When will Medicare cover medical marijuana?

By KATE ASHFORD of NerdWallet

Many older adults are using medical marijuana to treat a variety of conditions, but experts say that conflicting laws, unclear safety standards and complicated rulemaking processes mean it could be years before Medicare may cover the drug. One in five Medicare recipients currently uses medical marijuana, according to a 2022 poll, and nearly a quarter have used it in the past. Two-thirds of Medicare recipients think Medicare should cover it. But Medicare doesn’t cover medical marijuana because it’s not federally legal and not approved by the FDA. From regulatory to more practical issues, here are the hurdles on the road to medical marijuana coverage for people 65 and up.