Marijuana as a Schedule III drug? What the new classification means for insurance companies

Published Updated 4 Min Read

Marijuana buds spilling from a prescription medicine bottle.
goodmanphoto from AdobeStock

It looks like a new drug might be added to your health plan’s formulary — if your insurance carrier and employer can keep up with federal law. 

The Department of Health and Human Services recommended to the Drug Enforcement Administration that marijuana move to the Schedule III drug category, making the substance legally accessible through a prescription at the federal level. Marijuana is currently legal for medical use in 39 states, and 88% of U.S. adults believe it should be legal for medical purposes everywhere, according to the Pew Research Center. 

Deanna Cuadra
Senior Reporter

Deanna Cuadra is a senior reporter at Employee Benefit News. Her work covers healthcare, U.S. policy and reform, challenges faced by women and parents in the workplace and innovation in work culture … Read full bio


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