{"title":"The Effects of Medical and Recreational Cannabis Laws on Prescription Drug Claims in Commercial Group Insurance Markets","authors":"Amanda C. Cook, E. Tice Sirmans, Rhet A. Smith","doi":"10.1002/hec.4967","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n <p>Initially introduced as an alternative medical treatment, cannabis has been conditionally legalized in most U.S. states. Using prescription drug claims as reported by small and large group insurers in the NAIC Supplemental Health Care Exhibit from 2010–2019, we examine the impact of medical and recreational cannabis laws on prescription drug expenditures of working-age individuals. We use a difference-in-differences framework and find significant reductions in prescription drug claims per enrollee of $34–42 annually in the small group insurance market following recreational cannabis legalization. While we do not observe similar reductions in claims in large group insurance markets, we find weak evidence that the reduced expenditures in small group insurance correspond with reductions in premiums indicating positive spillover effects from recreational cannabis for insured enrollees of small group insurance plans.</p>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":12847,"journal":{"name":"Health economics","volume":"34 8","pages":"1396-1409"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Health economics","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hec.4967","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Initially introduced as an alternative medical treatment, cannabis has been conditionally legalized in most U.S. states. Using prescription drug claims as reported by small and large group insurers in the NAIC Supplemental Health Care Exhibit from 2010–2019, we examine the impact of medical and recreational cannabis laws on prescription drug expenditures of working-age individuals. We use a difference-in-differences framework and find significant reductions in prescription drug claims per enrollee of $34–42 annually in the small group insurance market following recreational cannabis legalization. While we do not observe similar reductions in claims in large group insurance markets, we find weak evidence that the reduced expenditures in small group insurance correspond with reductions in premiums indicating positive spillover effects from recreational cannabis for insured enrollees of small group insurance plans.
期刊介绍：
This Journal publishes articles on all aspects of health economics: theoretical contributions, empirical studies and analyses of health policy from the economic perspective. Its scope includes the determinants of health and its definition and valuation, as well as the demand for and supply of health care; planning and market mechanisms; micro-economic evaluation of individual procedures and treatments; and evaluation of the performance of health care systems.
Contributions should typically be original and innovative. As a rule, the Journal does not include routine applications of cost-effectiveness analysis, discrete choice experiments and costing analyses.
Editorials are regular features, these should be concise and topical. Occasionally commissioned reviews are published and special issues bring together contributions on a single topic. Health Economics Letters facilitate rapid exchange of views on topical issues. Contributions related to problems in both developed and developing countries are welcome.
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