The recent Forbes report on Medicare’s movement toward covering hemp-derived products, arriving at the exact moment Congress is advancing a sweeping federal ban on most hemp cannabinoids, perfectly captures the contradictory place our industry finds itself in. As the founder of a CBD brand dedicated to older adults, I feel both the promise and the pressure acutely. This set of developments represents one of the most disruptive periods we’ve faced since the 2018 Farm Bill, but it may also be the turning point that pushes the country toward real, comprehensive cannabis legalization and proper regulatory oversight.
Two Opposing Federal Signals
On one hand, Medicare’s potential willingness to reimburse certain hemp-derived wellness products is nothing short of historic. For years, these same adults have had to pay cash for products they rely on daily. Medicare recognizing even a subset of hemp-based products signals something powerful: Washington sees value here. Agencies are beginning to acknowledge that non-intoxicating cannabinoids have a legitimate place in health and wellness.
On the other hand, Congress appears poised to enact a definition of hemp so restrictive that many products seniors already trust would be classified as illegal next year. Under the proposed language, total THC levels would be capped so tightly that full-spectrum CBD oils, gummies, and capsules, may no longer qualify as “hemp.” Reformulations would be costly and, for some brands, impossible. Entire categories of products could vanish from shelves.
These two federal messages clash: one agency hinting at acceptance and integration, another branch of government leaning toward prohibition and contraction. For consumers and businesses alike, the uncertainty is destabilizing.
Why This Feels Harmful Now
It’s important to be honest about the short-term consequences. If the new hemp definition goes into effect as written, the impact on consumers will be immediate and painful. Seniors who would lose access to products that work for them. Retailers would face shelves full of discontinued SKUs and frustrated customers. Farmers and manufacturers would lose predictable demand.
This is not theoretical. It is guaranteed pain.
And yet, for all the challenges, I think it’s a mistake to view this moment as purely destructive. There is a broader shift underway, and if the industry leans into it instead of resisting it outright, we can shape the outcome.
Why This May Ultimately Advance Full Legalization
I believe this conflict, Medicare recognition colliding with federal restriction, may ultimately be the pressure needed to push Congress toward national cannabis reform.
Medicare’s move legitimizes hemp-derived wellness in a way nothing else has. When America’s largest health insurance program signals that cannabinoids may have a place in senior wellness, it becomes much harder for lawmakers to treat CBD as a fringe or dangerous substance. It reframes the conversation away from fear and into health, aging, and quality of life.
If the federal ban takes effect, millions of older Americans will feel the consequences firsthand. Approximately 33% of Americans over the age of 50 use CBD according to a recent study done by Taylor and Francis. These are everyday people; grandparents, teachers, and veterans, who’ve found CBD helpful and safe. When their access is threatened, they will speak up. They will contact legislators. And that creates political pressure in a way industry lobbying alone cannot.
The contradictions in current policy force regulators to confront the irrationality of treating non-intoxicating CBD the same as psychoactive THC. You cannot, in the same breath, prepare to cover hemp products under Medicare while outlawing most of them. That inconsistency will drive calls for a consistent, science-based framework.
Ultimately, this pressure may accelerate the one thing the hemp and cannabis industries have been missing: comprehensive, national regulation. That is the foundation required for long-term stability, consumer safety, and responsible growth.
What This Means for 55plus CBD and Our Customers
While the proposed changes won’t directly affect 55plus CBD’s current formulas, we know they could disrupt the broader CBD industry. Forcing many reputable brands to re-test, re-formulate, or retool their lineup.
For us, it may mean adjusting processes or timelines behind the scenes, but our current line of THC-free products will remain available. This will slow our commitment to the people we serve. It strengthens our resolve to advocate for seniors and a regulatory system built on clarity, transparency, and quality.
One thing won’t change: seniors deserve access to safe cannabinoid-based wellness options. We will continue to fight for that access, in Washington, in the media, and through our work every day.
Also Read: Trump Administration Reclassifies Cannabis to Schedule III
The Bigger Picture
If we treat this situation as a threat, we will miss the opportunity in front of us. But if we use it to push for unified, national regulation, and ultimately, full legalization, we will come out stronger.
Short-term, this may hurt. But long-term? It may be exactly the pressure needed to bring cannabis and hemp into the mainstream.
