We were in clinic in Vanderbilt and a patient came in with a worried look. He had just gotten a colored piece of paper in the mail, asking him to do his renewal through the mail in exchange for a check. Once he paid for the paperwork, he could stop at a hotel room and get a 'complimentary visit' with a doctor and pick up his filled out paperwork for the state. He thought it was shady- paying for the paperwork and getting a free visit with a doctor to make it 'legal'.
The law changed April 1st, with the goal of shutting down the signature mills and making medical marijuana certifications just like any other visit with the doctor. But, as the old story goes, good doctors don't need to be forced to be good doctors with a change in the law, and those that found the loopholes before the law change would continue to find them afterward. Pay for the paperwork, get a free visit with the doctor to make it legal.
At Denali Healthcare, our physicians and medical staff evaluate patients. We make decisions and recommendation based on training and experience. We stand behind our patients and can justify our decisions and recommendations in court if need be. THAT is what we charge for. The paperwork is 'complimentary'.
Are you paying for a doctor visit, or are you buying paperwork and the doctor is an afterthought to make it 'legal'? What did the voters intend? What does the law require? What protects you in court? We as a community have to decide what we are comfortable with- do we do things right or do we see what loopholes we can find? It isn't hard to do things right.