{"id":393344,"date":"2026-02-23T04:13:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T09:13:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.additudemag.com\/?p=393344"},"modified":"2026-02-18T13:14:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T18:14:32","slug":"adhd-medication-cost-survey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.additudemag.com\/adhd-medication-cost-survey\/","title":{"rendered":"The Soaring Cost of ADHD Care"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>The average ADDitude<\/em> family spends more on one child\u2019s ADHD care than most U.S. households spend on groceries each year. For adults with ADHD, annual treatment costs exceed what many people pay for all their utilities combined.<\/p>\n

The steep out-of-pocket costs of ADHD care today \u2014 on average, more than $8,500 per child and $4,700 per adult annually \u2014 are driving families to ration medication, delay or skip medical appointments, and forgo interventions they rely on to function well, according to ADDitude<\/em> magazine\u2019s new Cost of ADHD Diagnosis & Treatment survey.<\/p>\n

Of the 1,970 survey respondents, about 25% cited out-of-pocket medical costs as a limiting or determining factor in accessing ADHD care; 21% said ongoing care is not covered by their insurance, and 16% said their ADHD medication costs<\/a> are not covered at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just go without medication when I run short of money,\u201d said one mother. \u201cMy adult child has skipped doses to be able to pay for her psychiatrist, and this has brought a lot of unsavory people into her life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never take my clinician-recommended dosage because I can\u2019t afford it,\u201d said another. \u201cWe are paying out-of-pocket for medication, so our kids don\u2019t take it on weekends or vacations,\u201d another mother commented.<\/p>\n

[Free Report on Out-of-Pocket ADHD Costs<\/a>]<\/i><\/p>\n

ADDitude<\/em> asked survey participants how they are covering or reducing the cost of ADHD care. Here\u2019s what a few people said:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had to take disbursements from retirement accounts<\/strong> to pay for psychotherapy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have two jobs<\/strong> at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI switched jobs<\/strong> to one that is closer to home. I now bike to work. I also joined a nearby affordable community center pool. I swim and arrive at work already having exercised and feeling refreshed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve split the cost of ADHD coaching<\/a><\/strong> with another client.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to pay premiums and<\/em> pay for doctor visits <\/strong>and maintain a household.\u201d<\/p>\n

[ADDitude Directory: Find Affordable Care Near You<\/a>]<\/I><\/p>\n

Uneven Insurance Coverage<\/h2>\n

About half of the people surveyed said their health insurance<\/a> plan partially paid for an ADHD evaluation for themselves, another adult in the household, or their child(ren). More than one in four said their insurer paid nothing toward evaluation and diagnosis; one in five said those costs were covered completely.<\/p>\n

Many of the survey participants expressed frustration about rising health care costs \u2014 10% said their ADHD care costs exceeded 10% of their income <\/strong>\u2014 and voiced deep anxiety about potentially steeper hikes and even less coverage in 2026.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The High Cost of Prescription Meds<\/h2>\n

One-quarter of survey respondents said they reluctantly switched medications because insurers dictated cheaper alternatives or covered prescriptions only partially or not at all, or because the cost of their preferred drug increased substantially.<\/p>\n

A significant number said they had to meet their deductible, which was typically more than $1,000, before insurance would cover medication costs.<\/p>\n

When asked if their health insurance plan covered the medications they take for ADHD:<\/p>\n