High Tide has announced that its wholly owned U.S. hemp-derived CBD subsidiary, NuLeaf Naturals, intends to pursue participation in the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center's Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) pilot program as suppliers of eligible hemp-derived CBD products, and has already begun engaging with participating organizations.
The pilot program, which launched today, represents a significant step toward integrating hemp-derived CBD products into federally supported healthcare models. Under the program, participating Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) under the ACO REACH Model and oncology practices under the Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) may elect to furnish eligible hemp-derived products to Medicare beneficiaries at no cost, up to US$500 per year per beneficiary. CMS has indicated that the program may also expand to participants in its Long-term Enhanced ACO Design (LEAD) Model beginning January 1, 2027.
NuLeaf Naturals, founded in 2014 in Denver, Colorado, is a cannabinoid company, with cGMP-certified and FDA-registered manufacturing facilities, with USDA Organic certification currently in process. NuLeaf's product portfolio includes THC-free and broad-spectrum CBD formats designed to align with the pilot program's compliance requirements, covering the full range of eligible product formats under the program.
The Company's engagement with the CMS pilot program builds on the strategic foundation established through its founding membership in the National Compassionate Care Council (NCCC), a coalition of healthcare-focused organizations working to advance evidence-based cannabinoid policy and improve patient access to cannabinoid therapies across the United States.
"The launch of the CMS pilot program is a historic moment for the U.S. CBD industry and, most importantly, for the millions of Medicare beneficiaries who may now have access to hemp-derived cannabinoid therapies at no cost to themselves, with costs borne by participating organizations under CMS models," said Raj Grover, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of High Tide.
"NuLeaf Naturals has spent years building the quality systems, certifications, and product standards that this program demands. We believe NuLeaf is well positioned to serve as a trusted supplier to participating healthcare organizations, and we are actively engaging with ACOs and oncology programs to make that a reality. As this program scales, we believe it has the potential to become a meaningful growth driver for High Tide's U.S. CBD business," added Mr. Grover.
For more information:
High Tide
[email protected]
hightideinc.com
