Bill > SB967

This bill aims to address the mental health crisis in Hawaii by requiring Medicaid and private insurance providers to cover intravenous ketamine therapy for treating depression, specifically treatment-resistant depression. The legislation recognizes that ketamine therapy can provide rapid antidepressant effects and increases neuroplasticity more effectively than nasal spray alternatives, while being administered in a controlled environment with a psychologist present. Currently, the treatment is expensive (approximately $700 per session), which prevents many patients from accessing it. The bill mandates that starting January 1, 2026, Medicaid and private insurance policies must cover a percentage of the costs for qualifying patients, as determined by licensed medical professionals authorized to prescribe ketamine. Although ketamine is currently considered an "off-label" treatment for depression and may face challenges in obtaining FDA approval, the legislature believes this coverage is crucial to help residents struggling with mental health. The bill also appropriates state funds to support the implementation of this coverage through the state Medicaid program, with the act taking effect on July 1, 2025, contingent upon approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=967&year=2025