Without Insurance Coverage For Cannabis, Medical Marijuana Patients Dole Out Hundreds

[Truth Seeker]

Americans who use marijuana for medical purposes in states that permit it already face the uncertainties – such as DEA crackdowns and uneven drug law enforcement – that accompany their medication's federally prohibited status. But patients in these states also bear the full weight of their medicine's costs, which must be paid entirely out-of-pocket since health insurers have refused to go anywhere near coverage for medical marijuana prescriptions.

Since the federal government designates marijuana as a Schedule 1 controlled substance with no legitimate medical use, insurers and employer-based health plans stay away from cannabis – even though it is now legal for medicinal purposes in 18 states and the District of Columbia, and completely legal in Washington and Colorado. As Kaiser Health News reports, this perpetuates a system in which patients with legitimate medical need of the drug may have to spend up to hundreds of dollars a month to fill their prescriptions:

Health insurance rarely if ever covers [marijuana] use; some patients spend hundreds of dollars a month or more on the drug. The situation may not change anytime soon, some experts say.

A typical patient might purchase an eighth of an ounce – the equivalent of about three joints – from a dispensary at a cost of $20 to $60, says Kris Hermes, a spokesman for Americans for Safe Access. But patients' needs vary widely.

"Some people only need a few hits at a time to experience a therapeutic effect," he says. "Others need to smoke several marijuana cigarettes a day or ingest it with food, which takes considerably more."

With many other medications, particularly those that are prescribed to a patient for long-term use, health insurance helps bring prescription costs down to $5-$10 per refill – a far cry from the range of prices paid by medical marijuana users. The federal government isn't yet buying the argument that marijuana can have legitimate medical uses – despite some studies that have suggested otherwise – and insurers are following suit. But in the states where medical marijuana has been legalized, voters have electorally ratified their belief that cannabis can be a boost to patient health, particularly for Americans undergoing chemotherapy and other painful procedures.

News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: thinkprogress.org
Author: Sy Mukherjee
Contact: Contact Us | ThinkProgress
Website: Without Insurance Coverage For Cannabis, Medical Marijuana Patients Dole Out Hundreds For Prescriptions | ThinkProgress

 

[clever]

Re: Without Insurance Coverage For Cannabis, Medical Marijuana Patients Dole Out Hund

It seems the cart before the horse. In order for insurance to cover this it would also mean that MMJ would probably have to go through some sort of bullshit with the FDA. Which the FDA standards would put 95% of growers who are not equiped with the health and sanitation equiptment out of business. Which at this point MMJ is not considered a perscription. A Dr, cannot write scripts for MMJ only a recomendation. Right now in present day, some would recite its something about cake, and eating it too. Enjoy the victory at hand. Think about who your dealing with, insurance companys, their right there with shady Lawyers, the police union

 

[tetonmoon61]

Re: Without Insurance Coverage For Cannabis, Medical Marijuana Patients Dole Out Hund

In addition to not being covered. And state laws in Arizona demanding that the poor and sick purchase from the few state sponcered drug cartels posing as legit dispensaries; we are also denied proper healthcare from our pain managment who claim that the DEA is the master of them and that they cannot continue much needed therapy, treatment and medications for severe issues including pain, cancer etc if we are found to have THC in our systems. They have literally told me that using my now minimal pain medication ( down from 25 prescriptions to two and told MMJ is not proven to have any benefits?) I can die of drug interactions! Fools! And they state there is no proof of medical use of MMJ which is also a blatant lie. They humilate me every time I enter for needed relief by making me pee in a cup and treat me as if I am a drug addict. I have not been able to use the MMJ for months now as for I need spinal blocks and surgery for my pain but they don't want to give me strong enough prescriptions either and my mother who died of lung cancer was denied treatment for her use of MMJ when she was on chemo
This is inhumane and should be fought.

 

[clever]

Re: Without Insurance Coverage For Cannabis, Medical Marijuana Patients Dole Out Hund

Your absolutly right, but as long as its illegal in Federal law, It will never be covered under any plan. It sucks and I'm not advoacating the laws. Are you able to grow your own, from experience its much cheaper, and even someone with the tightest schedule can tend a garden

 

[tetonmoon61]

Re: Without Insurance Coverage For Cannabis, Medical Marijuana Patients Dole Out Hund

Yes I do tend my own garden, even being disabled but the state law will soon make a criiminal out of me and thousands of others who are on limited income to support thier state sponcered drug cartels called dispensaries. In AZ once one opens within 25miles as the crow flies which can be over 75 miles or more over mountains and deserts, we become felons if we do not purchase only from them. We are no longer able to cultivate and of the over 35000 cards over 33000 have cultivation rights til the dispensaries open. That means the majority of us will have to either go back on narcotics, buy from these criminals or hope to not get caught and do what we have to to survive.

 

[tetonmoon61]

Re: Without Insurance Coverage For Cannabis, Medical Marijuana Patients Dole Out Hund

Yep you said it. In AZ though we are being forced to become criminals if we do not support state sponcered drug cartels ie: dispensaries. Those of us who are sick and on limited income cannot even go to bed without being hungry. AZ stopped all healthcare for adults without children so we are forced to deal with survival on a third world level. No I hope the whole country goes down soon.. tired of being beaten..

 

[clever]

Re: Without Insurance Coverage For Cannabis, Medical Marijuana Patients Dole Out Hund

Time to move, though I know thats not possible. I don't understand why, if this movement for legalization is moving together, why do any of the dispensaries not try to help, underground or not. I live in a state that its all bad, I wake up a felon every morning, I'm disabled and on medicare, their is no help here. But why do the prices in the dispensaries (anywhere) compare to street prices. Its not only the otherside fucking you. Its these new school millionaires. A+E ought to do a show on it. The show on the discovery channel is a fuckin trip. Some episodes make them look like idiots. When they disclosed their sales one month it made me sick, I know their not doing it for free, but their profit margin is rediculous. So it's not just the law. Its also a bunch of people, exloiting MMJ for super gain. Nothing wrong with that if thats your bag. you will reap the seeds you plant. Karma is and always will be a bitch.