The process of getting a card

[larado]

Been reading online and still a little confused . Can someone walk me through the process of being approved for medical  marijuana ? I currently have cancer and many painful joint issues along with chronic intestinal issues ( very recent cancer diagnosis so intestinal issues may be related to the cancer ) I see there is a Dr listed in Gaylord near me on this site https://www.marijuanadoctors.com/medical-marijuana-doctors/MI/gaylord . One of my main questions is what is proof of diagnosis I would need  . Right now I have the lab report confirming the biopsy is cancer but haven't been set up with a cancer Dr yet. The same with my joint issues , I have CT scan that clearly state the medical conditions but won't see a physical med Dr until the 11th of Sept . My intestinal issues are vague but chronic and documented over the last several years . Been hospitalized due to it also over that time frame . The reason I am looking into this as with many vets being treated by the VA they finally allowed me a script for pain meds and then after a couple of months ,and at the same time I notified them of my cancer diagnosis ,they told me they were not going to give me any more pain meds . No appointment to further evaluate me, no explanation ,nothing .  Obviously my condition warranted prescription pain meds as they prescribed them and that was before my cancer diagnosis. I do have possible other questions but will wait and hope someone can answer this one first 

[Kingdiamond]

You bring your medical records to a cannabis recommendation clinic they view your records and do a hands on examination  and the doctor asks you some questions pertaining to if cannabis will help you with your pain then sign a recommendation paper and you fill out a patient application along with 60 dollars send your patient app and the doctor paperwork to LARA  in Lansing.

 

Then they review your paperwork and as long as your paperwork is complete authorize you to use medical cannabis and mail you your card then you either grow your own or you find a caregiver in your location on here.

[t-pain]

If that was not clear enough, it goes like this:

1. take medical records with you to cert dr

2. dr does an in person visit, nurse takes vitals, dr examines your body and medical history, asks some questions

3. if dr finds you have a qualifying medical condition, dr gives you recommendation to use mmj

4. you pay the dr $100-200 , he gives you forms

5. take forms home, fill out, mail in with $60 to LARA

6. in a month, lara sends you a card if you filed out forms correctly.

to get a mmj card, you do not have to have an oncologist or anything like that. as long as you have a lab report and medical records , that is enough.

 

its a fairly easy process, there is not much to worry about. just make sure the forms are properly signed and filled out by the dr and you.

sorry to hear about the VA denying you prescription pain medication. no one should be denied pain medication , especially by some government death panel. maybe its possible the oncologist will write pain prescriptions for you. hard to tell.

[larado]

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You bring your medical records to a cannabis recommendation clinic they view your records and do a hands on examination 

The place listed in the link I posted is the place that I need to go for that ?
 

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to get a mmj card, you do not have to have an oncologist or anything like that. as long as you have a lab report and medical records , that is enough.

 

its a fairly easy process

 

That is the main thing I was looking for , thanks.

As a follow up to that question , cancer is listed under the first tier and is named specifically as a condition that qualifies , so does that mean the approval is automatic ? The reason I ask is ,as of now my other conditions that would qualify under the second tier as causing chronic pain have yet to be fully evaluated at this time. That process is started but the medical records are incomplete at this point . 

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sorry to hear about the VA denying you prescription pain medication. no one should be denied pain medication , especially by some government death panel.

It sucks as the pain meds were for the joint issues before the cancer diagnosis  ( that  the VA misdiagnosed  months ago)and  was just done a little over a week  ago. I don't know if that misdiagnoses has any thing to do with it but as soon as we notified them ( the VA was my primary Dr ) of the cancer diagnoses ,that we got outside the VA, I was told the pain meds would stop with no explanation and no further reply on treating my cancer . So as of now the cancer treatment will be handled outside the VA . My understanding is that even though it is an aggressive form it is treatable in most cases .

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maybe its possible the oncologist will write pain prescriptions for you. hard to tell.

yes it is hard  to tell and even harder to know how much "begging " would be involved in getting them to do it . The evil of pain meds is the cause of the day right now regardless of the need for them .That is the main reason for starting this process to get approved for MM as at least I would have some control on my ability to treat my pain with out having to beg someone for help .

[t-pain]

yes, the place you linked to, assuming its still there, call first, make an appt if needed.

 

yes, cancer would be the diagnosis. the form says a dr can check both cancer and pain or multiple ailments. its up to the dr if you have enough documentation to show that you have that condition as well, of course.

 

just one condition is enough. dont sweat it.

you should be more concerned with getting a followup visit so that you have a bona-fide dr patient relationship.

[larado]

I am a little late but thanks to you t-pain and the others that took time to answer my questions . My plan is to get an appointment set up soon to get the process started. Been busy with the initial testing that is needed to start chemo and should know how soon I will start it on Tue when I meet with my cancer Dr .

[oldirongut]

At this point in Mi. I read somewhere cards are taking some good amount of time to get ,not within a month

Edited September 27, 2017 by oldirongut

[larado]

As an update , I ended up going to Denali healthcare and got the referral thing done ( no issues they filled the paper work out for me and had it in an envelop ) I mailed it out with the fee ,registered mail, and they received it on the 20th of sept . I have not received my card in the mail as of right now.

[compiler]

On 10/6/2017 at 3:17 PM, larado said:

As an update , I ended up going to Denali healthcare and got the referral thing done ( no issues they filled the paper work out for me and had it in an envelop ) I mailed it out with the fee ,registered mail, and they received it on the 20th of sept . I have not received my card in the mail as of right now.

Laredo:

I am in a similar situation (severe pain due to spasms due to a severe spinal chord injury).

I saw the doctor in the12th, and sent in my paperwork that day. It was received on the 16th.

I wonder how long it will be until I get my card.

I was told I am legal in 21 days, as long as I staple my receipts to a copy of the paperwork.

 

Mel

 

[Pain]

Back in August. I renewed my card, and after my check cleared, i got my hard card in 18 days. Who knows today. 

[larado]

I did finally receive my card on the 14th of Oct . The issue date was the 4th of Oct so it either took the mail 9 days to get it to me or they held it for some time before putting it in the mail after it was issued . Either way I have it now and having success with using MM  (smoking ) and getting pain relief . Was skeptical of all the claims made about MM being used for so many things but it is working for me to relieve pain . Not sure all strains will work as I have only tried the one so far . I hope you get your card soon and have the same results with pain relief as me !

[compiler]

Laredo:

It seems  like you and Pain had very similar experiences time-wise.

If you figure 3 days from when your application arrived to your check getting deposited and cleared, then add 18 (calendar) days, that would be  the time your card arrives (+/- 2 days).

HOWEVER, my application arrived on the 16th and the check has not cleared (not on my online statement).

Do you guys know when your checks cleared compared to when they received the application?

 

Mel

 

 

[compiler]

As I posted elsewhere, my check was cashed, on the 24th. I'm hoping cashing the check means my application was approved.

 

Mel

[Restorium2]

1 hour ago, compiler said:

As I posted elsewhere, my check was cashed, on the 24th. I'm hoping cashing the check means my application was approved.

 

Mel

Mel,

There have been applicants that had their checks cashed, there application declined, and couldn't even get a refund. The check being cash only means you paid them. Just want everyone to have a clear understanding of how the system works.