The Compassionate Coalition

My doctor is from Kaiser and I could not ask for a better doctor, when I asked the doctor about medical marijuana he was afraid of addiction but I aked him to call the state registry and after he talked to the person there he gave me my referal and told me that I was the first patient that he has given a referal too. So i think it depends on the doctor and not the corp. and the way the state accepts medical marijuana.

As a Kaiser patient with Glaucoma, I came across the article below and sent it to my ophthalmologist along with my request that he write me a note.
I also informed the doc that I had enjoyed cannabis since 1968 and had absolutely no intention of cessation.

-rs

Denver Rocky Mountain News July 7, 2001

KAISER LAWYERS BACK MEDICAL MARIJUANA

By: Michael Perrault

Attorneys for Kaiser Permanente in Colorado have given its doctors a tentative green light to endorse medical marijuana use for qualified patients.

Doctors sought legal advice from the nonprofit HMO's lawyers in recent weeks after they became concerned about facing prosecution despite an 8-month-old Colorado law that authorizes use of marijuana to alleviate certain debilitating medical conditions.

Under state law, doctors must sign official documents stating that their patients could benefit from using marijuana. The confidential documents are then filed with the state to protect patients in the event they're arrested for marijuana possession.

"Using their own judgment, doctors can sign them or not, depending on what they think medically is the right thing to do," said Steve Krizman, a Kaiser spokesman in Colorado who talked about the HMO's legal advice. Kaiser plans to provide its doctors with further information about potential legal issues when executives at the parent company in Oakland, Calif., make a final decision next week, Kaiser officials said.

The legal advice comes not long after Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar and Gov. Bill Owens issued a letter to the Colorado Medical Society warning that doctors face the risk of federal prosecution if they participate in the state program. Owens and Salazar also sent a letter to acting U.S. Attorney Richard Spriggs, asking him to enforce federal law.

In November, Colorado voters approved Amendment 20, allowing patients to use marijuana for conditions such as cancer, glaucoma, AIDS and severe nausea.

Since the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment established a Medical Marijuana Registry and began issuing identification cards, 38 people have applied, said Gail Kelsey, administrator for the program.

Of those, 35 applications have been approved, two are pending and one has been denied, Kelsey said Friday.

Patients with identification cards can possess no more than 2 ounces of a usable form of marijuana and not more than six marijuana plants, state officials said.

At Kaiser Permanente, the legal issue came to a head recently when Dr. Miguel Mogyoros sought legal advice before signing a recommendation for a medical marijuana identification card for a patient. Other doctors then joined Mogyoros' request.

Kaiser's partnership with its physicians sets it apart from other health plans in the state, which contract with physicians and physician groups.

Because Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and PacifiCare of Colorado contracts with doctors, for example, it leaves decisions to individual physicians, preferring not to interfere with a physician's judgment about whether patients would benefit from marijuana usage.

Likewise, there are no restrictions on doctors at PacifiCare of Colorado who want to recommend marijuana use for patients, although the health plan's benefit package doesn't cover marijuana and wouldn't pay for it, said Amy Hudson, PacifiCare spokeswoman.

Salazar said Friday he had "no reaction" to the Kaiser attorneys' legal advice.

He reiterated that he upheld the state's medical marijuana law following a May 14 U.S. Supreme Court decision that outlaws cannabis buyers clubs for patients in California.

"When tyranny is abroad, SUBMISSION is the crime."
- Rev. Andrew Eliot, May 29, 1765

After years of trying to find out Kaisers MM Policy I spoke directly with my doctor last week "Off the record". He told me it is up to the doctor weather or not they are willing to recommend medical marijuana, however the problem is that Corporate Kaiser does not endorse nor condone medical marijuana use and advises their staff not to recommend medical marijuana.

Assuming that most of the Kaiser doctors are like my own they are afraid of legal consequences and/or losing their jobs and therefore most likely will not recommend MM for their patience. Although I was not able to get my recommendation from my Kaiser doctor he was able to refer me to a MM doctor that confirmed my medical needs from Kaiser and gave me my recommendation.

Although I am from California I would also assume that Kaiser's MM policy is a national policy and not a State by State policy. Per my doctor at Kaiser if you really need to know their exact policy you can submit a Media request to Kaisers Public Relations Department.

I hope this information helps.

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