BIP Winter 2025

Industry Innovation

Cannabis in care: What brokers should know now From pain and mental health to oncology support, a primer on where medical cannabis fits, and how to translate it into responsible benefit design.

Medical cannabis has moved from the margins to the mainstream of clinical conversation. It is increasingly relevant for brokers advising employers on cost, access and outcomes. In a recent NABIP webinar hosted by CannaCoverage, a panel of clinicians, researchers and benefit advisors outlined where cannabis has therapeutic potential, why employers are taking notice and how to evaluate coverage models responsibly within the legal and regulatory landscape. Why it matters for plans The presenters framed cannabis as one tool, rather than a cure-all, in an outcomes-first strategy: • Chronic pain: With more than 50 million U.S. adults reporting chronic pain, opioids remain common but risky. The panel cited state level experience suggesting that wider medical cannabis access correlates with declines in opioid dispensing and related harms. They empha sized structured education and monitoring as non- negotiables. • Oncology support: Nau sea, vomiting and appetite loss from chemotherapy often

derail adherence. A pharma cist on the panel described using cannabis regimens to manage side effects so patients can stay on clinically effective therapies longer. • Mental health: Depression and anxiety drive absenteeism and turnover. The team dis cussed careful, adjunctive use

in selected cases under physi cian oversight, with attention to safety and function at work. • Multiple sclerosis and other neurologic condi tions: A case example from their practice highlighted symptom control and poten tial drug-spend offsets when cannabis replaces or reduces

12 bip magazine Winter 2025