We have been receiving a high volume of appeals for medical marijuana lately. This is not covered by the PSHCP for the following reasons:
Under the Drug benefit of the PSHCP, in order to be eligible drug expenses must be the reasonable and customary charges, prescribed by a physician, dentist or other qualified health professional if the applicable provincial/territorial legislation permits them to prescribe drugs, and dispensed by a pharmacist or physician. The benefit further specifies that eligible expenses are drugs which legally require a prescription and are identified in the Monographs section of the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and specialties as a narcotic, controlled drug, or requiring a prescription.
The medical marijuana does not meet the eligibility criteria of the Drug benefit as stated above because it is not dispensed by a pharmacist or physician, it is not in the compendium as it has not been assigned a Drug Identification Number (DIN) nor is it recommended by Health Canada.
Devices to use medical marijuana are also not covered by the Plan.