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To: Xavier Becerra, Secretary Department of Health & Human Services
Approve Ketamine to Help Reduce Suicides!
Suicide rates continue to climb in America. There is an FDA-approved anesthesia drug, ketamine, which has been used for more than ten years and is proven to eliminate or greatly reduce thoughts of suicide in 70% of patients.
Ketamine is crucial to reducing the rates of suicide. It works! Your Department must approve ketamine infusions and add it to the list of covered administered drugs on the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS)!
Why is this important?
Ketamine works for Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD, Bi-Polar Disorder, and other mental health disorders. It stops suicide cold, in just a few hours. Clinicians have been administering these infusions for many years. It is safe and effective.
The initial course of therapy is six infusions over three weeks, and costs up to $500 per infusion. People on Medicare and Medicaid typically have low incomes and many cannot afford the cost because CMS has not approved it for coverage.
It is immoral to have Americans resorting to suicide when there is medication therapy that can help! The medication should not be out of reach because of cost. Many other FDA-approved drugs are routinely used off-label and approved by CMS.
Ketamine is FDA-approved. Ketamine is safe. Ketamine SAVES LIVES!
How it will be delivered
Via Email or in person.