A pair of Republican senators have filed a bill that would require the federal government to track the cost of hospitalization due to marijuana use.
The new Marijuana Impact on Medicaid Act of 2026 from Sens. Ted Budd (R-NC) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) would require the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to compile data on “Federal and State expenditures under the Medicaid program…that are attributable to costs incurred for providing medical assistance for inpatient hospital services, outpatient hospital services, and for services received at a hospital emergency room…related to marijuana use.”
The information would be due in the form of a report to Congress within one year of the measure being enacted, along with any recommendations for legislation and administrative action that the HHS secretary determines to be appropriate.
“The health consequences tied to marijuana use are serious, leading to increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, psychotic disorders and further addictions,” Budd claimed in a press release. “When legislating on this issue, Congress needs to put the health and safety of the American people first, full stop.”
“This is exactly why lawmakers need access to reliable data that details Medicaid spending associated with marijuana abuse,”
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