If marijuana was to be reclassified so that it wasn’t a controlled substance at all, it might become available without a prescription. However, those who think that’s the answer to getting medical marijuana covered by health insurance are misguided.
When a drug becomes available without a prescription, it’s removed from health plan drug formularies and you’re expected to pay for it yourself. Does your health insurance currently reimburse you for over-the-counter medications like Tylenol? Most don’t. Does it cover herbal remedies like St. John’s wort or echinacea? That’s unlikely.
In this situation, patients who would benefit from using marijuana would be able to buy it over-the-counter like any other herbal remedy. As they are now, those patients would be highly motivated to find a way to pay for it themselves. Why would your health insurance want to set a precedent of paying for over-the-counter drugs or herbal remedies that you’re willing to pay for yourself?