If you’re among the snowbirds in Florida this winter and in depression care now, seven steps can help you avoid gaps in treatment: tell your care team your dates, get your records, sort out refills, check telehealth, check your plan, line up local treatment and write a support plan. Start as early as you can. If you’re already here, begin with steps 1, 3 and 7 this week.
1. Tell your current care team your dates
Give your care team your leaving date, return date and any trips in between first, because they need time to schedule visits and doses around them. Then ask:
- Which visits or doses should happen before I leave?
- Can any sessions move earlier or later without a gap?
- Who do I contact with questions while I’m away?
- Would you be willing to talk with a Florida clinician?
Timing matters most if you’re on Spravato (esketamine nasal spray). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label notes that a missed treatment may change your dose and schedule, so a gap is worth planning around. We work alongside the clinicians who refer members to us, so your current team can stay in the loop. If you already see us in New York, our post on moving a plan between clinics covers that handoff.
2. Ask for a copy of your records and a treatment summary
A short, clear summary helps a new clinician understand your history quickly, so you don’t have to repeat all of it. Ask your prescriber’s office for:
- Your diagnosis
- Every medicine you’ve tried, with doses and how long you took each one
- How you’ve responded so far, including side effects
- Your current medicines and treatment schedule
- Recent blood pressure readings and any other health conditions
- Your prescriber’s name and contact details
Keep a paper copy and a digital copy. Ask early: under federal privacy rules, offices have up to 30 days to respond to a records request. If you’re starting with us in Aventura, send the summary before your first visit so our team can pick up where your last clinician left off.
3. Sort out refills
Ask your prescriber and your pharmacy how a winter address affects your prescriptions. Some questions to bring:
- Can my prescriptions move to a pharmacy near my Florida home?
- Can I get a longer supply before I leave?
- Do any of my medicines have stricter rules for transfers or refills?
Talk with your prescriber before you stop or change any medicine. Bring your current medicine list to your first Aventura visit, and our team can plan Spravato or IV (intravenous) ketamine around it.
4. Check whether your telehealth visits still work from Florida
Whether a video visit is allowed depends on where you are during the visit. Florida’s health department explains that out-of-state practitioners generally need a Florida license or Florida telehealth registration to treat someone located in Florida, with limited exceptions.
Ask your therapist and prescriber directly whether they can see you while you’re in Florida. If they can’t, ask whether they can share records with a Florida clinician. Our Aventura team sees members in person, so treatment can continue even when video visits can’t.
5. Check your plan’s rules for care outside your home area
Call the number on your card and ask which doctors your plan covers in South Florida. That’s the key snowbird health insurance question, because plans differ. Every plan has a network, the doctors and clinics it has agreements with. Some plans, such as preferred provider organizations (PPOs), cover some visits outside that network. Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) generally won’t cover out-of-network care except in an emergency. Also ask whether you need a referral or prior authorization (approval from your plan before treatment starts).
Our Aventura clinic accepts insurance for Spravato, and coverage varies by plan. Our team can check your benefits and handle prior authorization, so reach out before your first visit. If you have Fidelis Care, it applies at our Manhattan and Rockland clinics only. If you’re retiring to Florida for good rather than spending winter in Florida, ask your plan how a permanent move changes your options.
6. Line up treatment in South Florida
Book your first Florida visit before you leave, so care can keep going from your first week here.
Nushama’s Aventura clinic serves members across greater Miami. It offers two services:
- Spravato. This esketamine nasal spray is approved for adults with treatment-resistant depression (depression that hasn’t improved enough after trying two or more antidepressants), on its own or with an antidepressant pill. Along with an antidepressant pill, it’s also approved for adults with major depression who are having suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
- IV ketamine. The medicine flows slowly through a small line into a vein. A medical team watches you the whole time. For some members, it can help supplement the healing journey alongside therapy.
Both medicines can cause dissociation, a dreamy or detached feeling during a session. Your care team stays with you until you’re ready to leave. Integration, talking through your experience afterward so it carries into daily life, is part of every treatment.
For Spravato, ask any clinic to confirm it’s certified under the FDA safety program, called REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy). Our Aventura clinic is REMS-certified. The Spravato FDA label sets out what to expect:
- Blood pressure checks before and after your dose
- At least 2 hours of monitoring after each dose
- No food for 2 hours and no liquids for 30 minutes before a dose
- No driving until the next day, after a restful sleep
Plan for about two and a half hours per visit, and set up a ride home each time. Our Spravato page explains the visit and treatment schedule, and our guide to Spravato eligibility in Aventura covers who may qualify.
7. Write down your support plan
Write a one-page plan with your contacts, crisis numbers and daily routines, and keep it on your phone and fridge:
- The first person you’ll call if you need support, and their number
- Your care team contacts in both states
- The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 any time
- Your daily routines: sleep time, meals, movement and people you check in with
- How you’ll get to appointments
Share it with someone you trust. Our crisis support guide explains how our Aventura team responds when someone needs help quickly.
Depression care checklist for snowbirds in Florida
| Item | Who to ask | When to do it |
|---|---|---|
| Share your travel dates | Current prescriber and therapist | 6 to 8 weeks before leaving |
| Get records and a treatment summary | Prescriber’s office | 4 to 6 weeks before |
| Sort out refills | Prescriber and pharmacy | 4 weeks before |
| Confirm telehealth works in Florida | Therapist and prescriber | 4 weeks before |
| Check out-of-area plan rules | Your insurance plan | 4 weeks before |
| Book South Florida treatment and rides | Florida clinic, family or ride service | 2 to 4 weeks before |
| Write your support plan | You, plus someone you trust | The week before |
FAQ
Can I continue Spravato in Florida?
Often, yes, at a REMS-certified clinic. Nushama offers Spravato in Aventura for members across greater Miami, including maintenance visits (the less frequent visits later in treatment). A psychiatric evaluation confirms whether it’s still the right fit for you. Read more about long-term Spravato maintenance in Aventura.
Do I need a new psychiatrist for the winter?
Not always. If your psychiatrist can legally see you by telehealth in Florida, they may stay your main prescriber. Spravato visits still happen in person at a certified clinic. A Florida team can work alongside your home psychiatrist with your permission.
What if I only stay for two months?
You can still plan around a two-month stay. Talk with both care teams about where you are in treatment and which visits fall during your stay. They can help you avoid gaps when you arrive and when you head home.
How Nushama helps you keep care going this winter
With clinics in Manhattan, Rockland and Aventura, we can keep your Spravato or IV ketamine going through the winter. We offer both treatments under one roof and include integration in every treatment. We also work alongside your own psychiatrist and therapist, so both sets of clinicians know where your treatment stands.
When you’re ready, book a consultation and we’ll help you plan your winter care.