Projects

The Ketamine Taskforce is raising funds to tell the stories of veterans whose lives have been transformed by an old medication with a new purpose. Ketamine, used as an anesthetic since the 1970s, has been shown to stop suicidal ideation faster than any other drug currently available.

However, because ketamine is only FDA-approved for use as an anesthetic, veterans and others in crisis are being denied access to this potentially life-saving treatment.

  • At this time the majority of insurance companies and Medicare are still refusing to reimburse for Ketamine treatments. The Taskforce is working hard to change that.

    UPDATE DECEMBER 2025:

    We had several meetings with local medicare management companies. They advised us that the research on the senior population is very limited and they will not approve anything without proof that it is safe and effective for those over the age of 65. We have put together a study and are now attempting to fund it. We are reaching out to the public to attempt to find donors to make this study happen.

    Update July 2024:

    The Taskforce has begun a new endeavor to get large companies to agree to guarantee coverage for ketamine for mental health through special supplemental insurance programs.

    We have also begun working at a local level to try to get local medicare coverage on a state by state level.

    January 2023:

    • Medicare failed to agree to pass a national coverage determination for the use of Ketamine for major depressive disorder.

    • The Ketamine Taskforce has made the decision to press forward to seek full FDA Approval for racemic Ketamine for the treatment of major depressive disorder. We are working together with a large University to do a longitudinal research study proving the effectiveness of Ketamine for major depressive disorder. Once there is approval by the FDA insurances will no longer be able to say that this treatment is experimental.

    • The Taskforce will also be pursuing the approval of racemic ketamine for CRPS/Chronic Pain.

      November 2022, We submitted, after months of hard work and refining and fixing our application, to Medicare for a National Coverage Determination (NCD) for Ketamine for Major Depression.

    • What does this mean?

      1. If Medicare passes an NCD then insurance companies can no longer say it’s an experimental treatment and should have to pay for treatments.

      2. How long will it take for Medicare to review the application?

      Unfortunately we don’t know how long it will take but probably at least 6 months. Once it gets reviewed Medicare will open it to comments that’s when we will need your help to go on their website and comment why they should approve this NCD.

      3. Once it passes what will happen next? Once the NCD is passed than CPT codes have to be created that will reimburse for infusions. We have a CPT code application sitting and ready to be submitted to the AMA a once an NCD is passed.

  • composed of clinics across the country working together to generate real-world evidence of how ketamine improves activities of daily living in pain patients.

  • Veterans, and especially female veterans, are the most overlooked population in the country.

    Veterans work hard and sacrifice for our great nation and yet they are left behind despite the promise of no soldier left behind. When they return home they are likely to suffer from suicidal ideation and PTSD.

    We want to change that and we want to share with you the story of brave veterans who are fighting to get access to Ketamine for suicidal ideation, PTSD, chronic pain and other diagnoses. Please help us tell their story by donating today.

  • OSMIND: In early 2022, our technology partner Osmind published the largest real-world analysis of ketamine infusion therapy for depression. The peer-reviewed research article provided further evidence that ketamine is a rapid and effective treatment for depression, and was the first to demonstrate that real-world outcomes in clinics across the US were robust and durable. This work can be used to advocate for insurance coverage of ketamine infusion therapy. You can use this manuscript and/or its key findings as supporting documentation for conversations with payers or upstream providers (e.g. PCPs). When providers or patients seek coverage for ketamine for depression, you can include the abstract or entire paper in your requests for consideration to payers. This could be part of an initial request or it could be submitted when appealing an initial denial. This approach is relevant for requesting out-of-network reimbursement, in-network reimbursement, or single case agreements.