On 1 April 2026, a quiet but consequential change will take effect inside the United States federal health system, directly affecting hemp cannabis in Medicare and Medicaid. If you are one of the more than 160 million Americans enrolled in these programmes, you need to read this carefully.

The Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is launching a programme called ACO REACH. It marks the first formal authorisation of hemp cannabis in Medicare and Medicaid programmes at a federal level. Under it, the organisations managing your healthcare will be authorised to give you hemp cannabis products through your own doctor. There is no separate prescription required. There is no referral to a specialist needed. Your existing care provider handles it directly.

Here is the part CMS is not leading with: hemp has not been cleared by the FDA as a medicine. Not provisionally, not partially, and not at all. Furthermore, the same regulatory standard that applies to every other drug dispensed through federal health programmes does not apply here. As a result, what is being introduced into the care of some of America’s most vulnerable patients is a substance that has not passed the tests required of any medicine in this country.

This Is Not Accidental: Who Profits from Hemp Cannabis in Medicare

It is worth asking who benefits from hemp cannabis in Medicare gaining access to the largest captive health market in the United States.

Howard Kessler, who operates a cannabis company, and Trulieve, one of the most powerful cannabis corporations in the country, are both positioned to profit directly from this expansion. Moreover, both have reported financial ties to major donors supporting the current administration. The programme launches on 1 April 2026. Consequently, the timing and the beneficiaries are not coincidental.

Medicare and Medicaid patients are not in a strong position to push back. In fact, many are elderly, seriously ill, or navigating complex care arrangements through the very organisations that will now be authorised to administer these products. Therefore, the power imbalance here is significant. According to federal data, over 92 million Americans rely on Medicaid alone, making this one of the largest unannounced rollouts of a non-FDA-approved substance in U.S. healthcare history.

74 Organisations Joining ACO REACH: Your Doctor May Be One of Them

CMS has confirmed that 74 Accountable Care Organisations are participating in ACO REACH for Performance Year 2026. These are not fringe providers. Indeed, they include major health networks, oncology groups, aged care specialists, and household-name insurers operating across dozens of states.

If your care is coordinated through any of the organisations listed below, hemp cannabis in Medicare could be part of your treatment from April 2026 onwards. Additionally, you may not be told unless you ask directly.

ACO REACH Participating Organisations (Performance Year 2026)

• Accountable Care Organization of Advocate Aurora Health, LLC
• Advanced Illness Partners, LLC
• agilon health Columbus Ohio ACO, Inc. (DBA: Senior Health Connect ACO 1)
• agilon health Northeastern ACO, Inc. (DBA: Senior Health Connect ACO 6)
• agilon health Ohio ACO, Inc. (DBA: Senior Health Connect ACO 3)
• agilon health Texas ACO, Inc. (DBA: Senior Health Connect ACO 7)
• Aledade Accountable Care 128, LLC
• Allina Health System
• American Choice Healthcare, LLC
• America’s MDE, LLC
• APA ACO Inc.
• Better Health Hawaii, LLC
• Bloom ACO, LLC
• Bluerock Care Community LLC (DBA: Penn Ave Health)
• C3 REACH LLC
• CenterWell Care Solutions, Inc.
• CHESS Genesis, LLC
• Chicago Health System LLC
• Collaborative Health Systems, LLC
• Community Care Contracting, LLC
• Complete Care Academy Collaborative
• Curana Health ACO LLC
• CVS Accountable Care Organization, Inc.
• Curative Care Partners LLC
• Eon Health LLC
• Evergreen Total Care LLC
• Firefly Health ACO LLC
• Fountain ACO, LLC
• Genesis Clinical Partners, LLC
• Geriatric Providers ACO, LLC
• HarmonyCares ACO LLC
• Health Partners for the Elderly LLC
• Holon Care Network, LLC
• Honest Health REACH, LLC
• Hudson Headwaters Health Network ACO, LLC
• InTandem Health ACO, LLC
• Mainline ACO, LLC
• Matrix ACO LLC
• Medical Home Network REACH ACO
• N HEALTH NETWORK PARTNERS, LLC
• Navina Care LLC
• Oak Street Health Medicare Partners LLC
• On Belay Health Solutions, LLC
• Optimum NY Independent Practice Association, LLC
• P3 Health Partners REACH ACO LLC
• Park Nicollet Health Services ACO LLC d/b/a HealthPartners ACO
• Pathways Accountable Care, LLC d/b/a Pathways Health Partners
• PCMA Cooperative LLC
• PeaceHealth Direct Contracting LLC
• Personal Healthcare LLC
• Physicians Plus ACO, LLC
• Plume Health ACO, LLC
• Primary Care Alliance, LLC
• Provider Partners Connect Care, LLC
• REACH ACO Massachusetts, LLC
• REACH ACO Texas, LLC
• REACH Health Partners, LLC
• RGV ACO Health Providers, LLC
• Subsero Healthcare, LLC d/b/a MAX Healthcare #1
• Temple Care, Inc
• Triad HealthCare Network, LLC
• Tri-Shield Health, Inc.
• United Physicians Association, Inc
• UT Southwestern Accountable Care Network dba Southwestern Health Resources Accountable Care Network
• VillageMD New Hampshire ACO, LLC
• Vytalize Health REACH, LLC
• Vytalize Health 9 ACO LLC
• WellBe Senior Medical ACO, LLC
• Wellvana Accountable Care, LLC
• Wilmington Health ACO, LLC
• Yuvo ACO 1, LLC
• Yuvo ACO 2, LLC
• Zing ACO, LLC
• Zing REACH, LLC

Cancer Patients Are Also Affected by Hemp Cannabis Exposure

The Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) runs alongside ACO REACH. It covers 28 oncology and haematology providers, as well as BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina as a participating commercial payer. As a result, the introduction of hemp cannabis in Medicare extends to cancer patients receiving federally supported treatment through these providers. They are also within scope.

• Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital
• CANCER SPECIALISTS LLC
• Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center @ Cabell Huntington Hospital
• Emerald Coast Cancer Center
• HonorHealth Cancer Care
• Illinois Cancer Specialists
• Ironwood Physicians PC
• MERCY CLINIC FORT SMITH COMMUNITIES
• Mercy Clinic Joplin LLC
• Minnesota Oncology Hematology, P.A.
• North Carolina MG, LLC
• Northwest Cancer Specialists PC, dba Compass Oncology
• Oncology & Hematology Assoc. of Southwest Virginia, Inc.
• Oncology Associates of Oregon, PC
• Oncology Hematology Associates of Central Illinois
• Prisma Health dba Prisma Health University Medical Group
• Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers
• Self Medical Group
• Shenandoah Oncology, P.C.
• Starling Physicians, PLLC
• Texas Oncology
• Torrance Health Association
• TriHealth H, LLC
• Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Hematology Oncology
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for and on behalf of UNC Faculty Practice
• Vidant Medical Group, LLC
• Virginia Cancer Specialists, P.C.
• Virginia Oncology Associates

What You Must Do Now

If your Medicare or Medicaid care runs through any organisation on either list above, do not wait to be informed. The question of hemp cannabis in Medicare is no longer abstract — it is arriving in April. Contact your provider directly and ask these questions:

• Are hemp cannabis products part of my care plan under ACO REACH?
• What is the clinical justification for that recommendation?
• Have FDA-approved alternatives been considered?
• What are the risks and contraindications given my age and conditions?
• Can I opt out?

You have the right to ask. You have the right to refuse. But only if you know what is being introduced into your care.

Beyond your own provider, contact your representative in Congress now. This programme launches in days. Scrutiny is needed before it takes effect.

David G. Evans, Esq.

Senior Counsel

Cannabis Industry Victims Educating Litigators (CIVEL)

203 Main St. Suite 250

Flemington, NJ 08822

908-963-0254drugfreesc@aol.com

Source

This article is based on intelligence provided by David G. Evans, Esq., Senior Counsel, Cannabis Industry Victims Educating Litigators (CIVEL), Flemington, NJ.