FREQENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Ketamine has been safely used as an anesthetic in the US since the 1960s. Since that time, several studies have been done that demonstrate the efficacy of ketamine in treating a variety of mental health conditions.

Depression can cause parts of the brain to decrease in size, which impacts memory and cognition, and can affect various other functions of the brain. Ketamine works differently from traditional antidepressant medications. While most typical antidepressants interact with the same few chemicals in your brain, ketamine stimulates the production of a different chemical called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). BDNF is a substance that helps the brain to be more efficient and can stimulate brain growth. Additionally, while traditional antidepressants typically require weeks or months to take effect, ketamine has been shown to produce antidepressant effects in the first 24 hours.

Ketamine has been safely used as an anesthetic for decades. At the doses used in the clinic setting, there is minimal risk of respiratory depression or cardiac issues. At Solaris Integrative Psychiatry, you will be under the observation of medical professionals. During treatment, your vital signs, such as blood pressure and oxygen levels, will be monitored several times.

Intramuscular ketamine must be administered under the supervision of healthcare professionals. While there has been a rise of take-home ketamine pills, this and other take-home options are less effective than ketamine injections. Intramuscular ketamine is a more potent form of ketamine, and the medical supervision provided in our clinic ensures your safety.

No. Ketamine may cause sedation, dizziness, or disassociation (feeling disconnected from yourself). In order to ensure your safety, you should not operate any machinery or do anything that requires alertness until the day after treatment.

Ketamine comes in various forms, which can impact treatment cost. At Solaris Integrative Psychiatry, we use intramuscular injections, which requires minimal equipment, thus keeping costs low.

• Initial Ketamine Package $2299*

  • 6 ketamine treatment sessions

  • Must be used within 4 weeks of first treatment

  • This package is required to initiate treatment

*Intake appointment fee is $300. Contact us to inquire about using insurance for this appointment.

• Add-On Ketamine Package $2099

  • 6 additional ketamine treatment sessions

  • Scheduling of add-on sessions to be determined based on treatment response

• Add-On Ketamine Treatment $424

  • Priced per additional session

  • Scheduling of add-on sessions to be determined based on treatment response

We offer a $50 discount for packages when using ACH to pay for packages. Discount not applied to individual add-on treatment sessions.

Military personnel, emergency responders, and licensed medical professionals receive a 15% discount for all out-of-pocket expenses, including packages. Must be able to provide appropriate documentation to qualify.

At Solaris, we are committed to providing exceptional care and support to each of our patients. We understand that everyone's experience with ketamine treatment can vary. Therefore, we want to ensure that you are fully informed about our refund policy before beginning treatment. We maintain a strict no-refund policy for ketamine treatments, except in rare circumstances where a refund may be warranted due to a severe medical issue. Before starting your treatment, we encourage you to discuss any concerns or questions with our clinical team to ensure you have all the necessary information. Your mental health and satisfaction with your treatment are our top priorities, and we are here to support you every step of the way.

Treatment with ketamine for mental health conditions is not currently covered by health insurance plans. Payment is due by the client at the time of treatment.

While ketamine treatment is considered out-of-pocket, you may be able to use your health insurance for your intake appointment, which we require prior to initiating treatment with ketamine.

We are currently able to accept the following health insurance plans for intake appointments:

• Cigna

• Aetna

• Colorado Medicaid

• United

• UMR

• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield/Carelon

Some insurance carriers will reimburse you for certain expenses, even when they won’t pay for the ketamine itself. At your request, we are happy to provide a “superbill” which lists the services provided and the cost you paid out-of-pocket. You can submit this form to your insurance plan for consideration of reimbursement. We cannot guarantee how much you may be reimbursed, if at all.

No. Unfortunately, Medicaid does not have specific billing guidelines for treatment of depression and other mental health disorders using ketamine, and therefore does not reimburse for this treatment. You may have seen clinics advertising that they accept Medicaid clients and bill Medicaid for ketamine treatment. It is up to a clinic's discrepancy to determine whether they use alternative/less standardized billing codes and practices. Our clinic is currently not able to bill Medicaid for ketamine treatment. We are able to accept Medicaid clients for Spravato (esketamine) treatment and would be happy to discuss this option with you!

We offer a $50 discount for packages when using ACH to pay for packages. Discount does not apply to individual add-on treatment sessions.

Military personnel, emergency responders, and licensed medical professionals receive a 15% discount for all out-of-pocket expenses, including packages. Must be able to provide appropriate documentation to qualify.

Additionally, the add-on ketamine package is discounted, saving a total of $445 over the course of 6 treatments, compared to purchasing 6 individual add-on ketamine treatment sessions.

Ketamine treatments are scheduled for 90 minutes and require a minimum of 60 minutes following administration of the medication. Your treatment time may vary depending on your response to the medication.

We require 6 treatment sessions in a period of 4 weeks an initial treatment. This is to ensure that you receive the most benefit from the medication.

To get started with ketamine treatment:

• You will first have a 60-minute intake assessment during which your psychiatric history will be reviewed. In this appointment, we will work with you to determine which treatment option is best for you.

• After your intake assessment is completed, we will schedule you for treatment as soon as possible.

• Each treatment session lasts for approximately 1 hour. The ketamine treatment schedule is as follows:

  • 2 sessions a week for the first 2 weeks

  • 1 session a week for the following 2 weeks

  • Additional sessions for maintenance, as determined by your response to treatment. Many clients need at least 1 treatment every 1 to 2 months during maintenance treatment.

After completion of your initial treatment package, ongoing treatment will be individualized based on your treatment response.

Ketamine is a fast-acting medication. Most people will feel the benefits of ketamine during the first session. Lasting improvements are often noticed after one or two treatment sessions with continued improvement over time.

Each person receiving ketamine treatment may have a different experience. The most common sensations that one might experience include:

• A dream-like state

• Chilled, relaxed, and/or happy

• An out-of-body experience

• Sedated and/or sleepy

• Changes in thought, vision, and/or speech

• Nauseated and/or dizzy

The most common side effects of ketamine are nausea and fatigue. We offer anti-nausea medication to treat this potential side effect. In order to minimize this risk, we encourage you to eat a snack or a small meal 2 hours prior to treatment. We also recommend giving yourself time to rest following treatment.

Ketamine therapy is not appropriate for everyone, including:

• Pregnant individuals or individuals who are planning on becoming pregnant soon

• Breastfeeding individuals

• People with active psychosis

• People with uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Those with other cardiac diseases may require prior approval from their provider

• Those with active addiction issues may not be appropriate for ketamine treatment

If you are unsure whether you are an appropriate candidate for ketamine treatment, contact us!

Ketamine does not cause physical dependency. At the dosage and frequency provided in the clinic setting, ketamine has not been demonstrated to have any addictive potential.