News

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.

DECEMBER 2025 UPDATE:

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.

JULY 2024 UPDATE:

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 UPDATE:

  • 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.