Quote Originally Posted by shadowyazn
If the fees were to go towards a medicine quality inspection and control board or committee of some sorts then I would gladly pay them. Also, @ CFO, I think that the money spent towards obtaining a doctors recommendation is valid, under my assumption that many insurance companies would not work with the doctors if they were to learn that the visit was for medicial marijuana recomendation. Many insurance companies are not based out of New Mexico and therefore conflicting interstate laws may cause doctors to be a little wary of submitting a payment request to an insurance company for a medical marijuana recommendation. Although there has been no history of prosecution in the state as far as doctors are concerned...who's to say there won't be in the future? IMO, everyone's just trying to cover their behinds the best they can under the circumstances. $150.00 - $250.00 in my experience is less than the price for a regular visit to the doctors office without insurance for an ear infection or something...so not too bad considering. I will say that relative to California, our prices and waiting times are ridiculously high...but we also haven't seen any federal raids or warning letters sent out....
My complaint is that patients are going to their regular doctor or their pain specialist and being charged these outrageous fees. The patient isn't going solely to have a form completed by the doctor. They should be having an examination of some sort to include vitals. This would constitute an exam. The CPT and/or diagnosis code (purpose of visit) would be whatever the underlying condition is (MS, PTSD, Pain, ALS, etc.) and then the charge would be for an office visit. Instead....the doctors refuse to even see the patient without advance payment in cash. Am I really the only one that sees this as wrong?