CannabisCoverage - Insurance Providers

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Insurance companies offer plan sponsors (employers, unions, associations and individuals) a variety of health benefit plans for their employees / members. These plans provide coverage of a variety medical and dental expenses. Some insurance providers have added medical cannabis / medical marijuana coverage as an option which plan sponsors can choose as benefits for their employees / members. Health benefit plans can cover medical cannabis in two ways, health spending accounts and as a listed benefit (similar to a prescription medication). When covered as a listed benefit medical cannabis coverage is often associated with specific criteria for coverage and may be subject to a prior authorization process. The table below lists insurance providers along with their cannabis coverage criteria / details plus links to online information or forms for each insurance provider.

Insurance Providers wishing to update their Coverage Details, Links or who wish to be added below should email a request to info@marijuanamedinfo.ca Please communicate via your company email

Insurance Provider	Coverage Details updated March 14, 2019	Insurance Provider Information / Forms
Alberta Blue Cross	through Health Spending Account only
Co-Operators Life Insurance Co.	chronic pain associated with identified medical conditions muscle spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS) chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting prior authorization required
Desjardins Insurance	pain related to advanced cancer refractory neuralgia nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis or a lesion of the spinal cord 21 years or older plus Prior Authorization required
Green Shield Canada	chronic neuropathic pain multiple sclerosis related spasticity nausea and vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy must be 25 years or older and have already tried and failed standard treatments
Great West Life	no specific disease related criteria. Each case reviewed individually prior authorization form must be submitted
Markers Financial	no specific disease related criteria or restrictions. Each case reviewed individually
Manulife	stiffness and involuntary muscle spasms in people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis nausea and vomiting in people undergoing chemotherapy chronic neuropathic pain prior authorization required partnered with Shoppers Drug Mart to deliver the medical cannabis program
Medavie Blue Cross	chronic neuropathic pain refractory pain in palliative cancer nausea and vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy spasticity in multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury prior authorization required
SSQ Insurance	chronic neuropathic pain cancer related pain spasticity secondary to multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury nausea and vomiting causer by chemotherapy prior authorization required use after traditional prescription drugs deemed ineffective
SunLife Financial	severe pain with cancer, or nausea and vomiting with cancer treatments. spasticity or neuropathic pain, with multiple sclerosis. rheumatoid arthritis, when all other standard treatments have failed. anorexia or neuropathic pain, with HIV/AIDS. palliative care prior authorization required