Ketamine Treatment FAQs

Simply call us to schedule an initial consultation which can be completed virtually or in-person. If we determine that you are someone who would benefit from ketamine therapy, your next step would be to meet with our psychologist who will perform a thorough medical intake and map out a customized ketamine treatment plan, based on your individual needs. You will then be scheduled to receive your first infusion in our office.

We always welcome referrals from other providers to our ketamine treatment program. To make a referral, you may send us a secure e-mail and we will respond as soon as possible. Or you can share our website address and contact information with your clients so they can reach out directly.

If your patient indicates that it is okay for our team to share information about their ketamine infusion treatment program and progress with you, we are more than glad to keep you appraised on your patient’s progress. We always welcome collaboration with other providers if the patient is comfortable with it.

While many of our patients/clients are referred to us by other mental health service providers, or Primary Care Physicians (PCPs), you do not need a referral from another healthcare provider to participate in our ketamine treatment program.

Most health insurance providers do not currently cover or reimburse for the costs of ketamine infusion therapy, but that could change at any point in time, particularly as insurers continue to learn of the effectiveness and demand for this treatment among their health plan members. Some health insurance providers may reimburse you for ketamine therapy on a case-by-case basis, so you should still reach out to your health insurance provider to ask if you might be reimbursed for your treatment payment. We can also provide you with a bill payment statement that you can submit to your insurer to document your payment to us.

As stated above, even if your healthcare insurance will reimburse you for the costs of your treatment, health plans are not currently contracting with ketamine treatment providers. This means we are not a part of any health insurer’s/health plan’s network, and therefore, health insurance providers will not pay us directly for any services received by you. Any individuals receiving ketamine treatment from us will be considered “private pay” clients who will be responsible for payment of any services received from us. South Shore Biotherapy will accept cash, debit, or credit card payments, and payment is due at the time of treatment. For customers who do not pay in cash, a credit or debit card must be on file with us and will be charged automatically at the time of appointment. Patients who cancel appointments in less than 24 hours will have their card charged for the full cost of their treatment.

Yes, interest in studying and treatment of traditional-treatment-resistant patients via ketamine therapy continues to grow and grow among health researchers and healthcare providers. Check out the findings from recent studies documented by The Journal of Clinical Psychology and The National Library of Medicine (pubmed.gov). 

There is no evidence that ketamine infusion treatment used to treat depression or other mood disorders or mental health challenges leads to future dependence on or addiction to ketamine.

There is no evidence that ketamine infusion therapy causes individuals to lose their memory. In fact, because ketamine can support improvement in cognitive functioning, it may improve memory.

Ketamine is a drug that is used both legally and illegally (see Q & A about the recreational use of ketamine below) in the United States and in other countries. Since the 1970s, ketamine has been marketed in the U.S. as an injectable, short-acting anesthetic for use in humans and animals. In 1999, ketamine became a Schedule III non-narcotic substance under the Controlled Substances Act. It currently has accepted medical uses for short-term sedation and anesthesia.

Like many drugs, including other medications prescribed for psychological/mental health issues, ketamine is often misused as an illegal, recreational drug. Legal use for this controlled substance requires a prescription from a healthcare provider.

No. Such medications are not known to interfere with ketamine therapy, and therefore, you do not need to discontinue or lessen use of any prescribed medications. You shouldn’t stop taking or reduce the amount of any prescribed medication without discussing it with the prescribing healthcare provider first.