Why Don’t Health Insurers Cover Medical Marijuana? – NBC Boston – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

After 50 years of chronic back pain, Burnadett Preaster discovered medical marijuana. She says it changed everything—most importantly, it made her pain more manageable. Now, like many patients, she believes it is long past time health insurers cover the cost of medical marijuana in their plans.

“Basically, I feel cannabis, medical cannabis is helping me get my life back,” she said.

Preaster specifically sought Dr. Ben Caplan. That was nine years ago, the family physician has been prescribing medical marijuana for her ever since.

“She was sick of taking pills,” Caplan explained. “She wanted a solution that made her feel good, but also helped her ailments.”

These days, Caplan worries the introduction of recreational cannabis in the state’s dispensaries means people with legitimate health problems are prescribing their own medical remedy or seeking guidance from whoever is behind the counter.

“These people at the dispensary who are advising people with medical illness are not trained to do that,” Caplan said.

People who don’t want the hassle of making an appointment with their doctor to access cannabis can now skip that step and get in a line accessible to any adult. There may be added incentive to bypass the doctor because insurance won’t cover the cost of the prescription anyway.

Former Blue Cross Blue Shield Chief Executive Bill Van Faasen says he expects things to change soon for patients like Burnadett Preaster, in…