Learn More About Ketamine Infusions

Ketamine is an FDA approved medication that has been used for many decades as an anesthetic agent. It is considered to be an essential medication by the World Health Organization due to its high degree of safety and efficacy. It is commonly used in situations ranging from treating wounded soldiers in the battlefield, complex cardiac surgeries and is often the top choice of anesthetic for children. FDA approval does not imply that there are no risks but rather that the benefits outweigh any potential risks.

There is strong evidence to suggest that ketamine may provide relief of symptoms of certain chronic pain conditions, depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD and other mood disorders. Ketamine’s use for these conditions is considered off-label because these aren’t the original indications that ketamine was approved for. However, once a drug has been approved by the FDA for one purpose, healthcare providers may prescribe the drug for other purposes that they judge to be medically appropriate. Appropriate off-label use of medication is ethical, legal and common. In fact, about 20% of all prescriptions written in the US today are considered off-label. However, when ketamine is used in an off-label manner, insurance companies including Medicaid and Medicare generally do not provide coverage for infusions. We are beginning to see some private insurance carriers provide at least partial coverage, but this is still rare. We hope that there will soon be more widespread coverage. If you are considering ketamine infusion therapy, please contact your insurance carrier to confirm potential coverage before beginning treatment.