[Back to the guide](https://lokalmed.de/en/articles) # Medical cannabis: costs and health insurance in 2026 Since 30 July 2026, dried flowers can no longer be prescribed at the expense of statutory health insurance. What the entitlement covers today, what conditions and authorisations apply, and what costs are incurred when billed privately. By Redaktion·21 August 2026·7 min read When it comes to the question of costs, the most common misconception lies in the very premise: many people assume that a prescription automatically means that the health insurance will cover the costs. In fact, these are two separate decisions with different criteria. Here you can find out what statutory health insurance currently covers, what will have changed by 2026, and what costs you may have to pay out of your own pocket for treatment. **Key points at a glance** - Dried cannabis flowers may still be prescribed by doctors, but from 30 July 2026 they will no longer be covered by statutory health insurance. - Since then, the statutory entitlement has included cannabis extracts of standardised quality as well as medicinal products containing the active ingredients dronabinol or nabilone. This is preceded by a six-month trial of treatment with an authorised ready-to-use medicinal product containing cannabis. - A doctor’s prescription and the health insurance fund’s coverage of the costs are two separate matters. One does not necessarily follow from the other. - In the case of private billing, the costs are made up of several components and depend heavily on the product and individual requirements. Fixed prices quoted on the internet quickly become out of date. ## What does statutory health insurance currently cover? The short answer: not everything that was eligible for reimbursement until recently. On 30 July 2026, the relevant provision in the Social Security Code was amended. Since then, dried flowers have no longer been covered by the entitlement to benefits. Your doctor may still prescribe them, but in this case you will have to bear the costs yourself, usually via a private prescription. The situation is different for other cannabis-based medicines. The entitlement now explicitly applies to cannabis extracts of standardised quality, as well as to medicines containing the active substances dronabinol or nabilone. Authorised ready-to-use cannabis-based medicinal products are reimbursed within the framework of their authorisation in accordance with the general rules governing the supply of medicines. Another new development is that a six-month trial period of treatment with an authorised ready-to-use cannabis-based medicinal product is now envisaged. The scope of this requirement is currently interpreted differently by the institutions involved. The decision as to which product group is suitable in individual cases is made on medical grounds, regardless of this, and not based on which option would be cheaper. The new regulations do not include any transitional legal provisions for ongoing treatments involving flower remedies. Anyone who previously held a licence for flower remedies must therefore clarify with the treating practice how to proceed. As this area has changed several times in a short space of time, it is worth checking the publication date of anything you find online on this subject. ## Why prescriptions and cost coverage are two separate issues A prescription is a medical statement. It means that a doctor considers a particular medicine to be justified in your situation. Who bears the costs is a separate matter and is governed by the rules of social security law. In practice, this gives rise to three scenarios: a medicine may be prescribed and covered by health insurance. It may be prescribed whilst you pay for it yourself, for example on a private prescription. Or it may not be medically appropriate from the outset, in which case the question of cost does not arise at all. This distinction is why you should address the two issues separately during your consultation with the doctor. Otherwise, it is easy to get the impression that a refusal to cover the costs is a medical assessment of your symptoms. It is not. ## What conditions apply when a prescription is covered by health insurance? If a cannabis-based medicinal product is to be prescribed at the expense of statutory health insurance, additional requirements must be observed. The law stipulates that a serious illness must be present, that a generally recognised treatment in line with medical standards is not available or, in individual cases, cannot be administered according to a justified medical assessment, and that there is a reasonable prospect of a noticeable positive effect on the course of the illness or on serious symptoms. In addition, a six-month trial of treatment with an authorised proprietary medicinal product is required, with this provision coming into force on 30 July 2026. In addition, there is usually an authorisation process with the health insurance provider. The first prescription generally requires authorisation, which may only be refused in justified exceptional cases. Statutory time limits apply to the decision; these are shorter if care is provided as part of specialised outpatient palliative care or immediately following an inpatient stay. In the case of specialised outpatient palliative care, the approval requirement does not apply at all. Furthermore, since October 2024, prescriptions issued by certain medical specialists, subspecialists and those with additional qualifications, as specified by the Joint Federal Committee, are exempt. No further authorisation is required for follow-up prescriptions, a change of doctor or a switch between standardised treatment plans. For you, this means, above all, that you should ask the practice specifically whether an application needs to be submitted in your case and, based on experience, how long the processing usually takes. Practices that are familiar with the procedure are usually able to give a good estimate of the timeframe. [Find doctors with experience in medical cannabis therapy](https://lokalmed.de/de/search?treatment=medical%5Fcannabis) ## What costs are incurred when receiving treatment at your own expense In the case of private billing, the costs consist of several components. These are usually the medicine itself, a pharmacy surcharge and the doctor’s fees for the initial consultation and follow-up appointments. Pharmacy mark-ups are governed by the Medicines Pricing Regulation, which provides for different mark-ups and a fixed surcharge for the dispensing of a substance in its unaltered state and for prescriptions prepared in the pharmacy. In the case of inhalation, a suitable medical device is added as a one-off charge. The final cost depends heavily on the chosen product, the quantity required and the course of treatment. For this reason, fixed monthly prices – such as those frequently found online – should be treated with caution. They usually relate to specific products at a specific point in time and cannot be applied to your situation. It is more reliable to ask for a specific quote of the expected costs from the practice and the chemist before starting treatment. In the case of private health insurance, the terms of your specific policy apply. Some policies cover cannabis-based medicines under certain conditions, whilst others do not. The only reliable way to clarify this is to make a written enquiry with your insurer before starting treatment. The same applies to those entitled to supplementary health insurance benefits. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can I still get cannabis flowers on a private prescription? Yes, a doctor’s prescription for dried flowers is still possible, but since 30 July 2026 it is no longer covered by statutory health insurance. In this case, you will have to cover the costs yourself. Whether a prescription is medically justified remains a decision for the doctor and does not depend on who pays. ### What happens to a licence for flowers that has already been granted? The law does not provide for any transitional arrangements. In the view of the medical and pharmaceutical professional bodies, this means there is no longer any basis for billing for herbal remedies at the expense of the health insurance fund. It is best to clarify what this means for your ongoing treatment and what alternatives are available as soon as possible with the practice treating you. ### Do you need authorisation from your health insurance provider? Generally speaking, yes, before the first prescription is issued at the health insurance fund’s expense. Exceptions apply in the case of certain specialist, sub-specialist and additional designations, as well as in specialist outpatient palliative care. Clarify this before treatment begins, as experience shows that submitting a claim retrospectively complicates matters. ### What happens if the health insurance provider refuses? You can lodge an appeal against a rejection within the statutory time limit. It is advisable to check, together with the practice providing the treatment, what reasons the health insurance fund has given and whether any missing information can be provided. Regardless of this, it remains possible to receive treatment at your own expense. ## Classification The issue of costs for medical cannabis is currently primarily a question of timing. What applied in 2024 will no longer apply in some respects by 2026, and further changes cannot be ruled out. You should therefore check how up to date each piece of information is, and ask for a clear explanation of the costs and any potential reimbursement before starting treatment, rather than relying on estimates. For a medical assessment and support with a potential application, a practice with experience in this field is the most sensible starting point. [View cannabis doctors in your area](https://lokalmed.de/de/search?treatment=medical%5Fcannabis) This article is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. ## Related specialities - [Medical cannabisFind doctors](https://lokalmed.de/en/treatments/medical-cannabis)