4Evergreen, legit?

[desolas]

In looking to obtain my MMJ authorization I came in contact with this group called 4Evergreen. Out of many I contacted they seemed to give me the least amount of run around and were the most straight forward with my questions.

However, in making an appointment and doing some research based on the address they gave me I'm discovering that I'm heading to an office which is probably a Chiropractor, who at best "practices alternative medicine." Which is fine if the ends justify the means...but what I'm most worried about is it may be a waste of time and I just talked to some guy sending referrals to a Chiropractor that has no idea I'll be a new patient coming in asking for a MMJ referral.

I'm up for the adventure anyway and am going to go through with this, if anything to help those who have the same question and to give feedback on the experience; but I thought I'd ask if anyone else has already done this through this group and what happened?

[gypski]

If you do a search of corporations containing 4Evergreen in their name, you will find four corporations, but none dealing with medical cannabis. Check their business license status before you possibly get jammed up. :thumbsup:

[killerweed420]

Our legislature lowered the standards for who can authorize MMJ patients now to where even PAC's can do it so the chiropractor is probably covered.

[jamessr]

Our legislature lowered the standards for who can authorize MMJ patients now to where even PAC's can do it so the chiropractor is probably covered.

Chiropractors are not covered.:( unless they have a license authorized by the DOH as noted in the new authorized signers and chiro is not one of them.

[killerweed420]

Haven't read the new law yet to see who they actually authorized to do authorizations. I know they authorized PAC's and I believe osteopaths.

[jamessr]

Haven't read the new law yet to see who they actually authorized to do authorizations. I know they authorized PAC's and I believe osteopaths.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/5798-S%20HBR%20APH2%2010.pdf :thumbsup:

SB 5798 - 2009-10 (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5798&year=2010)

[killerweed420]

Thanks james
Looks like this is the relevant description.


(2) "Health care professional," for purposes of this chapter only,
27 means a physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW, a physician
28 assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW, an osteopathic physician
29 licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW, an osteopathic physicians' assistant
30 licensed under chapter 18.57A RCW, a naturopath licensed under chapter
31 18.36A RCW, or an advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under
32 chapter 18.79 RCW.

[blunttrauma253]

I have an appt. With them tomorrow. I was wondering how it went with them.

[postableme]

In looking to obtain my MMJ authorization I came in contact with this group called 4Evergreen. Out of many I contacted they seemed to give me the least amount of run around and were the most straight forward with my questions.

However, in making an appointment and doing some research based on the address they gave me I'm discovering that I'm heading to an office which is probably a Chiropractor, who at best "practices alternative medicine." Which is fine if the ends justify the means...but what I'm most worried about is it may be a waste of time and I just talked to some guy sending referrals to a Chiropractor that has no idea I'll be a new patient coming in asking for a MMJ referral.

I'm up for the adventure anyway and am going to go through with this, if anything to help those who have the same question and to give feedback on the experience; but I thought I'd ask if anyone else has already done this through this group and what happened?

I've done verifications with 4Evergreen, primarily with doctor Joel Berman, ARNP. Although they're a bit slow to do verifications sometimes, their work with Dr. Berman has been, up to this point, legit as far as we can tell.

Whatever Washington doctor name and/or medical license number anybody gives you, you can look him/her up on the credentialing database at the WA State Dept of Health to make sure they're legit and to see if they've had any action taken against them in the past that might concern you.

So, go to:

https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/providercredentialsearch/SearchCriteria.aspx

...and you can look up that doctor.

I do that with any doctor I see for any reason, actually.

[postableme]

I've seen 4Evergreen cards with Dr. Berman on them, primarily. He is associated with the Northwest Center for Stress Disorders (Madison Consulting Group LLC)

You can look up WA state corporations at:
Corporations: Registration Data Search (http://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/search.aspx)

If you look up Madison Consulting Group LLC there, you do get Joel Berman listed.

The 4Evergreen Group webpage is particularly unhelpful.
welcome to 4evergreen Group (http://www.4evergreengroup.com/)

[jokes77]

Yes, Joel Berman is a APRN; but my roommates paper-work is a little off. The paper-work states that Joel Berman is the care provider recommending the use of medical marijuana, but the signature and APRN license number on the bottom of the paper-work is by a James Lathrop vs. her medical card says Joel Berman, and his Joel's APRN license number on it. This makes things a bit sketchy. Therefore I conclude that the 4evergreen group is not legit, and recommend you don't fall for the scam. Both James Lathrop and Joel Berman are licensed APRNs, however, there is no reason for on APRN to make a recommendation while another signs it.

[postableme]

Yes, Joel Berman is a APRN; but my roommates paper-work is a little off. The paper-work states that Joel Berman is the care provider recommending the use of medical marijuana, but the signature and APRN license number on the bottom of the paper-work is by a James Lathrop vs. her medical card says Joel Berman, and his Joel's APRN license number on it. This makes things a bit sketchy. Therefore I conclude that the 4evergreen group is not legit, and recommend you don't fall for the scam. Both James Lathrop and Joel Berman are licensed APRNs, however, there is no reason for on APRN to make a recommendation while another signs it.

Actually, 4Evergreen is legit, and the error you describe is something that Berman's office is trying to take care of. Your roommate should give Madison Consulting Group/Berman a call ASAP and tell them that he/she has one of those authorizations that unfortunately had an error on it as you describe. They had told me they were going to send out new authorizations to those folks who were accidentally given auths with that error on them. Not a scam, just an unfortunate error when printing out the authorizations.

Madison Consulting Group/Dr. Joel Berman/4Evergreen
1-800-991-3373

(...as far as the hard plastic card from 4Evergreen is concerned, it doesn't matter what it says on it because it's not a valid authorization in any case. Only authorizations printed on tamper-resistant paper are valid.)

[postableme]

Both James Lathrop and Joel Berman are licensed APRNs, however, there is no reason for on APRN to make a recommendation while another signs it.

Actually, reading the law...

"...A statement signed and dated by a qualifying patient's health care professional written on tamper-resistant paper, which states that, in the health care professional's professional opinion, the patient may benefit from the medical use of marijuana..."

Means that - having the statement be by one ARNP and the signature by a totally different ARNP - completely invalidates the authorization altogether. It is not a valid authorization. So your roommate really needs to contact 4Evergreen/Berman/Madison to get a corrected one.

[blunttrauma253]

I got mines on the 11th. Everything matches up and it would be hard to forge the tamper resistant paper authorization.

[jamessr]

[QUOTE=


(...as far as the hard plastic card from 4Evergreen is concerned, it doesn't matter what it says on it because it's not a valid authorization in any case. Only authorizations printed on tamper-resistant paper are valid.)[/QUOTE]

May I suggest chet that you point out in the law which shows that a plastic card is not a valid authorization...because the LANGUAGE used by the legislature is pretty clear that as long as it is tamper-resistant and recognized by the industry...paper is the hook your hanging your hat on...it would appear.

A plastic card would be considered tamper-resistant, if not tamper-proof, as the definitions hold true in websters.

Not to say some over zealous asshat wouldn't try to make their own law...outside their proscribed duties.

[postableme]

May I suggest chet that you point out in the law which shows that a plastic card is not a valid authorization...because the LANGUAGE used by the legislature is pretty clear that as long as it is tamper-resistant and recognized by the industry...paper is the hook your hanging your hat on...it would appear.

A plastic card would be considered tamper-resistant, if not tamper-proof, as the definitions hold true in websters.

Not to say some over zealous asshat wouldn't try to make their own law...outside their proscribed duties.

It has already been suggested to me that the hard plastic card is valid. However, I completely disagree. I say again that the law is very clear on what is accepted as an authorization:

Chapter 69.51A RCW: Medical marijuana

69.51A.010
Definitions.

(5) "Tamper-resistant paper" means paper that meets one or more of the following industry-recognized features:

(a) One or more features designed to prevent copying of the paper;

(b) One or more features designed to prevent the erasure or modification of information on the paper; or

(c) One or more features designed to prevent the use of counterfeit valid documentation.

(7) "Valid documentation" means:

(a) A statement signed and dated by a qualifying patient's health care professional written on tamper-resistant paper, which states that, in the health care professional's professional opinion, the patient may benefit from the medical use of marijuana; and

Regardless of how it is argued that plastic can be an industry-recognized method of tamper-resist for documentation, RCW 69.51A clearly states that such industry-recognized methods must be in conjunction with PAPER.

Thing is, why risk a patient's affirmative defense when all they have to do is have their valid, current tamper-resist paper authorization (and their proof of identity) as the law clearly states? It's simply not worth the risk.

You can try and loophole it all you want. I'm not willing to risk the patient for the sake of clever mental maneuvering.

(And I'm not sure why you're calling me chet. If its a derogatory term in your eyes... *shrug* Whatever.)