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Pricing and Cost of Ketamine Therapy in Wisconsin
The price for ketamine therapy varies depending on the number of sessions prescribed based on your specific circumstances. This can be seen in comparison to other common treatments in the table below. Ketamine therapy is often a great option to treat mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD, especially when other treatments have not been effective.
How Much Does Ketamine Therapy Cost
To put the price of ketamine therapy into perspective, we will compare it to common treatments people also look into. Alternative treatments to ketamine include:
- SSRI / Anti-Depressant Medications
- Spravato (Esketamine)
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
To make these comparisons, it is important to understand the full scope of what each treatment entails. The key factors for these comparisons will be:
- Cost of the treatment
- Length of treatment / Number of sessions
- Overall effectiveness and results
- Period of effectiveness after treatment
- Invasiveness and intensity of the treatment
| Effectiveness | Longevity / Maintenance | Initial Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IV Ketamine | 75% | Results can last several years. | $2,400–$3,600 |
| ECT | 70% | Results can last several years. | $20,000 |
| TMS | 50%–60% | Results can last 6 months. | $10,000–$15,000 |
| EMDR | 75% for patients with PTSD | Results can last several years. | $900–$1,800 |
| Spravato | 50%–70% | May require ongoing maintenance treatments. | $9,000 |
| SSRIs | 40%–70% | Requires continued usage to work. | Variable monthly expense |
Ketamine Infusion Costs Compared to Alternatives
The upfront cost is just one component of the true cost of a treatment plan. Patients thinking about the long-term costs should also consider the likelihood that a treatment will be effective and whether the treatment is something they will need to pay for regularly. And those carefully budgeting will want to consider how long that treatment will last, how long the treatment will take, and how likely it is they will be able to maintain an upkeep schedule if one is required.
There is also the time off work and time lost from daily activities to consider. Some options are more time intensive than others, requiring frequent appointments, tedious phone calls and paperwork every time there is a change in healthcare insurance, and more. Side effects and effectiveness also factor into whether or not a treatment option is “worth it” to you.
Below are approximate costs to common treatment options. All are subject to an individual’s specific needs and insurance.
SSRI Costs
SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are used to treat anxiety and depression. These are the most common type of prescribed antidepressant with more than one in ten people using SSRIs in the US. SSRIs are effective for 40%-70% of patients.
How much they cost depends on the dosage, the patient’s insurance, and whether or not it is a generic brand. Insurance may make it less expensive, but insurance may cover different brands or dosages very differently. That makes it challenging to budget and to find the most affordable option that is still effective.
Those factors mean the costs range can be as high as hundreds of dollars a month or under twenty dollars a month. That is just the cost of the monthly prescription. SSRIs require regular doctor visits. These visits may be necessary every 3-6 months or even more frequently to monitor the effectiveness and adjust dosages. Copays or deductibles could cost $30 per visit or $100 or more per visit.
Those costs add up over time. More than 65% of people are on SSRIs for at least two years, and 25% of people using anti-depressants have been on them for more than 10 years. A mid-tier prescription requiring four doctor visits per year can easily cost thousands of dollars over time. Not to mention the out of pocket costs can change every time a patient’s insurance changes, requiring extra legwork from the patient to find an in-network doctor and decipher the new coverage.
| Annual Cost | Two Years (65% of patients use SSRIs for 2+ years) | Ten Years (25% of patients use SSRIs for 10+ years) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario 1: $150 monthly name brand prescription and $50 copay for 4 doctor visits | $2,000 | $4,000 | $20,000 |
| Scenario 2: $50 monthly prescription and $50 copay for 4 doctor visits a year | $800 | $1,600 | $8,000 |
| Scenario 3: $20 monthly prescription and $30 copay for 4 doctor visits a year | $360 | $720 | $3,600 |
Spravato Costs
Spravato is a brand name for esketamine. It’s a nasal treatment for depressive symptoms, particularly in treatment resistant depression. 50%-70% of patients experience a reduction in depressive symptoms.
Treatment typically consists of twice weekly sessions for four weeks, once a week for four weeks, then it may continue at lower frequencies until the patient only receives it as needed. The cost is $600-$1,000 per session, making the total cost of the initial treatment schedule $9,000, not counting maintenance doses. The cost depends on dosage and if your insurance covers all or part of the treatment.
ECT Costs
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a medical procedure done under general anesthesia to treat mental health conditions, including treatment resistant depression. Electrical pulses induce short seizures in the brain, causing chemical changes.
ECT can cost around $2,000 per session, with 5-15 sessions being typical. Ten sessions at an average rate could cost around $20,000, but exact out of pocket costs depend on the patient’s insurance. Health insurance often covers ECT, but it may only be partial coverage.
ECT can be an effective treatment for treatment resistant depression, with some studies showing it to be over 70% effective, but the side effects can be more disruptive than IV ketamine. Patients can experience memory loss that can last up to several months. They may experience trouble remembering events in the weeks to years before treatment and/or the events in the weeks of treatment.
TMS Costs
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses magnetic pulses to stimulate parts of the brain and is used to treat major depressive disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is typically done daily over the course of several weeks.
TMS costs $300-$500 per session, with 36 sessions being typical, bringing the typical range to $10,000 - $15,000. Costs depend on the number of sessions needed, the equipment used, and other clinical fees depending on the provider chosen. Some health insurance covers TMS in part or in full, but often require prior authorization, a formal diagnosis, a history of medication failure, and possibly other qualifications. 50%-60% of people experience relief of symptoms with TMS, which is more than SSRIs but not as high a success rate as ECT or IV Ketamine.
EMDR Costs
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) primarily helps people with PTSD. It helps patients process traumatic memories, using eye movements and guided instructions to reprocess negative memories. It’s not physically invasive, but can be emotionally taxing. It can help with PTSD in over 75% of people.
It requires 6-12 sessions and costs $100-$250 per session. A typical range for total treatment may be $900-$1,800. Some health insurance covers EMDR, but may not cover the total cost. Many insurance companies classify it as therapy, but may not cover the full length of a session since EMDR sessions are longer than typical talk therapy sessions.
IV Ketamine Costs
IV Ketamine is used for treatment resistant depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. It’s very effective, with improvement seen in 75% of patients. It has few side effects, and what side effects there are are short lived.
A full treatment is most often six sessions, with each session costing $400-$600. That makes the total price $2,400 - $3,600. Some health insurance may cover IV ketamine treatment.
Ketamine Therapy Cost: Planning for Care Without Stressing Your Budget
Check with your insurance to see if IV ketamine is covered. Reset Restore can supply paperwork for you to submit to your healthcare insurance provider.
IV ketamine is a valid use of Flexible Savings Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) funds.
There are also financing options, like Advance Care and CareCredit, which helps patients get the treatment they need faster and provides some financial flexibility for those that need it.
No results are guaranteed. Individual results to any treatment option may vary. All pricing estimates are based on available public data.