These are employee benefits, and your flexible spending account is definitely something that people can use to pay for healthcare needs. You may wonder if it’s possible to pay for medical cannabis. Right now, it’s something that isn’t allowed, since these are used for a lot of other things, but not for cannabis, but here is what we know thus far.
Why they Don’t allow this
FSA along with HAS both allow for a wider type of expenses, including doctor visits, drugs, and also vision exams and other medical treatment that are available. So why not cannabis? It’s because right now it’s still federally illegal, and medical cannabis is one of the few ineligible items. Cosmetic surgery, and other procedures specifically for cosmetic reasons, rather than handling congenital issues are also not eligible for this.
Both FSA and HAS are not the only ones that fall under this either. Medicare, Medicaid, and the like do not cover cannabis expenses.
This is because it’s not seen as a medical necessity, and it doesn’t fit into the insurance plans. Part of this is because it is not regulated by the FDA. Even if you are diagnosed with something that cannabis can help you with, the health insurance will not change based on the coverage that’s there. However, as the federal laws change, we may get to see further changes. But currently it’s a Schedule I controlled substance that happened at the federal level, so it’s very unlikely that this is going to change at any point during all of this.
So what do they cover?
While they don’t’ cover medical cannabis, here are some of the things that they do cover:
- Dental and medical care
- Nursing
- Vision expenses including new eyewear and exams
- Acne treatments
- Guide dogs or books for braille
- Fertility treatments
- Vaccinations
- Medications
- Costs for lab tests
- Orthodontic treatments
- Cobra premiums
- hearing aids
- child care or care for dependents
this is something that some people may want to consider, especially if you have these conditions. In this way, medical care from the FSA or HAS account definitely can help you.
How to pay for Cannabis then
You can pay for medical cannabis cards through most payment processors.
You can pay for medical cannabis in different ways.
Most dispensaries are going to be cash only because of the state of cannabis in the world today, but there are more and more that are looking to offer more flexible payments.
You may not get to pay with cards due to the way the banks accept the transactions. They may offer some electronic wallets in some cases, depending on the state of the place.
Most ATMs usually do let you get money from them if you don’t have cash, but keep in mind that they tend to have a much larger fee.
Cash is king for cannabis, and sometimes the only way to pay for medical cannabis. Even in those states where medical marijuana is legal, the reason they still use cash is because of the restrictions that come with paying for this.
Right now, this is the state of it. Despite the proof that medical cannabis can help, it’s still seen as something bad.
If you’re looking to get a medical cannabis card, it can help, but you can’t rely on insurance, whether private or through a company, to help you with all of this, and it’s something that definitely can be a bit of a hassle and challenge in terms of you trying to get medical cannabis.
Life Hacks 