November 6, 2026).
- City and County of San Francisco, Behavioral Health Access Center — sf.gov (read November 6, 2026).
- San Francisco State University, Counseling & Psychological Services, FAQs — psyservs.sfsu.edu (read November 6, 2026).
- University of San Francisco, Counseling and Psychological Services, Services — myusf.usfca.edu (read November 6, 2026).
- UCSF student mental health services, Psychiatry — studentmentalhealth.ucsf.edu (read November 6, 2026).
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, telemedicine flexibilities extended through December 31, 2026 — dea.gov.
Price sources, each read November 6, 2026: Intuitive Psychiatry · Bay Area Neuropsychiatry fees and evaluation · Andrew Chacko, MD · Know Now Psychological Services · Unfold Psychology and rates · Mind Matters ADHD testing and fees · Jessica M. Foley.
Correction, November 6, 2026: earlier versions of this page gave (415) 255-3737 as San Francisco's access line. The city's own pages now publish 888-246-3333; the 415 number survives only on older pages and under a substance-use heading on San Francisco Health Plan's page.
Clinical review is not yet claimed.
Paid for by participating therapists. Inclusion is computed from published prices — never purchased. No ads, no data sold.