New York Wants To Let Medicaid Pay For Medical Cannabis
The bill (A04713) seeks to amend the public health and social services law
Legislation that would authorize Medicaid and other New York state public health insurance providers to pay for patients’ medical marijuana treatment was passed by the Assembly Health Committee last week in a 18-7 vote.
Introduced by Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes (D-141) and co-sponsored by Dr. Anna R. Kelles (D-125) and Donna A. Lupardo (D-123), the bill (A04713) seeks to amend the public health and social services law to require public health insurance to pay for medical marijuana as a “prescription drug,” “covered drug,” or “healthcare service.”
Like conventional pharmaceutical drug coverage, state health insurance providers — including state Medicaid, Child Health Plus, workers compensation, and EPIC programs — would cover medical marijuana from certified dispensaries, regardless of program’s federal funding status. The legislation would also allow private health insurers to pay for medical marijuana, though private insurance would not be mandated to do so.
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