Florida Veterans

Ketamine Therapy for Florida VeteransPTSD, Depression, Chronic Pain

Physician-led at-home ketamine therapy for Florida veterans dealing with treatment-resistant PTSD, depression, or chronic pain. Board-certified, $250/month, full statewide delivery. No VA paperwork, no clinic visits, no waiting list.

Board-certified physician (Dr. Ben Soffer, MD) — single prescriber continuity
Same medication used in VA Spravato programs (compounded racemic ketamine)
HSA/FSA eligible — pretax dollars accepted
Coordinates with existing Vet Center or VA care if you choose
60-70% response rate for treatment-resistant PTSD in clinical literature
Eligibility review in 24-48 hours, not weeks of VA referrals

Florida residents — start your eligibility check

Currently serving Florida (all 67 counties) and New Jersey

Why ketamine for veterans, specifically

Treatment-resistant PTSD is the rule among veterans, not the exception. The VA's standard of care — SSRIs, prazosin, trauma-focused therapy — works for many patients, but a substantial fraction experience inadequate response, intolerable side effects, or both. The 2019 Spravato approval for major depressive disorder with acute suicidal ideation extended ketamine-class options into VA care, but compounded racemic ketamine (the at-home form) remains outside most VA pathways.

The clinical evidence specifically for veterans is real and growing. Albott et al. (2018, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry) studied repeated IV ketamine infusions in veterans with comorbid PTSD and treatment-resistant depression and found significant, durable symptom reductions on both dimensions. Feder et al. (2014, JAMA Psychiatry) demonstrated ketamine\'s efficacy for chronic PTSD specifically. Ongoing RAND and VA cooperative studies are extending this evidence base.

The mechanism matters here. Ketamine drives glutamate-mediated neuroplasticity in the days following each session, opening a window where rigid trauma-response patterns (hypervigilance, intrusive memories, avoidance) become more malleable. For veterans engaged in concurrent trauma-focused therapy — PE, CPT, EMDR — this neuroplasticity window can substantially accelerate progress that would otherwise take years.

How this works for Florida veterans

1

Eligibility check (5 minutes)

A short medical questionnaire screens for the standard contraindications — uncontrolled hypertension, active psychosis, certain cardiac conditions, current substance use disorder. Your service history and trauma exposure are part of context, not exclusion criteria.

2

Telehealth consultation with Dr. Soffer

A 30-minute video visit from any private space. Full medical history review, current medication audit (including any VA-prescribed meds), discussion of treatment goals. If at-home ketamine is appropriate, a personalized prescription is written. If a clinic-based setting is safer for your case, you'll get a referral.

3

Medication shipped to your door

A licensed U.S. compounding pharmacy fills the prescription and ships in discreet packaging. Typical delivery to all 67 Florida counties: 2-3 business days.

4

Structured at-home sessions

You do guided sessions in your own space — no clinic, no waiting room, no time off work for travel. Dr. Soffer remains reachable for dose adjustments, follow-up, and integration support throughout the treatment course.

What separates this from a sketchy telehealth clinic

A named, board-certified physician

Dr. Ben Soffer, DO — board-certified in internal medicine, former Chair of Internal Medicine at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach. FL License OS13821, verifiable through the Florida Department of Health. Every patient is reviewed personally before any prescription is issued.

Real screening, not a 5-minute approval form

The intake covers your full medical and psychiatric history, current medications, cardiovascular history, and trauma exposure context. Patients with disqualifying conditions are referred out, not approved for billing. See our contraindications guide.

U.S. licensed compounding pharmacy

Medication is compounded by a state-licensed, PCAB-accredited U.S. pharmacy. Not imported, not gray-market, not from offshore suppliers.

Common questions from veterans

Does the VA cover at-home ketamine therapy?

Generally not — the VA system uses Spravato (FDA-approved esketamine nasal spray) at certified VA facilities for treatment-resistant depression in some cases, but does not cover at-home compounded ketamine. However, many veterans use HSA/FSA funds (medical expense eligible) or service-connected disability income to pay for at-home treatment when VA-coordinated care is unavailable, has long wait times, or isn't a clinical fit.

Can I do ketamine therapy if I'm already receiving VA mental health care?

Yes, and many veterans do. At-home ketamine therapy can complement existing VA care — therapy, antidepressants, and other treatments. Your VA provider should be informed so your medication list is fully visible to all clinicians. SSRIs, SNRIs, and most psychiatric medications are compatible with ketamine therapy. We coordinate with VA providers when patients request it.

Will ketamine therapy show up on my VA records or affect my disability rating?

Ketamine prescribed at a private clinic is part of your private medical record. You can choose whether to inform the VA. Most veterans do tell their VA primary care provider for medication-list completeness, but private treatment is not automatically shared. A ketamine prescription does not affect a service-connected disability rating — those are based on documented symptoms and functional impairment, not which treatments you're receiving.

Is ketamine effective for combat-related PTSD?

Yes, with growing evidence. Multiple peer-reviewed studies (Feder et al. 2014, Albott et al. 2018, and ongoing trials) show ketamine produces meaningful symptom reduction in 60-70% of patients with PTSD, including combat-related. The mechanism — glutamate-driven neuroplasticity — appears to specifically address the rigid trauma-response patterns that anchor PTSD. Ketamine works best paired with concurrent trauma-focused therapy (PE, CPT, or EMDR).

Can I do at-home ketamine if I'm on multiple medications?

Usually yes. Most psychiatric and cardiovascular medications are compatible with ketamine. Common combinations like SSRIs + Wellbutrin + sleep aids are fine. The medications that require careful evaluation are MAOIs, lamotrigine (which can blunt ketamine's effect), and benzodiazepines (which interact with ketamine's mechanism — typically held the day of a session). See our full [medication safety guide](/blog/medication-safety-with-ketamine).

What if I have TBI or post-concussion symptoms in addition to PTSD?

TBI and PTSD frequently co-occur in veterans, and ketamine can be appropriate for both — but the evaluation needs to be careful. We screen for any history of severe head injury, current symptoms (cognitive impairment, balance issues, headaches), and medications that may complicate dosing. In some cases, in-clinic IV ketamine is the safer initial setting; we'll refer when at-home isn't the right fit.

How does this compare to going through Vet Centers or community providers?

Vet Centers (Readjustment Counseling Service) provide individual and group therapy at no cost — that's a complementary resource, not a competing one. Community Care Network (CCN) physicians can sometimes prescribe off-label ketamine through VA referral, but routes through the VA system involve substantial wait times. At-home ketamine therapy through Discreet Ketamine is private, immediate (eligibility review within days), and works alongside existing Vet Center counseling.

What's the actual cost compared to VA delays or Spravato copays?

At-home compounded ketamine therapy through Discreet Ketamine starts at $250/month (clinical care) plus $75-$150/month for medication. Spravato through the VA or community care typically involves $200-300/session copays plus 2-hour clinic monitoring requirements. The financial comparison depends on insurance, but the time-cost is meaningful: a 6-12 session induction at home avoids 12-24 hours of clinic time spread across weeks.

Ready to see if you qualify?

Five-minute eligibility check. Physician review within 24-48 hours. Medication shipped within a week of approval.

Also serving New Jersey — see /nj/ketamine-for-first-responders if you're a NJ resident in public safety.

    Ketamine Therapy for Florida Veterans: PTSD, Depression, Pain (2026) | Discreet Ketamine