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When will medical marijuana be covered by Medicare?

Many older persons are using medical marijuana to treat a range of diseases, but experts say it could be years before Medicare covers the drug due to contradictory laws, uncertain safety standards, and complicated rulemaking processes. 

According to an April 2022 poll conducted by the Medicare Plans Patient Resource Center, a group that provides Medicare guidance and information, one in every five Medicare participawhichnts currently utilizes medical marijuana. However, because medicinal marijuana is not federally legal and has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, Medicare does not cover it.

Why Should Medical Marijuana Be Covered?

According to an April 2022 research published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 60% of patients at a prominent cannabis dispensary in New York were 50 or older. Patients utilized cannabis for a variety of reasons, including severe or chronic pain, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and neuropathy. 

And marijuana isn’t cheap: according to New York Cancer & Blood Specialists, which treats cancer and blood diseases, patients may pay as much as $5 per dose for edible items or $5 to $20 per gram for plant buds.

Even in states where medicinal marijuana is permitted, individuals may be unable to afford the prescription.

Read more: Is it possible to have both Medicare and Medicaid; what’s the difference?

Federal Impediments

When-will-medical-marijuana-be-covered-by-medicare
Many older persons are using medical marijuana to treat a range of diseases, but experts say it could be years before Medicare covers the drug due to contradictory laws, uncertain safety standards, and complicated rulemaking processes.

Two major difficulties lie in the way of medical marijuana and Medicare coverage. The first is that marijuana is classified by the government as a Schedule I substance, which means it has “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse” in the United States, according to the substance Enforcement Administration.

The second difficulty is that Medicare mandates that a covered drug be approved by the FDA as safe and effective. Although the FDA has approved one cannabis-derived medicine product and three synthetic cannabis-related medicinal products for prescription use, it has not allowed cannabis marketing for medical treatment.

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