What About The Low-Income People?

[tricharious]

The majority of my disability comes from ssdi I only get $40 a from ssi that $40 a month its what keeps me eligible for Medicaid. If I were to beguin earning money that $40 I get from ssi would be the first to go and my eligibility for Medicaid along with it... health coverage is the most important part of my disability coverage. So for me, becoming a caregiver is not feasible.

[tricharious]

Ssdi offers Medicare eligibility after 24 months and then its at a premium of a little over $100 a month taken out of your disability check each month. Ssi offers immediate Medicaid coverage at no cost to eligible individuals. I can't afford to lose my ssi by becoming a caregiver, I need health coverage more than I need to grow mmj. In my case my ssi eligibility would be the fist to go if I began working taking with it my health insurance. Then I'd have to wait almost a year to receive Medicare and I can't afford Medicare premiums on my income.

[tricharious]

The topic at hand isn't so much how do patients afford to grow their own its how to bring low income patients together with caregivers who can afford to take them on as free or discounted.

[ozzrokk]

In my years of being a cg ive had a couple free ones, as i do now. i have to say i think you are way off. for the poorest, most desperate, growing isnt anything like an option. the first two pts i took for free....one had pancreatic cancer, the other had 3 types of cancer.  both were sick and disabled long before i came in the picture. these people couldnt afford to eat, or pay their rent etc. where do you suggest these people get the money to grow? i understand you can grow with ten dollars worth of cfls and a seed out of a dime you got on the street, but thats not meds, nor is it enough. Those lil cfl grows wont get you one batch of rso. If you can show me a sound plan , a real way fine. but its just a wishful thinking to tell people that.

I was not speaking of any illnesses or the severity of such illnesses. I was speaking of a low income patient that only needed a little for themselves. I also spoke of the if the situation warranted. Perhaps I should have been a little more specific in my opinion. But a patient can grow a small grow op on 400 watts and meet there needs just fine. Now if you start talking a cancer patient and RSO then the situation is no longer right.

[tricharious]

About how much would it cost in total to get started with a small op? And how much money would it cost a month to operate? I wonder. ..

[tricharious]

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/page/articles/patients/grow-your-own

 

Mmma even says it can be expensive and not practical.

[roadworkahead]

There are dispensaries that are still open.Detroit, Ann Arbor I think Flint too. Perhaps contacting one could put you in touch from the pool of caregivers that are selling to them.

One might have a spot for a patient needing free /low$$.   Not certain if this is helpful, but since these places are still open they are getting their meds from somewhere.  

[tricharious]

How are they still open when dispensaries are now illegal?

[roadworkahead]

How are they still open when dispensaries are now illegal?

Ceratin prosecutors don't want to prosecute in certain counties?! Ypsi dispensaries are still open too. Jamie Lowell of 3rd coast compassion center in ypsilanti could probably answer why he is still open. 

[tricharious]

Huh.

[roadworkahead]

Huh.

I think the Jackson Farmers Market is also still happening too   Legal????   Taking chances ???!!!

[tricharious]

People gotta be careful!

[Kingdiamond]

How are they still open when dispensaries are now illegal?

Big balls big brass ones.

[michaelscott]

Big balls big brass ones.

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/41891-what-is-needed-to-open-a-dispensary-in-gr/?fromsearch=1

 

What do they say about great minds?

[michaelscott]

Gaylord has not missed a beat, open and serving up here.

[+Malamute]

Well, medicaid "pays for"(covers) 75% of your registration fee.

 

:-)

Medicaid doesn't pay for mmj. I'm on full Medicaid and it won't cover anything to do with my mmj cert. The only real solution is to find a compassionate caregiver that will work with you if you're low income. The real problem that needs a solution is how to bring low income patients together with caregivers who can afford to accommodate said patients. But how and where?

[Celliach]

I have four patients.  I give medicine to one for free.  I'm not losing anything.  If every CG took on one PT that couldn't afford medicine then most of the problem is solved.  

 

We have never, ever had dispensaries in my area of the state.  The closest one is well over an hour away.  As far as I know, we are not experiencing anyone not getting the meds they need around here.  

 

This is a strawman argument.  It's creating a problem that doesn't exist, or at least doesn't have to exist.  It's just one more argument to legalize dispensaries so middlemen can get rich off of patients.

 

How many CGs are there on this forum that were selling to dispensaries and giving away free meds?  I met one guy from the eastern part of the UP that was selling to dispensaries, the only person I've met in the UP so far selling to dispensaries, and he still charged his five PTs.  

 

I'm calling BS on this whole idea and thread.

[+Malamute]

Hmmm, no agenda here. I specifically said i thought either side saying it will solve the problem of poor people in Michigan is full of doodoo.  No matter what we do, patients will fall through the cracks. Period.  The only solution for the real poor and incompetent is to have medicaid pay for it. I figure medicaid will NEVER pay for it ever no matter what even if legal.  They will force you to use cheaper drugs options.

 

I am just very reality based AND one of those poor patients you speak of.  I am just saying it how it is.

 

I made the only real suggestion that exists which allows you to not commit an illegal act.  Does it suck for alot of people? Of course it does.  Thisprogram was never made to cover everybody or provide free healthcare to poor people.  There is no mechanism in michigan to pay for poor peoples cannabis nor will there ever be at least for 20 years i assume, or more.  Do you want your taxes to go up so you can pay for poor people cannabis?  Um, most the state would say NO!.

 

 So next solution,  start collecting mony and operating like the red cross and giving money to poor patients to buy their medicine.  They have a "green cross" in California.  But in michigan, donations would need to be cash or growing equipment basicly.

mal your missing the point. you guys are so caught up in your agenda your refusing to look at reality. life is not disp or no disp...fek disp fek talking about em....how do we help these people? its all about compassion as long as we can ignore those who really need it? I too know plenty of cg that took on free people, and they are dropping em left and right. there is no avenue for the extras, no means to recoup your expenses. the system isnt helping those that need it. we need to stop pretending like there are not people suffering and work towards a way of assisting them. Disp are not the answer, ignoring suffering people so as you can stand on your soap box screaming "no disp needed here" isnt helping either. fine disp sucks....lets figure out a way to make this work. instead of acting like there is no problem.

[+Malamute]

You would have to make somewhere over $1200/month to run into any issues with losing your disability(medicaid)  So few CG's make anywhere near that.

Becoming a caregiver wouldn't work for someone on disability because it would be considered income and would most likely affect the individuals disability status. For example I'm on Ssi and if I make too much money I can lose my health insurance.

[Restorium2]

Learn how to grow to supplement your low income, and help other patients at the same time.

[Restorium2]

You would have to make somewhere over $1200/month to run into any issues with losing your disability(medicaid)  So few CG's make anywhere near that.

Right, and that's after expenses.

[northerngal]

Hmmm, no agenda here. I specifically said i thought either side saying it will solve the problem of poor people in Michigan is full of doodoo.  No matter what we do, patients will fall through the cracks. Period.  The only solution for the real poor and incompetent is to have medicaid pay for it. I figure medicaid will NEVER pay for it ever no matter what even if legal.  They will force you to use cheaper drugs options.

 

I am just very reality based AND one of those poor patients you speak of.  I am just saying it how it is.

 

I made the only real suggestion that exists which allows you to not commit an illegal act.  Does it suck for alot of people? Of course it does.  Thisprogram was never made to cover everybody or provide free healthcare to poor people.  There is no mechanism in michigan to pay for poor peoples cannabis nor will there ever be at least for 20 years i assume, or more.  Do you want your taxes to go up so you can pay for poor people cannabis?  Um, most the state would say NO!.

 

 So next solution,  start collecting mony and operating like the red cross and giving money to poor patients to buy their medicine.  They have a "green cross" in California.  But in michigan, donations would need to be cash or growing equipment basicly.

 

 

 

I wrote a response to this thread three times this morning, only to delete them each time.  You summed my thoughts up pretty well.  Thank you! 

[+Malamute]

About $250 and $50 a monthish.

About how much would it cost in total to get started with a small op? And how much money would it cost a month to operate? I wonder. ..

[Ms Chocolate]

I’ve always said that the process we have is one of apartheid. It is a process where those who truly have those voted upon health issues, and who qualify for the discount registration; are the one least able to afford the fruits of the system.

[GanjaWarrior]

thats a good way to put it