Your Spravato questions, answered.
Short, straight answers to the questions people ask us most, with links to the full detail. Can’t find yours? Call (908) 450-7002 and ask.
Before you start.
Who qualifies for Spravato?
Adults whose depression hasn’t responded to at least two antidepressants. Am I a candidate?
Do I need a referral?
No. You can contact us directly. If you have a psychiatrist or therapist, we’ll coordinate with them.
How fast can I start?
Most patients are evaluated within one business day of their first call and are in a treatment chair within two to three days, once insurance approves.
Do I have to stop my current antidepressant?
No. Spravato can be used on its own or alongside an oral antidepressant for treatment-resistant depression. We decide together what’s right for you.
Paying for it.
How much does Spravato cost?
Most of our patients pay $0 with NJ Medicaid, or up to $40 a treatment with commercial insurance after the manufacturer’s SpravatoWithMe program. With no insurance, we help you get Spravato through the manufacturer and our fee stays $40 a session. Cost and insurance.
Is Spravato covered by insurance?
Yes, by most plans, including NJ Medicaid and Medicare, usually with a prior authorization that we handle. 95% of ours are approved the first time.
What if my insurance says no?
We appeal, through every level available. In our most recent internal review, 34 of 36 denials were overturned. How appeals work.
Didn’t find your question? Ask us directly.
Call, or leave your number and we’ll call you back, usually within one business day.
Name, date of birth and insurer. We check your plan and call you back. No commitment.
Check my coverageRegister once, and our team starts your insurance check and reaches out to schedule your evaluation.
Request an evaluationWhat it’s like.
How often do you take Spravato?
Twice a week for four weeks, once a week for the next four, then weekly or every other week. What to expect.
How long is each appointment?
A little over two hours: a short check-in, the dose, then at least two hours of rest and monitoring.
Can I drive after Spravato?
Not the same day. Someone else drives you home, and you can drive again the next day after a night’s sleep.
What does it feel like?
Most people feel detached or dreamlike for a while after the dose, often drowsy. It eases while you rest with us. What Spravato feels like.
Can I take Spravato at home?
No. Every dose is given in a certified office, under a federal safety program.
Safety, and whether it works.
What are the side effects?
Mostly dissociation, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea and a temporary rise in blood pressure, strongest in the first hour or so while you’re resting in our office. For most people they’re over by the time they go home, unlike a daily antidepressant, whose side effects can follow you every day. Side effects in full.
Is Spravato the same as ketamine?
It’s esketamine, one half of the ketamine molecule, as a nasal spray FDA-approved for depression. Spravato vs ketamine.
How well does Spravato work?
In the head-to-head ESCAPE-TRD trial, 55.7% of people on Spravato were in remission at 32 weeks, against 36.3% on quetiapine. What the numbers show.
How long will I need Spravato?
For as long as it helps you. If Spravato is working, you can stay on it for as long as you need the treatment, and people who continue relapse less often than people who stop. We also check in with you regularly to find the least frequent schedule that keeps you well: for some people that’s once a week, for others once a month, and everywhere in between.