{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/telehealth/","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_3871-markdown","title":"How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card Online in Pennsylvania","slug":"how-to-get-a-medical-marijuana-card-online-in-pennsylvania","content":"If you're looking to consume cannabis in Pennsylvania, there may be a long wait for adult-use marijuana purchases. Advocates in the state are working to pass legislation, but it will take a while to get recreational dispensaries licensed and operational. The best way to purchase legal cannabis in Pennsylvania is to get your medical marijuana card. \n\n![Getting a medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania is easy with HelloMD](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_3_22_39_PM_a46d4b4177.png)\n\n### Qualifying Medical Conditions for Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania\n\nIf you have a qualifying medical condition, the process is easy with Telehealth service HelloMD. [Qualifying medical conditions in the state of Pennsylvania include](https://www.pa.gov/guides/pennsylvania-medical-marijuana-program/#HowtoGetMedicalMarijuana):\n\n- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis\n- Anxiety disorders\n- Autism\n- Cancer, including remission therapy\n- Crohn's disease\n- Damage to the nervous tissue of the central nervous system (brain-spinal cord) with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, and other associated neuropathies\n- Dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders\n- Epilepsy\n- Glaucoma\n- HIV / AIDS\n- Huntington's disease\n- Inflammatory bowel disease\n- Intractable seizures\n- Multiple sclerosis\n- Neurodegenerative diseases\n- Neuropathies\n- Opioid use disorder for which conventional therapeutic interventions are contraindicated or ineffective, or for which adjunctive therapy is indicated in combination with primary therapeutic interventions\n- Parkinson's disease\n- Post-traumatic stress disorder\n- Severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain\n- Sickle cell anemia\n- Terminal illness\n- Tourette syndrome\n\n\n![Chronic pain is often a reason people seek out medical marijuana](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_3_28_31_PM_9ea3095df0.png)\n\nIt's as simple as following these four steps to secure your medical weed card and begin making legal, medical cannabis purchases. \n\n### Step 1. Register for Your Medical Marijuana Card\n\n![Medical marijuana is a therapeutic medicine for millions of people](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_12_11_23_PM_3385580d9a.png)\n\nThe easiest way to get started on the process of getting a medical marijuana card is to [register with HelloMD](https://pennsylvania.hellomd.com/register?next=%2Fget-started) and provide basic information about yourself.\n\nAll you need to do is create a login, give some basic information and book a consultation!\n\nAlternatively, you can register for the program through the [Medical Marijuana Registry](https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login) on the Pennsylvania state website.\n\n### Step 2. Consult with a HelloMD Practitioner\n\n![Talk to a HelloMD practitioner online](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_2_25_14_PM_00d7303ec2.png)\n\nNext, you will talk with a Pennsylvania practitioner online via Telehealth. The licensed practitioner will certify that you suffer from one medical condition that qualifies for medical marijuana. This process usually takes around 15-20 minutes. \n\nIf approved, your practitioner will submit their certification directly to the [Medical Marijuana Registry](https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login). \n\nHelloMD practitioners will also provide you with advice on using medical marijuana for your ailments. \n\n### Step 3. Pay for your Medical Cannabis ID Card Online\n\nAfter your consultation, you will receive an email confirmation from the DOH, with instructions on how to pay for your medical marijuana ID card. \n\nThe cost of a medical marijuana ID card is $50. Patients who participate in assistance programs including Medicaid, PACE/PACENET, CHIP, SNAP, and WIC may be eligible for fee reductions.\n\nAllow 7-14 days to receive your printed card in the mail. Once you receive the card, you're free to shop for marijuana at licensed medical cannabis dispensaries in Pennsylvania!\n\n![Visiting a medical marijuana dispensary](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_3_30_27_PM_67f70ef3cd.png)\n\n### Purchase Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania\n\nYour practitioner should have already given you guidance on what types of weed products are best for your needs, but there will also be knowledgeable pharmacists at the dispensaries you shop at. They can help you choose cannabis products based on desired effects, price, or product type. \n\n![Getting your medical marijuana card allows you to buy legal marijuana in New York](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_10_39_10_PM_f08ab2a575.png)\n\n\nVisiting a dispensary is an easy and enjoyable process. [Consult this guide](https://hellomd.com/articles/pennsylvania-weed-map-guide-to-getting-safe-and-legal-weed) for additional information on the process. \n\n### Get Your Medical Document & Purchase Medical Cannabis\n\nIt's easy to get your medical document with the online [Telehealth service HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/get-started). Register, pay, and receive an online medical consultation with a licensed practitioner and start purchasing medical cannabis today.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/14b42/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.jpg","srcSet":"/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/f836f/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.jpg 200w,\n/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/2244e/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.jpg 400w,\n/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/14b42/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.jpg 800w,\n/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/47498/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/58556/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/61e93/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.webp 200w,\n/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/1f5c5/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.webp 400w,\n/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/58556/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.webp 800w,\n/static/7393666eb05ed876b74923b44d21d239/99238/0e5dba3a0ebad27d7135eb7477663f70.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3870-markdown","title":"How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card Online in Illinois","slug":"how-to-get-a-medical-marijuana-card-online-in-illinois","content":"In 2013, the state of Illinois approved the [Medical Cannabis Patient Program](https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/medical-cannabis.html), which allows patients with specific qualifying conditions to access medical marijuana within legal dispensaries within the state.\n\n![Medical marijuana is a therapeutic medicine for millions of people](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_12_11_23_PM_3385580d9a.png)\n\nThe [Qualifying conditions](https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/medical-cannabis/debilitating-conditions.html) for Illinois cannabis patients are:\n \n- Autism\n- Agitation of Alzheimer's disease\n- HIV/AIDS\n- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)\n- Anorexia nervosa\n- Arnold-Chiari malformation\n- Cancer\n- Cachexia/wasting syndrome\n- Causalgia\n- Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy\n- Chronic pain\n- Crohn's disease\n- CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome Type II)\n- Dystonia\n- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome\n- Fibrous Dysplasia\n- Glaucoma\n- Hepatitis C\n- Hydrocephalus\n- Hydromyelia\n- Interstitial cystitis\n- Irritable bowel syndrome\n- Lupus\n- Migraines\n- Multiple Sclerosis\n- Muscular Dystrophy\n- Myasthenia Gravis\n- Myoclonus\n- Nail-patella syndrome\n- Neuro-Bechet's autoimmune disease\n- Neurofibromatosis\n- Neuropathy\n- Osteoarthritis\n- Parkinson's disease\n- Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)\n- Post-Concussion Syndrome\n- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)\n- Reflex sympathetic dystrophy\n- Residual limb pain\n- Rheumatoid arthritis\n- Seizures (including those characteristic of Epilepsy)\n- Severe fibromyalgia\n- Sjogren's syndrome\n- Spinal cord disease (including but not limited to arachnoiditis)\n- Spinal cord injury is damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity\n- Spinocerebellar ataxia\n- Superior canal dehiscence syndrome\n- Syringomyelia\n- Tarlov cysts\n- Tourette syndrome\n- Traumatic brain injury\n- Ulcerative colitis\n\n![Chronic pain interferes with life - cannabis can help](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_10_23_06_PM_f255f44257.png)\n\nBut, as of January 1, 2020, the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act provided for the controlled [legalization of adult-use cannabis in Illinois](https://www.idfpr.com/profs/adultusecan.asp), also known as recreational consumption. The benefits of becoming a medical marijuana patient instead of accessing recreational dispensaries are numerous. This includes saving up to 30% on medical marijuana purchases and a more curated selection of cannabis products. \n\nAccessing medical cannabis in Illinois begins with securing a medical marijuana card. Once you are approved for your medical marijuana card, you can enter and purchase cannabis in any Illinois dispensary.\n\n![Sunnyside dispensary in Illinois](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_2_24_05_PM_d98e4ca1d4.png)\n\nFollow these four easy steps to obtain your Illinois medical marijuana card with online Telehealth provider HelloMD:\n\n### Step 1. Register with HelloMD\n\nThe easiest way to secure your medical marijuana card in Illinois is to [register through HelloMD](https://illinois.hellomd.com/start). It takes less than five minutes and ensures that the process will be quick and easy to obtain your card. \n\nAll you need to do is create a login, give some basic information and book a consultation!\n\nAlternatively, patients can register to the Illinois Cannabis Tracking System (ICTS) [here](https://etk.icts.illinois.gov/etk-icts-prod/login.request.do) and fill out the information to register and then complete an application. \n\n### Step 2. Talk to Your Practitioner\n\n![Talk to a HelloMD practitioner online](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_2_25_14_PM_00d7303ec2.png)\n\nAt the time of your HelloMD consultation, you'll speak to your practitioner over live video for 20-30 minutes. With a growing list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Illinois, you will have a high probability of securing a card after your consultation. An added bonus with HelloMD, if you're not approved, you don't pay.\n\nIf approved, your medical status online will show as \"approved.\"\n\n### Step 3. Register with Illinois State\n\nOnce you receive an approval certification from a HelloMD Practitioner, you'll need to register your HelloMD certification in the [Illinois online Medical Cannabis Patient Program](https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/medical-cannabis/patient-application-instructions.html).  \n\nNote: Health care providers' certifications are only valid for 90 days from the date of the telemedicine examination.\n\nNext, you'll have to pay an application fee from the state. You can find a list of application fees [here](https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/medical-cannabis/mcpp-registry-card-application-fees.html).\n\n### Step 4. Purchase Medical Cannabis in a Legal Dispensary in Illinois\n\n![Nature's Care Dispensary in Illinois](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_2_26_55_PM_e9287ec69b.png)\n\nOnce you're registered and approved, you will receive a temporary medical cannabis card number. This can be used to purchase marijuana while you wait for your physical card. \n\nNow you have to look for a nearby dispensary, chat with the on-site pharmacist to find the right cannabis product, make a purchase, and enjoy.\n\nConsult [these popular legal weed shops in Illinois](https://hellomd.com/articles/illinois-weed-map-your-guide-to-getting-safe-and-legal-weed) for help. \n\n### Get Your Medical Card with HelloMD\n\nIt's easy to get your medical document with the online [Telehealth service HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/get-started). Register, pay, and receive an online medical consultation with a licensed practitioner and start purchasing medical cannabis today.\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/14b42/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.jpg","srcSet":"/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/f836f/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.jpg 200w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/2244e/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.jpg 400w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/14b42/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.jpg 800w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/47498/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.jpg 1200w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/0e329/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.jpg 1600w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/f2689/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.jpg 7952w","srcWebp":"/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/58556/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/61e93/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.webp 200w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/1f5c5/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.webp 400w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/58556/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.webp 800w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/99238/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.webp 1200w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/7c22d/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.webp 1600w,\n/static/82def02a43f6bb0ed25169642631fb2b/1dd58/d40e7d23203c7839ee80a1361bf2f733.webp 7952w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3868-markdown","title":"What Are the Qualifying Medical Conditions for a Medical Marijauna Card in New York?","slug":"what-are-the-qualifying-medical-conditions-for-a-medical-marijauna-card-in-new-york","content":"### What's Medical Marijuana?\n\nThe medical marijuana program in New York State was first introduced in July 2014 with highly restrictive and limited regulations. Since then, many changes have been implemented, such as introducing whole flower to permissible consumption methods and better patient accessibility. This article offers an overview of what medical cannabis is and patient eligibility in New York.\n\n![Medical marijuana is a therapeutic medicine for millions of people](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_12_11_23_PM_3385580d9a.png)\n\nMany people are confused by cannabis terminology, including  'Medical Marijuana'. [The Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/medical-marijuana/art-20137855) defines medical marijuana as being a derivative(s) of the cannabis Sativa plant used to manage symptoms caused by certain medical conditions. \n\nTo obtain medical marijuana a patient must receive approval and certification from a licensed practitioner. Once a medical card is obtained, a patient can purchase medical marijuana through legal dispensaries.\n\n![Medical marijuana is legal in many states, including New York](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_25_at_6_39_41_PM_9a03d26708.png)\n\nThe cannabis plant offers many therapeutic benefits due to its chemical compounds. As many as [540 different chemical substances, or cannabinoids,](https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cannabis-marijuana-and-cannabinoids-what-you-need-to-know) have been identified within the cannabis plant to date. \n\nSome of the more common cannabinoids found within [cannabis](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) include delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC and cannabidiol or CBD. Each cannabinoid has different medicinal applications and may treat health conditions as diverse as chronic pain, anxiety, sleep, glaucoma, seizures, and more.\n\n### Medical Marijuana Patient Accessibility in New York\n\n![How to get your medical marijuana card in New York](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_31_at_9_20_23_AM_b673221f48.png)\n\nWith a valid certification for medical cannabis from a state-approved practitioner, legal residents of New York can purchase products from a licensed dispensary. To be certified, you must have been diagnosed with a qualifying health condition. \n\nHowever, as recently as January 2022 [improvements to the program](https://www.news10.com/news/new-york-state-medical-marijuana-eligibility-expanded/) including eligibility expansion, were made. These enhancements to the [medical cannabis program](https://cannabis.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/01/Summary_MCDMS_Enhancements.pdf) in New York State include:\n\n- Expanded qualifying medical conditions\n- Streamline processing for registrations, renewals, etc\n- Dosing recommendation dates has been eliminated\n- Patients can now designate up to 5 caregivers per registration\n- Patient registration state fees waived\n\n![Back pain is a common reason people seek medical marijuana](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_10_18_24_PM_240f9632cf.png)\n \n### Qualifying Health Conditions for Medical Marijuana in New York\nEligible health conditions for medical marijuana certification in New York:\n \n- Alternative to Opioid Use\n- Alzheimer's\n- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)\n- Autism\n- Cancer\n- Dystonia\n- Epilepsy\n- HIV infection or AIDS\n- Huntington's Disease\n-  Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)\n- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)\n- Muscular Dystrophy\n- Neuropathy\n- Parkinson's Disease\n- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)\n- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)\n- Spinal Cord Injury With Spasticity\n- Substance Use Disorder\n- Or any other condition, at the discretion of your health care provider\n\n![Lots of people use medical marijuana responsibly for medical conditions](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_01_at_12_14_00_PM_132cb0e08e.png)\n \n### Tips for Medical Marijuana Patients in New York\nThe cost of obtaining your medical marijuana certification from the online Telehealth service HelloMD is $129 USD. The fee includes an assessment by a HelloMD licensed practitioner. The process will typically take between 15-30 minutes. \n\nOnce you have received your certification, you will need to register with the [New York Medical Cannabis Program](https://my.ny.gov) to obtain your card. Your medical marijuana card allows you to enter and purchase cannabis at legal [dispensaries](https://cannabis.ny.gov/dispensing-facilities), through a storefront location, or online. \n\n![A New York Medical Card from HelloMD](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_9_19_46_AM_df5dd4ee5b.png)\n\nPatients have access to several different product types, everything from whole flower to gummies and topicals. It's also essential for patients to know medical cannabis can't be transported outside of the state.\nBoth the HelloMD practitioners and the customer service team are here to help guide you through every step of the process. \n\n### How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card with HelloMD in New York\n\n![Receive expert cannabis advice from HelloMD practitioners](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_31_at_9_27_04_AM_8dc11d6dbe.png)\n\nGetting your medical marijuana card online with HelloMD is discreet, easy and can be done from the comfort of your home.\n\nFollow these 3 steps with the online Telehealth service HelloMD:\n\n1.    Register with HelloMD online by providing your basic details, along with the assessment fee.\n2.    Speak virtually over live video with a state-approved licensed practitioner, using HelloMD Telehealth services.\n3.    Register with the New York Medical Cannabis Program to obtain your medical marijuana card.\n\nVirtual visits with health care providers are the new norm. Telehealth services allow for the [diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation](https://www.who.int/goe/publications/goe_telemedicine_2010.pdf). \n\n![Cannabis edibles are a great option for consuming cannabis](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_28_at_9_38_39_AM_158a72377f.png)\n\nUsing cannabis as an alternative to traditional medications is a legal option for New Yorkers interested in its potential health benefits. Ongoing legislation by the state will go a long way to help normalize cannabis consumption in society, reducing lingering stigma and eliminating barriers for citizens. Try [HelloMD Telehealth services](https://hellomd.com/get-started/new-york) today.\n\n![MedMen medical marijuana dispensary in NYC](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_9_30_22_AM_ee0896fc46.png)\n \n### Get Your Medical Document & Purchase Medical Cannabis\n\nIt's easy to get your medical document with the online [Telehealth service HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/get-started). Register, pay, and receive an online medical consultation with a licensed practitioner and start purchasing medical cannabis today.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/14b42/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.jpg","srcSet":"/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/f836f/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.jpg 200w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/2244e/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.jpg 400w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/14b42/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.jpg 800w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/47498/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.jpg 1200w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/0e329/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.jpg 1600w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/83c6b/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.jpg 5487w","srcWebp":"/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/58556/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/61e93/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.webp 200w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/1f5c5/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.webp 400w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/58556/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.webp 800w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/99238/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.webp 1200w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/7c22d/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.webp 1600w,\n/static/67778ef5bd8598577a0a7d3818719e60/6563d/fed7f9a5b086dc4597937a63a55e5d05.webp 5487w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3867-markdown","title":"How Much Does It Cost to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in New York?","slug":"how-much-does-it-cost-to-get-a-medical-marijuana-card-in-new-york","content":"![How to get your medical marijuana card in New York](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_31_at_9_20_23_AM_b673221f48.png)\n\n## Getting Your Medical Marijuana ID Card in New York\n\nFor adults interested in using medical marijuana for health conditions, the team at [HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/get-started) is here to help you through the process. In this article, you'll learn about the current status of medical cannabis in New York State, who is eligible for the card, how much it costs, and how to access legal medical marijuana. The process can seem confusing at first, and we assume you've got questions - we have answers.\n\n![See a marijuana doctor online in New York](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_10_37_40_PM_0a581fcae4.png)\n\nLegislation allowing the use of cannabis for medical purposes was approved in New York State in 2014. At the time, the product selection was limited to cannabis-infused, non-smokable products. However, whole and dried-flower was recently added to approved consumption methods. \n\nThe new legislation also allows patients to [grow up to six plants at home](https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/marijuana.page). Patients with a [medical marijuana card](https://hellomd.com/get-started/new-york) can shop in legal dispensaries and may possess up to a 60-day supply of cannabis. As of Jan 2022, there were over 150K patients registered in the Medical Cannabis Program in New York State, according to the [Office of Cannabis Management](https://cannabis.ny.gov).\n\n![MedMen medical marijuana dispensary in NYC](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_9_30_22_AM_ee0896fc46.png)\n\nBut who is eligible for the medical marijuana card? If you're 21 years of age or older, live in New York State, and have a qualifying medical condition, you may be eligible for a medical cannabis card or weed card. Your medical card gives you access to legal medical marijuana products through storefront dispensaries or online. \n\nSee all qualifying conditions in New York state on [our website](https://hellomd.com/get-started/new-york/).\n\nCommon questions about getting your Medical Cannabis Card in New York:\n\n![A New York Medical Card from HelloMD](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_9_19_46_AM_df5dd4ee5b.png)\n\n### How Much Will It Cost to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in New York?\n\nThere are two fees to get a medical marijuana card in New York. The first cost is to see a licensed practitioner to receive approval for medical certification. At [HelloMD, our online Telehealth service](https://hellomd.com/get-started/new-york), the cost is USD $129. HelloMD only charges your credit card if you're approved. \n\nThe second cost is a one-time USD $50 charge from the state of New York to register for your card. \n\n![We list the top 5 cannabis products for PTSD in New York](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/shutterstock_1410711239_min_c39cea4e4f.jpg)\n\n### Am I Required to Register with New York to Receive My Medical Marijuana Card?\n\nAfter becoming approved and certified by your HelloMD practitioner, you will need to register online at my.ny.gov and apply to the NY State Medical Marijuana Program. You should receive your medical card within 10 business days. Before you receive your card you will have a temporary ID number so you can purchase cannabis from legal dispensaries.\n\n![The Sunnyside is a new type of medical marijuana dispensary in NYC](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_9_32_38_AM_6f204b723c.png)\n\n### Why Should I Choose HelloMD for My MMJ Card in New York?\n\nThe HelloMD Customer Service team and our practitioners have been helping patients understand how to successfully use medical cannabis since 2015. HelloMD has been rated #1 on [TrustPilot](https://www.trustpilot.com/), a consumer review platform for years.\n\n![Growing your own marijuana can equate to big cash savings](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_12_53_35_PM_f1b0b19dc5.png)\n\n### How to Get a Medical Marijuana Certification with HelloMD\n\nHelloMD has helped over 100,000 patients to connect with a practitioner and get the sound advice they need. The service is easy, private and 100% online. Follow these 3 simple steps!\n\nStep 1: [Register online](https://hellomd.com/get-started/new-york/). This takes less than 5 minutes and we are here to help when you need it.\n\nStep 2: Schedule a convenient time to meet with a practitioner online from your computer or smartphone.\n\nStep 3: Get advice and certification from a practitioner.\nOnce your application has been registered and approved, you or your designated caregivers can then access cannabis at legal dispensaries throughout the state. Speak to a practitioner in New York to see if cannabis is right for you. HelloMD offers online Telehealth appointments with knowledgeable, licensed practitioners. [Get your medical card](https://hellomd.com/get-started) today.\n\n![Receive expert cannabis advice from HelloMD practitioners](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_31_at_9_27_04_AM_8dc11d6dbe.png)\n\n### Will I Receive Advice from my HelloMD Practitioner?\n\nYes, absolutely. Our friendly and knowledgeable licensed practitioners will guide you through the entire process and are happy to answer any of your medical cannabis questions. All from the privacy of your home. And yes, Telehealth for medical marijuana certification is legal in the state of New York.\n\n![The Botanist medical marijuana dispensary in NYC](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_01_26_at_9_28_52_AM_319716a042.png)\n\n### Get Your Medical Document & Purchase Medical Cannabis\n\nIt's easy to get your medical document with the online [Telehealth service HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/get-started). Register, pay, and receive an online medical consultation with a licensed practitioner and start purchasing medical cannabis today.\n ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/14b42/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.jpg","srcSet":"/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/f836f/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.jpg 200w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/2244e/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.jpg 400w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/14b42/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.jpg 800w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/47498/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.jpg 1200w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/0e329/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.jpg 1600w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/6a059/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.jpg 6000w","srcWebp":"/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/58556/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/61e93/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.webp 200w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/1f5c5/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.webp 400w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/58556/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.webp 800w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/99238/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.webp 1200w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/7c22d/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.webp 1600w,\n/static/e74cb72ce590b441086cc849db33e1f8/3041e/a512989ce3e398511ebcd7e3baf108d6.webp 6000w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3744-markdown","title":"What Are the Missouri Weed Rules and Regulations?","slug":"what-are-the-missouri-weed-rules-and-regulations","content":"### How to Get Your Medical Marijuana Document in Missouri\n\nOkay, so you've decided to join the [136,000 (and counting) medical cannabis patients](https://www.mpp.org/issues/medical-marijuana/state-by-state-medical-marijuana-laws/medical-marijuana-patient-numbers/) in the Show-Me, and get your official Missouri Medical Marijuana Document. In order to purchase medical weed in the state of Missouri, you'll need to obtain your medical marijuana document!\n\nTo obtain your medical marijuana document you first need to be approved by a physician. You can meet with a Missouri-licensed medical professional — MD or DO — in person or online. Note that not all doctors are eager to prescribe medical cannabis, so you will have better luck seeking out clinics or physicians who specialize in cannabis. Getting your medical certification online through a Telehealth appointment is easy and private with [HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/get-started/). You'll have a medical appointment with a doctor who will  certify that you have one or more [qualifying conditions](https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/how-to-apply.php). \n\nIf approved, your doctor will fill in one of two forms. You will receive either the regular [Physician Certification Form](https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/pdf/physician-certification-form-standard pdf), authorizing you to purchase up to four-ounces of cannabis per month, or the [Physician Certification Form with Recommended Amount](https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/pdf/physician-certification-form-alternative.pdf) which authorizes you to be able to purchase more than four ounces per month.\n\n### How to Sign Up for the Medical Marijuana Program in Missouri\n\nYour doctor will sign and approve your certification form and send it to you electronically. Once you receive the form, be sure to save it so you can upload it when registering (do so within thirty days!) on the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services [Medical Marijuana Portal](https://mo-public.mycomplia.com/#!/signin). Here's a [checklist](https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/pdf/application-checklist.pdf) from the state, to keep it simple. \n\nThere are additional fees when you register with the state of Missouri. You'll be charged a fee of $25 as a patient, and another $25 for each caregiver. If you want to home-grow, you'll sign up during this process and be charged an additional $100 which allows you to grow up to six flowering plants. \n\nHere's a [full list of fees](https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/fee-schedule-pi.php). Missouri, I love that you can legally grow your own medicine. You've come a long way from the schwag from who-knows-where in my beloved Dugout all those years ago. In case you didn't know, some states don't allow patients to grow, so rock it! (But check with your landlord/rental agreement/local laws first!)\n\nYour application will be processed within thirty days. You'll receive a message to log into the Missouri Marijuana Portal for your Patient Identification Card.\n\n### Do I Need a Missouri \"Medical Card\" to Purchase Cannabis\n\nThis former Missourian is happy the home state DOES NOT issue a plastic \"medical card\" that will just end up in the landfill. According to the [Patient Registry User Guide](https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/pdf/patient-registry-user-guide.pdf): \"save a copy of your Patient Identification Card to your device and print it off for your records as the MMMP will not be providing a physical card.\" Way to go, my beloved Missourians. As usual, you're leading the midwest charge! In solidarity, I will forego the hard card when I next renew my medical recommendation. (Yes. Even though we've gone legal in California, I still prefer the benefits of my medical cannabis card.)\n\n### What are the Weed Dispensary Rules in Missouri?\n\nFirstly, find one of the [Missouri Medical Marijuana dispensaries](https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/xls/licensed-dispensary-facilities.xlsx) near you. Be sure and call or check online to make sure they've opened for business. Review the policies, including accepted methods of payment. Because marijuana is still federally illegal — it's still also illegal for credit card companies to process any cannabis transactions. Debit cards are often accepted, and cold, hard cash is always appreciated!\n\nOnce inside the dispensary, you'll be able to purchase up to four ounces of cannabis — any combination of flower, concentrate, and infused products. Missouri has this nifty [Missouri Marijuana Equivalency Units](https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/pdf/mm-quivalency-units.pdf) table which breaks it down easily for you. A Missouri Medical Marijuana Certified Patient, or caregiver, may legally buy up to 32 MMEs per month. To simplify: \n\n- One MME = 3.5 grams of cannabis flower, \n- One MME = 1 gram of concentrate\n- One MME = 100mg of THC-infused edibles. \n\n### Finding a Dispensary in Missouri is Easy!\n\nMedical marijuana dispensaries are now open all over Missouri, and they are selling products to qualifying Missouri medical marijuana patients. When you walk into a Missouri dispensary, you’ll need your Missouri marijuana card and your photo ID. On [Pot Guide](https://potguide.com/missouri/marijuana-dispensaries/) you can view the full listing of legal medical marijuana dispensaries and search by city.\n\n![Screen Shot 2021-09-15 at 11.34.17 AM.png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2021_09_15_at_11_34_17_AM_08f14c3c20.png)\n\n[Jane Dispensary](https://janedispensary.com/about/) is a sophisticated cannabis boutique located in St. Louis, Missouri. They offer an elegant shopping experience and knowledgeable support for medical marijuana patients.\n\n### Need Your Medical Marijuana Card?\n\nBut, if you're someone who's looking for relief that only cannabis can give you, or you're making cannabis part of a daily health regime, you may want to circle back and have another look at becoming a certified medical marijuana patient in Illinois.\n\n[HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/get-started/) can help you with online virtual medical consultation and get your medical card fast, easy and private. You only pay for your consultation if you're approved.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/14b42/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.jpg","srcSet":"/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/f836f/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.jpg 200w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/2244e/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.jpg 400w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/14b42/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.jpg 800w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/47498/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.jpg 1200w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/0e329/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.jpg 1600w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/04ae0/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.jpg 4924w","srcWebp":"/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/58556/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/61e93/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.webp 200w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/1f5c5/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.webp 400w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/58556/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.webp 800w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/99238/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.webp 1200w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/7c22d/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.webp 1600w,\n/static/f45b3b014a17d123c4ac18563d44947c/51c37/0f37f49bc7d3532a0ccb88d96406316c.webp 4924w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3872-markdown","title":"The 5 Best Medical Marijuana Products for Anxiety in Illinois","slug":"the-5-best-medical-marijuana-products-for-anxiety-in-illinois","content":"![Anxiety can be crippling](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_02_at_3_21_48_PM_0f3241603f.png)\n\n\nAn estimated 19.1% of U.S. adults had any anxiety disorder in the past year. And due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety among our population has increased exponentially. There are pharmaceutical medications available to treat anxiety, such as [SSRIs](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825), but they may have side effects such as [drowsiness and the sensation of mental dullness](https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/anxiety-medication.htm). Some of the most common pharmaceutical medications for anxiety are: \n\n- Prozac or Sarafem (fluoxetine)\n- Celexa (citalopram)\n- Zoloft (sertraline)\n- Paxil, Paxeva, or Brisdelle (paroxetine)\n- Lexapro (escitalopram)\n\nThere are healthier natural alternatives to traditional pharmaceuticals to help with anxiety-like cannabis.\n\n### Can Cannabis Cure Anxiety?\n\n![Cannabis can ease anxiety](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_02_at_3_20_06_PM_624826d60d.png)\n\n The National Institute on Drug Addiction [posted a study](https://archives.drugabuse.gov/testimonies/2015/biology-potential-therapeutic-effects-cannabidiol) that found \"CBD reduced anxiety in patients with social anxiety subjected to a stressful public speaking task.\" \n\nResearch has found Cannabidiol (CBD) to be a potent anxiolytic that effectively reduces anxiety and the frequency of panic attacks. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can also reduce anxiety at low doses but may increase anxiety at higher doses. If you are seeking a cannabis product to help reduce anxiety, a CBD-rich or CBD-only product is a good place to start. Most legal dispensaries will carry a wide array of CBD products across various consumption methods.\n\nKeep in mind high doses of THC can actually increase anxiety levels, it's best to start slow with a product that contains much more CBD than THC.\n\n### The Best Marijuana Products for Anxiety in Illinois\n\n![Medical marijuana in Illinois](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_02_at_3_18_47_PM_047f094d11.png)\n\nIt's not always easy to pick the right cannabis product for a [specific health condition like anxiety](https://hellomd.ca/articles/holistic-approach-to-calming-anxiety). You should always consult medical practitioners, dispensary pharmacists, or budtenders for advice and recommendations for medical marijuana products that best fit your needs. \n\nSome people prefer fast-acting tinctures, while others enjoy long-lasting edibles. The best ways to find out are through research, gathering insight, and experimentation with low doses. \n\nLet's walk through some options - in various consumption methods - of marijuana products for anxiety in Illinois. \n\n### CBD Tangerine by Matter\n\n![CBD Tangerine by Matter](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_02_at_3_17_45_PM_01917d93ce.png)\n\n[Matter CBD Tangerine](https://www.verilife.com/il/menu/verilife-schaumburg-il) is a fantastic CBD-only tincture that provides immediate relief. A single vial includes 250 mg of CBD and has a tangy tangerine taste. You can pick the tincture up for $44 at [Verilife](https://www.verilife.com/il) in Illinois. \n\n### Chill Tins by 1906\n\n![Chill Tins by 1906](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_02_at_3_16_52_PM_abe18668c0.png)\n\n[1906's Chill Tins](https://www.verilife.com/il/menu/verilife-schaumburg-il) are drops for relaxation and solace. They feature a unique blend of high-CBD cannabis and plant medicine to promote relaxation. Each Chill Drop contains 5mg THC and 25mg CBD. Purchase them for $35.\n\n### Blood Orange Cardamom by CANN\n\n![Blood Orange Cardamom by CANN](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_02_at_3_15_40_PM_b47101cdf4.png)\n\n[CANN's Blood Orange Cardamom infused social tonic](https://www.verilife.com/il/menu/verilife-schaumburg-il) is microdosed with THC (2mg) & CBD (4mg), perfectly crafted to give you a light, refreshing buzz within 10-15 minutes. This product is perfect for those suffering from social anxiety searching for a chance to relax while still enjoying a night out. Crafted in California, the beverage marries blood orange juice from Sicily to the aromatic magic of cardamom, creating a cacophony of citrusy and spicy flavors. Stop into Verilife and pick up a six-pack for $25.\n\n### Tonic Frost by PTS\n\n![Pink Passion Frost Tonic by PTS](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_02_at_12_00_06_PM_42f0dfa28f.png)\n\n[Tonic Frost Popsicles](https://www.verilife.com/il/menu/verilife-schaumburg-il) are a sweet treat with just the right amount of THC and CBD for balanced anxiety relief and relaxation. The edibles contain 75mg CBD and 25mg THC per popsicle. You can buy these weed treats for $35. \n\n### 2:1 Limonene Flower\n\n![Limonene flower](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2022_02_02_at_3_13_36_PM_ae4131d068.png)\n\n[Limonene](https://www.verilife.com/il/menu/recreational-ottawa-il) flower offers a high-CBD option for those who enjoy consuming marijuana the old-fashioned way - in a joint, pipe, bong, or blunt. The effects of this strain are euphoric and anti-anxiety inducing. You can find the flower for $60 per 3.5 grams. \n\nKeep high-CBD marijuana products in mind the next time you feel anxiety setting in. Or plan ahead and stock up. If you haven't yet tried cannabis for anxiety, give it a try. The results may be surprisingly positive. \n\n### Get Your Medical Document & Purchase Medical Cannabis\n\nIt's easy to get your medical document with the online [Telehealth service HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/get-started). Register, pay, and receive an online medical consultation with a licensed practitioner and purchase medical cannabis today.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5625,"src":"/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/14b42/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.jpg","srcSet":"/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/f836f/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.jpg 200w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/2244e/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.jpg 400w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/14b42/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.jpg 800w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/47498/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.jpg 1200w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/0e329/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.jpg 1600w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/c0c5f/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.jpg 8305w","srcWebp":"/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/58556/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/61e93/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.webp 200w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/1f5c5/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.webp 400w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/58556/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.webp 800w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/99238/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.webp 1200w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/7c22d/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.webp 1600w,\n/static/1dff2b2350475393c75545ace0ee9da7/238ea/c112d01f99b45a37626b7fee0e713334.webp 8305w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2361-markdown","title":"Telehealth: The Future of Medicine","slug":"telehealth-the-future-of-medicine","content":"### Telehealth: The Future of Medicine\r\n\r\nTelemedicine has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years as more people have access to smart phones and a consistent internet connection. Patients love the convenience of being able to connect with a doctor quickly from the comfort of home. \r\n\r\n[ARE YOU A DOCTOR? JOIN US & BECOME A HELLOMD TELEHEALTH DOCTOR.](https://www.hellomd.com/our-doctors)\r\n\r\n###  Demand for Digital Medicine\r\n\r\nLast year, 15 million Americans received some kind of remote medical care, and the American Telemedicine Association expects the number of remote doctors visits to increase by 30% in the coming year. Only 15% of physicians surveyed currently use telemedicine, but according to an American Academy of Family Physicians survey, 78% of patients believe that telemedicine would improve their access to care, as well as the quality of the care.\r\n\r\n[![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/58a247031e9cce000fb47c5f/embedded_images/58a247051e9cce000fb47c60/Screen_Shot_2017-02-13_at_2.35.39_PM.png)](https://www.hellomd.com/our-doctors)\r\n[Join the HelloMD team of doctors and see patients from anywhere.](https://www.hellomd.com/our-doctors)\r\n\r\nTo respond to this patient demand, an increasing number of companies are adding telemedicine access to their list of employee benefits. In 2015, 48% of employers provided telemedicine benefits; in 2016 this increased to 74%. Hospitals are also investing in telemedicine technology; currently 72% of of them incorporate telemedicine into their practice in some form.\r\n\r\n### Becoming a Telehealth Doctor & Patient\r\n\r\nTelemedicine carries many of the same benefits for doctors as it does for patients. Because physical proximity to patients is no longer a concern, doctors gain the flexibility to work from home and to tailor their hours to best suit their lifestyles. For many, this can eliminate the need to maintain a separate office and result in significant financial savings. Have a private space and a reliable internet connection? You're ready to join the telemedicine revolution!\r\n\r\n[ARE YOU A DOCTOR? FIND OUT HOW TO JOIN OUR TEAM.](https://www.hellomd.com/our-doctors)\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/14b42/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.jpg","srcSet":"/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/f836f/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.jpg 200w,\n/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/2244e/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.jpg 400w,\n/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/14b42/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.jpg 800w,\n/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/47498/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.jpg 1200w,\n/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/54ac5/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/58556/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/61e93/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.webp 200w,\n/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/1f5c5/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.webp 400w,\n/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/58556/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.webp 800w,\n/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/99238/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.webp 1200w,\n/static/cbd72d5013ff8365defb3c00d6716ac0/5e0b8/c1b72f2ef587ddaacbbfef5faf17aed0.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2198-markdown","title":"Telehealth Market Expected to Soar","slug":"telehealth-market-expected-to-soar","content":"For people who use telemedicine, the market's rapid growth won't come as\r\na surprise. Thanks to the unparalleled access and convenience offered by\r\nTelehealth, this care modality is booming among aging populations,\r\npeople struggling with exorbitant health care costs, and those who want\r\nto receive health care from the comfort and security of their homes.\r\nRead on to learn more about the upward mobility of the Telehealth\r\nmarket.\r\n\r\n**The Boom of the Telehealth Market**\r\n\r\nBy 2020, Telehealth's global market is projected to be worth [upwards of\r\n$34\r\nbillion](http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/telemedicine-poised-grow-big-time).\r\nWhile Telehealth is available on a global level, North America is\r\ncurrently the single largest consumer, representing about 40 percent of\r\nthe total market. The reason Telehealth is becoming so popular in this\r\ncountry is twofold: one is that the population in North America is aging\r\nrapidly and is suffering from more chronic diseases and health\r\nconditions than ever before. The strain the aging population has put on\r\nhospitals has been huge and, as such, many hospitals are trying to\r\nreduce the frequency and length of hospital stays. This effort has\r\nresulted in a renewed focus on in-home health care formats, including\r\nTelehealth. When patients can be monitored and receive health care from\r\ntheir homes, the need for hospital accommodations drops sharply, and\r\npeople receive more personalized and timely care. The other is the\r\noutright convenience factor in that there is no scheduling issues with a\r\ndoctors office, time the waiting room, etc\r\n\r\n**More States Passing Telehealth Laws**\r\n\r\nAs of now, 49 states have Telehealth laws, and eight of those states are\r\ncurrently entertaining proposed Telehealth parity laws. The large number\r\nof states adopting Telehealth laws goes to show how prevalent the\r\npractice is becoming. Thanks to the remote nature of telemedicine,\r\nstates that pass laws allowing the practice can provide their residents\r\nwith things like teleconsultations and medication support on a remote\r\nbasis, which makes health care more accessible to a broader base of\r\npatients.\r\n\r\n**Telehealth and Cannabis**\r\n\r\nWhile Telehealth is used for many things, cannabis is barely one of\r\nthem. While California and Nevada do currently allow Telehealth cannabis\r\nevaluations, all other states require an in-person evaluation.\r\nUnfortunately, this does a dire disservice to patient access to cannabis\r\ntreatments. When Telehealth evaluations are restricted for cannabis,\r\npatients are left with the choice of visiting an in-person clinic (which\r\nmay be located in a seedy area of town or may be difficult for the\r\npatient to reach due to mobility or transportation issues) or simply\r\ngoing without much-needed cannabis care. If the Telehealth laws were\r\nexpanded, however, cannabis treatment would be available to a much\r\nlarger pool of patients, including the elderly, those limited by\r\ngeographical location, and those too embarrassed to walk into a physical\r\ncannabis clinic. It's estimated that [7 million\r\npeople](http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/patients-using-telehealth-services-hit-7-million-2018/2014-01-17)\r\nwill be using Telehealth services by 2018 and, if cannabis treatment\r\nwere included in Telehealth care, that number would only grow.\r\n\r\nWhile the current state of Telehealth and cannabis is limited to only a\r\nfew states, many experts expect that Telehealth for cannabis will\r\neventually morph into widespread Telehealth, which encompasses\r\neverything from Telehealth evaluations, recommendations and follow-up.\r\n\r\nAs it stands now, there are dozens of applications for Telehealth care.\r\nIn addition to providing easy access to capable health care providers,\r\nTelehealth care also removes many of the barriers that previously stood\r\nbetween patients and care, including distance, cost, embarrassment and\r\ndanger that may be associated with visiting cannabis clinics in a\r\nphysical location. Because of these things, Telehealth is exploding\r\n(RNCOS Business Consultancy is calling for Telehealth to experience an\r\n[18.5% growth by\r\n2018](http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnrampton/2016/01/04/how-to-start-your-own-content-marketing-business-in-2016/2/# 25d4cbe56744)\r\n- taking it to a worldwide value of \\$1.9 billion in the next two\r\nyears). Thanks to the fact that Telehealth medicine makes care easier to\r\naccess for aging or disadvantaged populations, it stands to reason that\r\nthe industry will only continue to grow in the coming years and that\r\nmore and more patients will soon have access to quality Telehealth\r\nmedicine, no matter where they are.\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.6,"src":"/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/ee604/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.png","srcSet":"/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/69585/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.png 200w,\n/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/497c6/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.png 400w,\n/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/ee604/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.png 800w,\n/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/ec077/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.png 1073w","srcWebp":"/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/58556/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/61e93/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.webp 200w,\n/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/1f5c5/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.webp 400w,\n/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/58556/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.webp 800w,\n/static/bd0e5dac0475498fcdb94e10eae50959/8c78e/2f97ad0c878c1ad049cdda0d3bd49d36.webp 1073w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2209-markdown","title":"In Texas, Patients Deserve Access to Medical Marijuana","slug":"in-texas-patients-deserve-access-to-medical-marijuana","content":"While medical marijuana legalization is sweeping the country, Texas is\ndigging its heels in. In the fight to legalize the drug across the\nnation, Texas has historically demonstrated an extreme unwillingness,\nwhile the majority of the other 49 states have been much more open. In\nthe past, Texas has been known for flexing its conservative views enough\nto throw young people found possessing marijuana in prison for lengthy\nsentences. Fortunately, the tides there have begun to turn recently.\n\nWhile the changes have come in the form of baby steps (legalized\ncannabis oil to treat people suffering from epilepsy, for example),\ntoday's Texans overwhelmingly support the legalization of medical\nmarijuana. [71% of\nTexans](http://www.khou.com/story/news/local/texas/2016/02/29/new-poll-texans-favor-more-medicinal-use-marijuana/81093508/)\nstate that they would vote to expand cannabis treatments. This does not\nhold true for recreational marijuana, however, which only 41% of voters\nare willing to support. So what does the future of medical marijuana\nlook like in one of the country's most conservative states? Here's what\nyou need to know:\n\n**The Benefits of Medical Marijuana**\n\nThe benefits of medical marijuana are well-known and far-reaching. From\nhelping to alleviate nausea resulting from [cancer\ntreatments](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5596a4413264380006220000/kicking-cancer-and-chemotherapy-symptoms-with-cannabis)\nto soothing\n[anxiety](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/567ae9091efbc3000c000015/cannabis-helps-women-cope-with-stress-and-anxiety)\nand\n[depression](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/55c101d766653800060c0000/depression-sufferers-find-relief-in-medical-marijuana),\nmarijuana has long been known for its ability to treat a large\nassortment of medical disorders. In January of 2016, my organization,\nHelloMD, conducted [a patient\nsurvey](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hellomd-news/HelloMD_Medical_Marijuana_Patient_Survey.pdf)\nthat made the many benefits of medical marijuana even more evident. The\nstudy surveyed more than 17,000 patients and received a response from\n1,400 over the course of seven days. I currently believe that this is\nthe largest and most wide-reaching medical marijuana patient survey\npublished to date.\n\nWhile the benefits of medical marijuana have never been any secret to\nus, the survey proved just how important it is to consumers, and\nprovided a wealth of information that Texas could do well to take note\nof. The results? 84% of survey respondents state that cannabis relieves\ntheir symptoms. 66% of consumers are using medical marijuana as the\nprimary treatment for their medical problems. 64% of respondents rely on\nthe daily use of cannabis for the treatment of their symptoms, and 28%\nuse cannabis on a weekly basis.\n\nDespite this high number of consumers and regular pattern of medical\nuse, there were no reports within the survey of negative consequences\nbrought about by cannabis use, and 96% of consumers reported being\nhighly likely to recommend the use of medical cannabis to others seeking\nimproved health and wellbeing.\n\n**Providing Access: The Importance of Telehealth**\n\nThe users in our HelloMD survey live around the country and some utilize\nmedical marijuana treatment through the Telehealth system. Unfortunately\nonly patients living in California can utilize the Telehealth system for\nmedical evaluations. Other all others states restrict access and force\npatients to travel in person to see a physician. In Telehealth medicine,\npatients can meet with a doctor via a virtual consulting platform like\nSkype. After the meeting, the patient receives a medical marijuana card\nin the mail. Telehealth care is [rising to\nprominence](http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140308/MAGAZINE/303089979)\naround the country as a way to make quality doctors and care available\nto patients in rural or restricted areas, but it is especially important\nin the fight to bring medical marijuana access to all patients.\n\nIn states like Texas, which is large and mostly rural, access to\nTelehealth medicine is critically important if marijuana is legalized\nfor medical purposes. Because Texas is a very conservative state, it's\nlikely that the stigma surrounding medical marijuana use would\ndiscourage many patients from getting in their cars and visiting a\nphysical clinic located in a major city. Additionally, Texas is such a\nlarge state that the mere mechanics of access would be prohibitive for\nmany patients, specifically those who are elderly or physically disabled\n([200 counties in the\nstate](http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/06/02/408513139/texas-put-brakes-on-telemedicine-and-teladoc-cries-foul)\nare vastly medically underserved, and 12 more only have one primary care\ndoctor).\n\nFinally, it's likely that, even if medical marijuana was fully legalized\nin the state, the traditional medical community wouldn't warm up to the\nprospect immediately. These things would make it incredibly difficult\nfor patients to access the medical marijuana care they needed.\n\nDespite the importance of Telehealth for improving patient access,\nhowever, Texas has not supported innovations in Telehealth medicine in\nthe past. The state is currently embroiled in a battle over the legality\nof access to Telehealth medicine. While lawmakers aren't outlawing it\nentirely, they are placing severe limitations on it that can make it\nharder for rural patients to access the care they need.\n\n**What Texas can Learn from California**\n\nAs Texas continues to face the issue of medical marijuana legalization,\nit stands to learn a great deal from states like California, where\nTelehealth laws dating to 2011 provide full patient access. As it stands\nnow, [thousands of patients throughout the\nstate](http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/healthcare/19179-telehealth-aims-to-boost-medical-cannabis)\nhave access to high-quality medical care from the comfort of their\nhomes. In addition to having significant impacts on patient access, this\nalso provides numerous benefits, such as relief from [anxiety and\nchronic\nstress](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/55fc4eea3063390006b90000/cannabis-for-anxiety-and-stress-disorders).\nIn addition to making access to quality care easier for disabled, rural,\nor elderly patients, comprehensive Telehealth laws also allow patients\nwho may be struggling with stigma or embarrassment to get the care they\nneed. While the future of medical marijuana in Texas is facing a rocky\nand lengthy road, it's clear that the expansion of elehealth medicine in\nthe state is one of the few reliable ways to provide medical marijuana\ncare to all Texans who need it.\n\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/peacebird/16999376230/in/photolist-rUbfiC-qBZ7fb-cK8vXj-7WEzGg-4bXW4S-78eHCD-x1guL4-9XafQf-7hqxbA-8Q3RTH-CXAVJ-8TKAe-64cjHx-4RfDWs-8vY712-6MSBGQ-cEr5T1-pa57EK-8TK5e-zL2wm-hLmaJT-9rXfpX-zL2y5-yJuJw-hLmbw4-sfX4XD-55Tt9p-zL976-pPWKSw-s1vVgH-sgHH1u-b57Dsx-8TKxb-8TKgK-sRUcZE-2EbHpo-s67b3y-oXQMEK-4dR4dE-cHtRPE-64kCr5-4RvF9u-cjDJDJ-zL8fY-gkyCq-6gxppq-sjhpuT-jcniv-skiewW-s4dtih)\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/ee604/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.png","srcSet":"/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/69585/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.png 200w,\n/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/497c6/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.png 400w,\n/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/ee604/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.png 800w,\n/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/4c5c8/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.png 1004w","srcWebp":"/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/58556/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/61e93/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.webp 200w,\n/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/1f5c5/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.webp 400w,\n/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/58556/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.webp 800w,\n/static/973c727d605dc535e7244a415955b0c5/eddbc/d668cccb487b8ee2450b284b43720d79.webp 1004w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2113-markdown","title":"Telehealth Provides Critical Access for Medical Marijuana Patients","slug":"telehealth-provides-critical-access-for-medical-marijuana-patients","content":"For patients around the country using marijuana as a treatment modality\r\nfor medical problems, Telehealth is one of the most pivotal factors in\r\nthat care. In addition to removing physical barriers that stand between\r\npatients and access to medical marijuana (distance, rural locations,\r\nvery few clinics, etc.), I believe that Telehealth medicine also allows\r\npatients to take advantage of life-changing medical marijuana support\r\nwithout the stigma associated with walking into a physical marijuana\r\nclinic, or driving to sometimes seedy area of town to find a doctor to\r\nperform a cannabis evaluation. Unfortunately, Telehealth care isn't easy\r\nfor patients to access in all parts of the country, and it's consumers\r\nwho are paying the price.\r\n\r\n**What Is Telehealth?**\r\n\r\n[Telehealth](http://cchpca.org/what-is-telehealth) is a broad term that\r\nencompasses a large selection of services and technologies. Through\r\nmeans such as online meeting platforms and other virtual health tactics,\r\nTelehealth delivers health, medical and educational services to\r\nconsumers around the country. In addition to use by medical marijuana\r\nproviders like myself, Telehealth medicine is also used in counseling,\r\nhome health, chronic disease management and even dentistry.\r\n\r\nTelehealth is a hot topic in many states right now. As of the end of\r\n2015, [all but eight\r\nstates](http://mobihealthnews.com/content/state-lawmakers-introduced-more-200-telemedicine-bills-2015)\r\nproposed bills related to Telehealth access and medicine. Every state\r\nexcept Rhode Island currently offers some form of Medicaid coverage for\r\ntelemedicine. Additionally, the majority of states reimburse patients\r\nfor live video visits, nine states (including California, Alaska, and\r\nArizona) reimburse patients for forward services, and 17 reimburse\r\npatients for remote monitoring services. Thirty-two states (and the\r\nDistrict of Columbia) require telehealth services to be paid by\r\ninsurance companies on the same level as in-person visits.\r\n\r\n**The Growth of Telehealth**\r\n\r\nWhile I'm happy to report that telehealth services are on the rise, only\r\none percent of the U.S. population currently has access to a telehealth\r\nprovider due to low doctor registration numbers and limited cannabis\r\ntelehealth laws across the country. Some telehealth companies are\r\nreporting annual revenues of [upwards of \\$77\r\nmillion](http://mobihealthnews.com/content/teladoc-conducted-575000-remote-visits-last-year)\r\nin 2015, which indicates a 77 percent increase from 2014. Telehealth\r\ncompanies often work with employers, health care providers and health\r\nplans to provide quality care to consumers everywhere.\r\n\r\n**Cannabis Laws and Telehealth Conflicts**\r\n\r\nAlthough access to medical marijuana is one of the most direct purposes\r\nof telehealth medicine, it's still hotly disputed around the country.\r\nWhile 23 states, as well as the District of Columbia, currently have\r\nlaws that make cannabis legal in some form, every state except for\r\nCalifornia and Nevada now disallow telehealth access to medical\r\nmarijuana. In California, the telehealth laws support patient access to\r\nmedical marijuana as long as the \"[Standard of\r\nCare](http://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensees/Prescribing/Medical_Marijuana.aspx)\"\r\nis maintained. The Standard of Care means that medical marijuana\r\nproviders must use prudence and caution when consulting with, and\r\nprescribing treatment for, their patients.\r\n\r\n**How Telehealth can Improve Access to Medical Marijuana**\r\n\r\nIn addition to the fact that telehealth makes accessing medical\r\nmarijuana easier for patients who live in rural or remote locations,\r\ntelehealth medicine also removes many of the less obvious barriers to\r\ncare, such as access to evaluations and the availability of certified\r\ndoctors.\r\n\r\nAs it stands now, many patients are unable to obtain evaluations easily\r\nin their hometowns or states or have a difficult time accessing\r\ncertified doctors. In addition to there being a shortage of certified\r\ndoctors across the country, many traditional doctors are reflexively\r\ndismissive of marijuana because they did not study cannabis therapy in\r\nmed school and have had no real exposure to it since then. Finally, some\r\nvery ill patients also worry that informing their doctors about their\r\ndesire to try medical marijuana as a treatment modality will result in\r\nlosing access to potentially life-saving medical trials.\r\n\r\nWhile the medical benefits of medical marijuana are widespread and\r\nwell-studied, many states haven't warmed up to the idea of using\r\ncannabis as a standard treatment modality. Because of this, it's my\r\nbelief that telehealth medicine is one of the most direct and efficient\r\nways for needy patients to access quality medical marijuana providers\r\nwithout all of the red tape.\r\n\r\n**The Case for Telehealth Medicine**\r\n\r\nTelehealth is an important innovation that has the potential to bring\r\nquality healthcare to underserved populations. All around the country,\r\nthe conversation about telehealth is becoming a hot-button topic and\r\nlawmakers and consumers alike are beginning to realize how crucial this\r\nnew care modality is. Despite the fact that cannabis telehealth laws are\r\nstill restricted in many states, the [telehealth industry is\r\ngrowing](http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/telemedicine-poised-grow-big-time)\r\nyear-over-year, and patients in places that offer telehealth access are\r\nbenefiting.\r\n\r\nWhile very few states allow telehealth access to medical marijuana, the\r\nstates that do are serving their residents better than many other places\r\nin the country. Telehealth care is an efficient way for patients to\r\naccess the benefits of medical cannabis without the stigma, difficulty,\r\ndanger, or stress of finding an in-person provider.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, many citizens still don't currently have access to\r\ntelehealth medical marijuana care. In light of this, I propose that\r\nlawmakers work to bring cannabis laws and telehealth laws into\r\nalignment, as they have done in California. While the concept of\r\ntelehealth cannabis care is new for many states, [medical marijuana\r\nproviders](https://www.hellomd.com/about-us) can serve their patients\r\neffectively, efficiently and safely so long as the Standard of Care is\r\nmaintained. When other states across the nation begin to realize the\r\nimportance of eliminating the conflict between telehealth and cannabis\r\nlaws, I believe that patient access to quality care will improve by\r\nleaps and bounds.\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3986013986013985,"src":"/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/ee604/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.png","srcSet":"/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/69585/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.png 200w,\n/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/497c6/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.png 400w,\n/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/ee604/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.png 800w,\n/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/941c4/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.png 925w","srcWebp":"/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/58556/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/61e93/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.webp 200w,\n/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/1f5c5/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.webp 400w,\n/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/58556/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.webp 800w,\n/static/20e28abe7e3ba0e646d306da31079155/502a6/8cdad4dea4ceadc5d0cb77faadebd7d3.webp 925w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2009-markdown","title":"What's Holding back Telehealth for Cannabis Evaluations?","slug":"whats-holding-back-telehealth-for-cannabis-evaluations","content":"\n\n\nWhen it comes to the availability of physician recommendations for\nmedical cannabis to patients, consumers across the country have an\nenormous problem: access. Although there have been many thoughts about\nwhy this access problem exists, I attribute it to the ignorance of\nlegislators regarding the benefits of medicinal cannabis and the\nreluctance of my fellow physicians to educate themselves about the\nconditions for which medical marijuana is a very effective treatment.\n\nA perfect example of the former is the recently passed [requirements in\nNew York\nState](https://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana/). The\nlaw there lists several medical conditions that patients must have to be\nentitled to see a medical marijuana physician. Unfortunately, one of the\nmost commonly reported conditions, chronic\npain (a condition that cannabis has been [scientifically\nproven](http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000216)\nto treat effectively), is not included in the list! This exclusion bars\npain suffers from accessing an effective and much-needed treatment.\n\nThe laws in New York aren't just limiting for patients, though; if a\nphysician in New York wants to participate as a medical marijuana\nphysician, he or she is now required to take a four-hour continuing\nmedical education course at a cost of \\$250, a law that makes New York's\neducation requirements the most stringent in the United States.\n\n### Low Levels of Physician Interest\n\n[Marijuanadoctors.com](http://Marijuanadoctors.com), an information site\nand national clearinghouse that connects patients with physicians\nwilling to certify them, surveyed 500 New York doctors in the early\n2015. The purpose of this survey was to gauge the number of doctors who\nwould potentially participate in the state's medical marijuana program.\n\nAfter the company informed physicians about New York's stringent and\nexpensive training requirements, however, only one physician of the 500\noriginally surveyed was actually interested in participating in cannabis\nrecommendations! Is it fear of being investigated by the FDA? Ignorance\nas to the benefits of cannabis in treating the acceptable medical\nconditions? Time consuming training? I'm sure it's a combination of all\nthree but it makes cannabis access much more difficult, if not\nimpossible, for patients.\n\nWhy Telehealth Access\n---------------------\n\nFor access to medical cannabis evaluations, Telehealth is the best\noption by far. During a Telehealth appointment, a patient can meet with\na doctor via a remote platform from wherever he or she chooses. This\nsaves them the trouble of driving to a doctor's office (sometimes in a\nquestionable part of town and at a great distance), parking, waiting and\nmissing out on other obligations. Telehealth fills an important gap in\nthe current medical marijuana access structure: by bringing medical\nexaminations to patients rather than making them trek to a provider's\noffice, more patients can obtain the access to the care they need. At\nthe conclusion of the virtual meeting, if the doctor feels the patient\nwould benefit from cannabis, they can download a recommendation letter\nimmediately for use at a dispensary. This allows the patients to have\ninstant access for products to help their medical condition. It's\nobvious that Telehealth plays an important role in doing away with many\nof the barriers medical marijuana consumers previously faced. In many\nstates, however, Telehealth care is impossible to access for cannabis\nrecommendations. Why? Because in all states other than California and\nNevada, its illegal!\n\nThe Current State of Telehealth\n-------------------------------\n\nIn enlightened states like\n[California](http://www.mbc.ca.gov/Licensees/Prescribing/Medical_Marijuana.aspx)\nand [Nevada](http://dpbh.nv.gov/Reg/Medical_Marijuana/), where\nTelehealth cannabis evaluations are legal, patients can be \"seen\"\nremotely at their own convenience. Why don't more states allow this? The\nanswer, I believe, is the reluctance of physicians to suggest this to\nthe governing bodies as well as the Medical Boards allowing it. Is it\nfear of liability? Fear of the FDA? Financial gain? Telehealth is\nacceptable in 29 states right now. Why not for cannabis?\n\nUnfortunately, in-person examinations are required in the other 21\nstates that allow medicinal cannabis, make accessing medical marijuana\nvirtually impossible for many qualified patients. For example, if a\npatient is housebound, elderly, lacking transportation or unwilling to\nvisit an area of the city where medical marijuana clinics are often\nlocated, that patient is essentially denied care. This is especially\nunfortunate because seniors are currently the fastest-growing\ndemographic\nof medical marijuana users, and they are also especially likely to have\ndifficulty attending in-person consultations. Telehealth care has the\npotential to expand the reach of medical marijuana and help underserved\npopulations gain access to effective cannabis treatments.\n\nThere are many companies that presently use remote platforms to perform\nTelehealth patient evaluations and prescribe medication, some more much\nmore dangerous than cannabis, when appropriate. They have been around\nfor several years, insurance companies use them as a way to increase\naccess and they are growing by leaps and bounds. Patients are flocking\nto these sites for the convenience and privacy that they provide. Why\nshould cannabis recommendations be any different for a medication that\nhas been used medicinally for thousands of years and has a patient\nsafety record that is unbeatable?\n\nAccess for All\n--------------\n\nIn states like California and Nevada, where it's legal, Telehealth is\nalready a convenient and effective form of reaching out to connect\nphysicians and patients who need medicinal cannabis. In the states that\nhaven't caught on to the changing tides, however, it's imperative that\nconsumers speak out on behalf of Telehealth access. Promote Telehealth\nto your legislators and explain to them that they are restricting your\naccess to care.\n\nIt is not enough to only increase the number of physicians who perform\nevaluations. We must push for being able to do this remotely. Doing this\nwill help ensure that Telehealth care is available to every patient who\nneeds it and to provide medicinal cannabis access for all.\n\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5151515151515151,"src":"/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/14b42/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.jpg","srcSet":"/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/f836f/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.jpg 200w,\n/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/2244e/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.jpg 400w,\n/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/14b42/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.jpg 800w,\n/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/47498/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/58556/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/61e93/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.webp 200w,\n/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/1f5c5/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.webp 400w,\n/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/58556/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.webp 800w,\n/static/c1dc6a777afb6022172c65c56f03371c/99238/051fa528f01d232757d893219799aab2.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1898-markdown","title":"Telehealth - Access to Care When it's Needed","slug":"telehealth-access-to-care-when-its-needed","content":"At the American Telemedicine Association meeting this week in Los Angeles, American Well, a large provider of online medical visits, announced a new app to help physicians take advantage of Telehealth. One way is to see patients live in high-definition video. While not being new by itself, the fact that they are able to get reimbursement from insurers such as UnitedHealthCare, indicates that it is becoming more acceptable as “standard of care”.\r\n\r\nInsurers are realizing that by doing this they are reducing unnecessary costs and waits by having patients do one-on-one interviews at their convenience. The thought is by enabling doctors to engage with patients, it could ease the qualms of states like Texas, Arkansas and Idaho, which have sought to restrict telemedicine providers like American Well, Teladoc and Doctor on Demand, because their primary business involves treating patients they’ve never seen before. What the states are beginning to realize is that Telehealth is INCREASING access to care to patients who before had no physicians, or the specialty of physician, near to them.\r\n\r\nFor medical marijuana recommendations that hold true even more. Access to care for the patients who can benefit from cannabis can be difficult if not impossible. The availability of physicians who can knowledgeably evaluate patients to see if medical marijuana can help them can be sparse. With the ability to evaluate patients using their computer or phone, access can be provided anywhere the patient and physician are.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAATABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGAABAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDBQT/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAAHSo7sw2EhQF4P/xAAcEAADAAEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMAEBITMUH/2gAIAQEAAQUCeuy9yWQdUmKZSbcmnuf/xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAg/9oACAEDAQE/AR//xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAg/9oACAECAQE/AR//xAAeEAEAAgEEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAIREiAxMkFRYf/aAAgBAQAGPwIq9UlksnqEPk0mWtvOONv/xAAcEAADAAEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREQIUFhobH/2gAIAQEAAT8hc++ITV+Up1hRSWrcSmUR0zeH/9oADAMBAAIAAwAAABCYCDz/xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAg/9oACAEDAQE/EB//xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABIP/aAAgBAgEBPxAj/8QAHhABAQACAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAREAMRAhQWFxgZH/2gAIAQEAAT8QGwbjAV3fzA8wZPI3DsJq994UJVQVfjAFjQi4Hc5b0efdz6eEqq74/9k=","aspectRatio":1.0695187165775402,"src":"/static/a2fa37c0a205787bfe1f33236a1a7f32/12243/0ca28fb408e95b7f68052c2c294b0378.jpg","srcSet":"/static/a2fa37c0a205787bfe1f33236a1a7f32/f836f/0ca28fb408e95b7f68052c2c294b0378.jpg 200w,\n/static/a2fa37c0a205787bfe1f33236a1a7f32/12243/0ca28fb408e95b7f68052c2c294b0378.jpg 232w","srcWebp":"/static/a2fa37c0a205787bfe1f33236a1a7f32/e953c/0ca28fb408e95b7f68052c2c294b0378.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/a2fa37c0a205787bfe1f33236a1a7f32/61e93/0ca28fb408e95b7f68052c2c294b0378.webp 200w,\n/static/a2fa37c0a205787bfe1f33236a1a7f32/e953c/0ca28fb408e95b7f68052c2c294b0378.webp 232w","sizes":"(max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":0,"numPages":1,"currentPage":1,"id":5823,"name":"Telehealth","slug":"telehealth","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}