TMS List Editorial Team
TMS List Staff
Medicare open enrollment runs Oct 15 – Dec 7: what to check if you might need TMS in 2027
Medicare's annual open enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, and any plan change takes effect on January 1. If TMS might be part of next year, a few things are worth checking before you pick
MeRT vs standard TMS: what is the difference?
We are seeing more searches for MeRT (Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy). It is a form of repetitive TMS where the stimulation frequency is individualized from an EEG recording, rather than using a standar
Missed a session, or have travel coming up? How clinics usually handle gaps
With the holidays coming, a common question: what happens if you miss a TMS session? In most clinics, one missed session just gets added to the end of your course. You don't start over, and you usual
OCD Awareness Week (Oct 11–17): questions about Deep TMS for OCD
This week is OCD Awareness Week. A good moment to collect questions about TMS for OCD in one place. BrainsWay's Deep TMS system received FDA clearance in 2018 as an add-on treatment for adults with O
ADHD Awareness Month: what TMS research does and does not show for ADHD
October is ADHD Awareness Month, and we get a steady stream of questions about TMS for ADHD. The short version: TMS is not FDA-cleared for ADHD. Research so far is early, mostly small trials stimulat
Already met your 2026 deductible? Timing a TMS course before December 31
A standard TMS course is a session a day, five days a week, for about six weeks. If you have already met your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum this year, sessions delivered before December 31 can c
Can I drive after TMS, and how do you plan sessions around work?
Yes — you can drive yourself to and from TMS sessions, including your very first one. Standard TMS involves no anesthesia, no sedation, and no cognitive impairment, so there's no driving restriction t
How do you actually find and vet a TMS clinic?
Finding a TMS clinic takes more research than picking whoever's in-network, because the clinic you choose determines the equipment, the protocol, and the level of expertise managing your course. A few
Mindfulness alongside TMS: worth trying?
Meditation and TMS overlap on the same brain circuitry in some interesting ways, and there's early evidence that combining them may improve outcomes. Mindfulness meditation activates the dorsolateral
Combining TMS with therapy: does it actually work better?
TMS and psychotherapy target the same problem from different angles, and there's real evidence they work better together than either alone. The idea: TMS increases activity and plasticity in brain cir
TMS and cognitive function: what does the research actually show?
Depression doesn't just affect mood — it affects thinking. Research shows 80-90% of depressed patients have measurable cognitive impairment on formal testing, and for about 40% of people, that fog per
Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy (SNT), explained
Standard TMS takes 4-6 weeks — daily sessions, 30-36 total. Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy (SNT) compresses that into five days: 10 theta-burst sessions per day, about 50 minutes apart, roughly 50 s
What actually predicts who responds to TMS?
TMS doesn't work the same for everyone, and researchers have identified some real patterns in who responds best. None of these are guarantees — they're tendencies across large groups of patients. Age
What do TMS 'success rate' numbers actually mean?
When you see a clinic (or a website) cite a TMS success rate, it helps to know what's actually being measured. Researchers track two different things: response, meaning at least a 50% reduction in you
Does TMS affect memory?
Short answer: no. This is one of the most common fears people bring to TMS, and it usually comes from confusing TMS with ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). They're very different treatments — ECT passes
TMS side effects, the full rundown
TMS has a genuinely mild side effect profile compared to most psychiatric treatments, but it's not nothing. Here's the honest breakdown. Most common: headache, affecting roughly 40-50% of patients, u
Insurance denied your TMS coverage. What's the actual appeal path?
Insurance denials for TMS are common — some insurers deny 30-50% of prior authorization requests — but a real share of those denials get overturned on appeal. Knowing why you were denied is the first
What does TMS actually cost in 2026, with or without insurance?
Coverage for TMS varies by insurer and plan, but most commercial insurers and Medicare cover it under specific conditions: a documented diagnosis of major depressive disorder (often a PHQ-9 score of 1
How do you actually bring up TMS with your psychiatrist?
Most people find out about TMS online, not from their own doctor — which makes the first conversation feel oddly one-sided. A few things make it easier. Bring your medication history written down: ev
Questions worth asking a TMS clinic before you commit
Most people book the first clinic that takes their insurance, which is understandable but not always the best move. The clinic you choose determines the device, the protocol, who's actually in the roo