Federal Workers' Comp Bill Advances, Blocks Medical Marijuana Coverage

Bill Explicitly Bars Cannabis Reimbursement

The legislation amends the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) to exclude cannabis from covered medical treatments, regardless of state law. It applies to all federal employees filing workers' compensation claims, including those injured on the job in states with operational medical marijuana programs.

The bill states that "no benefits shall be paid under this chapter for any medical treatment involving marijuana, cannabis, or any derivative thereof, notwithstanding any state or local law to the contrary." That language would codify existing Department of Labor policy. The agency has informally denied such claims since 2016.

Federal-State Conflict Widens

Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. That's created a growing gap between state workers' comp systems and federal policy. Several state courts have ruled that insurers must cover medical cannabis when a physician recommends it for a work-related injury.

Federal employees injured in those states currently face denial of cannabis-related claims under Department of Labor administrative guidance. Elevating that policy to statute makes it harder to challenge or reverse through regulatory change.

Next Steps and Timeline

The bill now moves to the House floor. Leadership hasn't scheduled a vote. No Senate companion bill has been introduced. For full background on this story, see the CannIntel topic hub on federal workers' comp and medical marijuana.

This legislation is part of a broader package reauthorizing FECA through fiscal year 2028. House Oversight Committee staff confirmed the cannabis provision was added during markup but didn't identify the sponsoring member.

Watch for whether Senate appropriators include similar language in their Labor-HHS funding bill, expected in July.