Health insurer shows medicinal cannabis support
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HIF has declared its support for medicinal cannabis, offering rebates for treatments and partnering with Little Green Pharma to collaborate on research.
The health insurer will pay rebates for medicinal cannabis across all but one of its extras policies, with eligible members receiving up to $105 back per script.
HIF said the research partnership would advance the understanding of the role medicinal cannabis played in improving patient quality of life, with eligible HIF members entitled to priority participation in these studies.
Little Green Pharma manufactures medicinal cannabis oil products which are available to patients with a prescription.
HIF chief executive Justin James said HIF was one of the first Australian health funds to publicly declare support for medicinal cannabis.
“As a member-based health fund, our community is the motivation for everything we do, so assisting members through treatment options that can dramatically improve quality of life across different life stages is a key focus,” Mr James said.
“In WA, a company like LGP are offering insights into an emerging treatment trend which is medicinal cannabis and we want to play a role in understanding that for our members and provide choice,” Mr James said.
He said further research into the benefits of medicinal cannabis was vital.
“We want to know what the facts are, what the best treatments are available to our members and how they can choose between treatments,” Mr James said.
“Research gives fact based information, it gives good advice backed by the appropriate authorities which is why we are fully supportive and here to learn more about how the quality of life study emerges.”
Little Green Pharma chief operating officer Paul Long said partnerships like this were critical for the broader industry.
“Having a national health insurer like HIF giving patients a rebate is further acknowledgement of how medicinal cannabis is rapidly becoming an accepted treatment option for mainstream management,” Mr Long said.