Insurance Companies Will Not Cover Medical Marijuana Since It Remains Illegal Under Federal Law

State legislatures across the country are taking steps to protect medical marijuana users, but many patients face hurdles when accessing the drug because insurance companies won’t cover a substance that remains illegal under federal law.

But accessing medical marijuana remains difficult for some patients, even in states that hope to permit its use, cannabis advocates say. Because cannabis remains classified as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved it to reduce pain, treat anxiety or provide other much-touted health benefits.

Typically, insurance companies cover the costs of only FDA-approved drugs, so patients cannot use their health insurance policies for their prescription or application fee, said Shanita Penny, president of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, a lobbying group. Those patients have to pay out-of-pocket costs that Penny said can add up to more than $900 in some states after patients pay the application fee, buy required paraphernalia and obtain the drug.

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