Marijuana Moment reported that earlier this year, a new law went into effect in New Mexico which requires health insurance to cover mental health treatments. Specifically, they must cover 100% of the cost for services and medications used to treat behavioral or mental health disorders. After the law went into effect, one of the largest cannabis companies in the state, called Ultra Health, sent letters to insurers and state agencies, requesting medical marijuana coverage for people suffering from mental and behavioral health conditions. Because those recipients didn’t respond, the company is taking legal action. Ultra Health, along with a coalition of medical marijuana patients, have filed first of it’s kind class-action lawsuit against seven health insurance companies in the state. Some of those named in the suit include some of the biggest health insurance companies in the country, including Blue Cross, Blue Shield, True Health, and Cigna. The lawsuit requests that they begin to cover cannabis costs for qualifying patients, provide compensation for prior expenses made since January 1 when the behavioral health law took effect, and punitive damages for what they say is an intentional, “reckless, and willful disregard of the rights of Plaintiffs.” That lawsuit is currently awaiting action in New Mexico’s Second Judicial District Court. New York state recently passed legislation which specifically requires their state sponsored health insurance companies to cover medical marijuana costs. Source: New Mexico Marijuana Company And Patients Sue For Insurance Coverage For Medical Cannabis - Marijuana Moment Comments are closed.
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