Medicare and CBD oil: Is it covered?

CBD (cannabidiol) is a compound present in cannabis. To form CBD oil, manufacturers extract CBD from the plant and dilute it in a carrier oil.

While many people use CBD oil for various therapeutic and medicinal purposes, it is still considered an experimental treatment by the FDA and Medicare. Despite ongoing research into its effects on the body, there is not enough data on its safety and efficacy. Due to this, CBD oil does not have FDA approval.

Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights some of the possible risks of using CBD oil. These include:

While Medicare does not cover CBD oil, it does cover some cannabis-derived and cannabis-related products.

Three synthetic, cannabis-related products that have FDA approval are:

Cesamet is used to treat nausea and vomiting in people with cancer. Marinol and Syndros are approved to treat anorexia in people with HIV, and nausea and vomiting in individuals with cancer.

The drug Epidiolex (cannabidiol) is derived from CBD. It is approved to treat seizures in people with Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndrome, which are two types of epilepsy.

To receive coverage for these drugs, a person with Original Medicare would need a Part D prescription drug plan. Part D plans are offered by private insurance companies, and each plan has a different list of covered medications, called a formulary. The drug in question would need to be included in a plan’s formulary to receive coverage.

If a person has a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, they may have drug coverage as part of their plan.

Since CBD oil’s coverage may vary across private insurance plans, it is best for a person to review their plan details or consult with a healthcare professional for accurate information.