Lumin Health has expanded its interventional psychiatry model beyond Massachusetts, opening a new clinic in Bethesda, Maryland, as demand rises for structured treatments for treatment-resistant depression. Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Benjamin Yudkoff told Charity Journal that the company’s insurance-based approach directly targets the cost barriers that keep ketamine and Spravato care out of reach for many patients.
Lumin Health pushes beyond Massachusetts as demand for interventional care grows
The Bethesda opening marks Lumin Health’s first out-of-state expansion after building its clinical base in Massachusetts, where it delivered more than 12,300 treatments in 2025. The organization has positioned itself within a fast-growing segment of psychiatry that focuses on interventional approaches for patients who do not respond to standard antidepressants.
Reported outcomes from its Boston-area operations show that 70% of patients experienced clinically meaningful improvement in depressive symptoms, rising to 78% among those with moderate to severe depression.
That growth reflects broader pressure on mental health systems as treatment-resistant depression cases continue to rise across the United States. The expansion also follows a wider shift in how clinicians and insurers evaluate ketamine and esketamine therapies as part of mainstream psychiatric care.
“Too many people suffering from depression have tried multiple treatments and are still not well,” said Dr. Benjamin Yudkoff, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Lumin Health. “Patients and providers alike are looking for options that are safe, structured and clinically grounded.”
The expansion also sits within a wider policy and funding environment where nonprofits and healthcare systems continue to push for expanded access to community-based mental health services.
Insurance model challenges the high cost of ketamine care
Cost remains one of the biggest barriers in interventional psychiatry. Most ketamine providers still rely on cash-pay models, with treatment courses often reaching thousands of dollars and individual sessions priced above $500.
Lumin Health takes a different approach by operating within Medicare and major private insurance networks. Patients typically pay between $10 and $25 per session, depending on standard copay structures, while insurers cover the remainder.
Yudkoff told Charity Journal that the shift changes who can realistically access treatment.
“We know that this significantly reduces financial barriers that would otherwise prevent people from accessing life-changing esketamine (Spravato) and ketamine therapy, particularly those from low-income situations and/or marginalized communities,” he said.
The model reflects a broader transition in behavioral health, where insurance participation increasingly determines whether newer psychiatric treatments scale beyond high-income patient groups.
This affordability pressure also mirrors broader nonprofit healthcare trends, with organizations focusing on closing access gaps in mental health services.
Lumin Health targets referral networks across the D.C. metro area
Beyond clinical expansion, Lumin Health now focuses on embedding its Bethesda clinic within existing healthcare pathways across the Washington D.C. region. The organization says it is building referral relationships with primary care providers and community-based clinicians to increase awareness of FDA-approved esketamine treatment.
However, a major challenge remains the identification of eligible patients. Many individuals with treatment-resistant depression never receive referrals to interventional care or remain unaware that insurance-covered options exist.
Yudkoff said the organization’s goal centers on integration rather than isolation within the healthcare system.
“Our immediate goal is to connect people across the D.C. metro area to the treatment they need, which Lumin Health can provide effectively and affordably,” Yudkoff told Charity Journal.
The expansion reflects a broader shift in psychiatric care delivery, where interventional treatments increasingly move from standalone specialty clinics into coordinated, community-based healthcare networks.