Getting a Colorado Medical Marijuana Card
Key takeaways:
- A medical marijuana card can benefit you if you have an established diagnosis, and medical marijuana helps control your symptoms and maintain your quality of life.
- Lying to a doctor to get a marijuana card or prescription can make you uninsurable for disability insurance, long term care insurance, and possibly Medigap insurance later in life.
Medical dispensaries often offer lower prices for medical marijuana products compared to recreational dispensaries, and the tax is lower. Patients are allowed to cultivate their own plants, and they can legally possess higher amounts than recreational users.
But if you’re not careful, or you fib to your doctor to get him or her to write a medical marijuana prescription, it could also prevent you from buying certain kinds of insurance you may need in the future, such as disability income insurance or long term care insurance.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at everything you should know before talking to your doctor about getting a medical marijuana card. And, of course, you can talk with a ColoHealth Personal Benefits Manager anytime to get individualized guidance for your specific situation.
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a Background
In November 2012, Colorado became one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older.
This decision has had both positive and negative impacts in the state: First, it gave a boost to the Rocky Mountain State economy, fueled job creation, and reduced certain types of crime. But it has also led to public health challenges, increased traffic fatalities, and several significant social costs that are difficult to quantify.
On the upside, greater access to marijuana has benefited those who use it for medical relief: many people with conditions, such as chronic pain, cancer, and epilepsy find marijuana preferable to other types of pharmaceutical treatments.
However, purchasing larger amounts of marijuana for pain management and health problems can be costly. And that’s where a state medical marijuana card comes in.
Learn More: Should Colorado Impose Caps on Drug Prices?
The Appeal of a Colorado Medical Marijuana Card
Obtaining a medical marijuana card requires meeting specific qualifying conditions and following the application process outlined by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
There are several reasons why getting a medical use card may seem like a great option in Colorado:
- Higher Possession Limits. Medical marijuana patients are allowed to possess up to 2 ounces of usable marijuana, while recreational users are limited to 1 ounce. Patients can also request higher possession limits from their physician if medically necessary.
- Access to Medical Dispensaries. With a medical card, patients gain access to state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, which often offer a wider variety of products, including higher-potency items, compared to recreational dispensaries. Medical dispensaries may also provide more personalized service and product recommendations for the conditions being treated.
- Ability to Cultivate. Medical marijuana patients and their designated caregivers are permitted to cultivate up to 6 marijuana plants (with 3 or fewer being mature/flowering) for personal medical use. Recreational users are not allowed to cultivate marijuana plants.
- Tax Savings. Recreational marijuana is subject to the standard 2.9% state sales tax, plus additional state taxes (15% retail marijuana tax and 15% excise tax). Medical marijuana patients only pay the 2.9% state sales tax and any applicable local taxes. This can result in substantial savings, especially for patients who need larger amounts.
- Legal Protection. Having a medical marijuana card provides legal protection for patients to possess, cultivate, and consume larger amounts of marijuana for medical purposes. This protects patients from potential criminal charges related to marijuana possession and use.
- Caregiver Assistance. Patients can designate a primary caregiver to assist with obtaining, cultivating, and administering medical marijuana on their behalf. This can be beneficial for patients with mobility or other issues that make self-administration difficult.
- Potential Employment Protections. While Colorado law does not provide explicit employment protections for medical marijuana patients, having a valid medical card may offer some legal defense against discrimination or termination based solely on off-duty medical marijuana use.
The benefits of a Colorado MMJ card can look great at first glance, and some people feel like it’s worth going to a doctor and exaggerating a medical condition to try and get on the Colorado medical marijuana registry.
Unfortunately, they don’t always think through the impact this might have on their future healthcare options.
The Downside of a Colorado Medical Marijuana Card
If you are under the age of 65 and have a traditional insurance plan under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you don’t have to worry about a medical diagnosis preventing you from getting health coverage.
Those over the age of 65 who enrolled in Medicare or opted for a Medigap plan during their initial enrollment period are also covered. You get the benefit of guaranteed enrollment as long as you sign up during your initial period of eligibility.
In that case, going through the process of getting a medical marijuana card if needed might be the right call.
Otherwise, you should think twice about exaggerating a medical condition to obtain a medical marijuana card. This could harm your ability to qualify for various types of insurance.
Here’s where you may have some problems:
Critical Illness Insurance
Critical illness insurance provides a lump sum payment upon diagnosis of a specified illness.
Insurers for these policies also conduct thorough medical underwriting. Misrepresenting your health status to obtain a medical marijuana card could result in denial of coverage or higher premiums. Insurers may view the use of medical marijuana, especially if obtained under false pretenses, as a risk factor that could complicate your health profile.
Disability Insurance
Disability insurance underwriting is similarly affected by marijuana use.
Insurers differentiate between medical and recreational use, and frequent use can lead to higher premiums or denial of coverage.
Exaggerating a medical condition to obtain a medical marijuana card could be seen as a red flag, making it more difficult to secure disability insurance. Insurers may scrutinize your medical history and marijuana use to assess the risk accurately. And if you lied to your doctors to tell them why you should be prescribed a medical marijuana card, and they wrote down your fake diagnosis, that will show up in your medical records, and flag your application.
Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-term care insurance covers services like nursing home care, home health care, and personal or adult day care for individuals with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
This type of insurance also involves medical underwriting. Insurers are likely to be cautious about applicants who use medical marijuana and will look carefully at why you were issued the card.
Health Sharing Plans
If you decide you want to move away from traditional insurance and join a health sharing plan instead, having a medical marijuana card can still be a problem.
Many health sharing plans are faith-based and require members to agree to a set of religious or ethical standards. These standards often include prohibitions on behaviors considered harmful or immoral, which can encompass the use of marijuana, even if it’s technically legal in your state.
Applying for Medigap
Anyone over 65 who wants to apply for a Medigap plan after their specified enrollment period is over may be surprised that they don’t qualify if they have a certain identified medical diagnosis.
To qualify, underwriters will require a detailed review of your health history to determine eligibility and premium rates. If you exaggerate a medical condition to obtain a medical marijuana card, this could be flagged during the underwriting process, potentially leading to higher premiums or even outright denial of coverage. Medigap policies are particularly stringent about pre-existing conditions and health disclosures.
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Think it Through
Now, if you already have a recorded diagnosis, and you and your doctor decide that medical marijuana would be beneficial for you, there’s probably little or no downside to getting a medical marijuana card.
And if marijuana is effective for you, there may be a great deal of upside!
The downside comes when you lie to a doctor, or exaggerate your medical condition or symptoms so you can get issued a medical marijuana card. This can have far-reaching consequences and impact your insurability.
It’s important to be honest and transparent about your health status when applying for any insurance plan. This will help to avoid complications and potential denial of coverage.
If you can manage without a medical marijuana card, it might be better not to have a diagnosis on your record that you really don’t need.
You may also consider getting basic disability, long term care, and critical illness insurance in place now, before medical marijuana, or the conditions it treats, becomes an issue.
Read More: Colorado Healthshare Plans: The Best Health Care Cost Sharing Plans in the State
Make an Informed Decision
Ultimately, deciding whether or not a medical marijuana card is the best choice for you is a decision you should make with your doctor.
If you use marijuana, or are considering it, and would like to thoroughly explore all of your healthcare options before deciding, click here to make an appointment with a Personal Benefits Manager. They will be happy to help you get this coverage in place.
For Further Reading: How Health Sharing Saves Money for Colorado Residents|The Top 10 Health Insurance Mistakes People Make|Why Colorado Doctors Are Switching to Direct Primary Care
Lou believes that when it comes to healthcare, the power should be in the hands of the consumer, as opposed to the hospitals and insurance companies. This means empowering the clients with the knowledge and tools they need to make the right decisions for their health, wealth, and happiness.
