WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP IN INSURING FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS?
I anticipate State by State legislation will be needed to mandate coverage. This would provide a uniform requirement and simultaneous effective date across a given market, however it would also produce a patchwork of coverage. Late adopting states may adjust their stance and legislation once other states have led the way, and cost and benefit data is sufficient to tip the scales. In the short term I just don’t see Federal legislation being the way forward based on what we’re seeing politically, with the Federalist and State’s rights movement in the cannabis and healthcare debates at this time.
It is possible that the U.S. could also see it pushed through via external initiatives or entities – abating the opioid crisis is a strong potential initiative, and entities such as the medical and scientific communities, US Health & Human Services (HHS), Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or Center for Disease Control (CDC), or by Federal or State regulation in place of legislation - they could end up pushing health coverage for medicinal cannabis into being. This pathway is tricky, less direct than State legislative mandates, and as a result perhaps less likely.
First things first - the Federal government will need to act. And should they follow U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s lead and drop, and pass, a bill to decriminalize cannabis and allow States to handle cannabis policy individually – state mandates will be the clear path forward.
Policy advocates – time for additional strategic planning!
Submitted to Garrett Rudolph, Editor of Marijuana Ventures, and Amy Berliner for edit & publication in the Summer 2018 issue,.
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