If you have depression that hasn’t responded to two or more antidepressants, you may be a candidate for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) — an FDA-cleared, non-invasive, drug-free treatment for major depressive disorder. At Hamilton Behavioral, we offer TMS at our Elmwood Park and Oakhurst, NJ offices, and most major insurance plans cover the treatment when standard medications have failed.
What is TMS therapy?
TMS uses precisely targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that is consistently underactive in people with depression. The treatment is performed while you sit awake in a chair — no anesthesia, no sedation, no recovery time. Most patients describe the sensation as a light tapping on the scalp. You can drive yourself to and from sessions and return to work or normal activities immediately afterward.
TMS was approved by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression in 2008 and has since been approved for obsessive-compulsive disorder (2018) and smoking cessation (2020). The decade-plus of research backing TMS makes it one of the most rigorously studied modern psychiatric treatments.
Who is a good candidate for TMS?
You may be a candidate for TMS if you have major depressive disorder and have tried at least one (often two) antidepressants without adequate response, or if you cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressant medications. TMS is also FDA-cleared for OCD that hasn’t responded to standard treatment.
TMS is generally not recommended if you have implanted metallic devices in or around the head (such as cochlear implants, deep brain stimulators, or aneurysm clips), a history of seizures, or are pregnant. Your psychiatrist will review your full medical history during the initial evaluation.
What does a course of TMS look like?
A standard TMS treatment course runs five days a week for four to six weeks, with each session lasting roughly 20 to 40 minutes depending on the protocol your psychiatrist prescribes. The first session is the longest because it includes mapping — calibrating the precise location and intensity of the magnetic pulses for your individual brain anatomy.
Most patients begin to notice symptom improvement somewhere between the second and fourth week. Roughly 50–60 percent of people who complete a full course experience clinically significant improvement, and 30–40 percent achieve full remission. These are notable response rates given that this is, by definition, a population that has not responded to medications.
Cost and insurance coverage for TMS in New Jersey
The list price for a full TMS course is significant — typically $10,000 to $15,000 out of pocket — but the vast majority of patients pay only their plan’s deductible and copay. Hamilton Behavioral is in-network with most major commercial and Medicare plans that cover TMS, including Aetna, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, AmeriHealth NJ, and Medicare.
Insurance generally requires documentation that you have tried and failed at least two antidepressants from different classes before approving TMS. Our office handles the prior-authorization paperwork on your behalf — you don’t need to chase down the approval yourself.
Where Hamilton Behavioral offers TMS
We offer TMS at two of our four New Jersey offices: Elmwood Park (Bergen County, easy access from Hackensack, Paramus, Fair Lawn) and Oakhurst (Monmouth County, convenient for Asbury Park, Long Branch, Ocean Township, and the Jersey Shore). Both locations are staffed by psychiatrists experienced in treatment-resistant depression and have the same TMS equipment and protocols.
Getting started
The first step is a psychiatric evaluation to confirm that TMS is appropriate for your situation and to begin the insurance prior-authorization process. Call 1-800-883-7556 or visit our contact page to schedule a consultation. You can also learn more about our TMS services or see all four office locations.
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