ATTENTION: Getting Your Prescription for Medical Marijuana Oil

I just had to renew my yearly medical prescription for my CBD/THC oils. It seems small business' that provided access to doctors to write the prescription are either going under or being bought out by bigger business'. My oil's provider suggested a clinic for me to obtain my renewal prescription.

I called and had a choice of telephone, virtual or in-person. I chose telephone and did my interview with the doctor who renewed my prescription. Easy-peasy, lemon squeazy just like I had it done with my last business that got me my prescription with a doctor.

I then got an email from the company and to submit my prescription to Medavie Blue Cross for approval they needed the following info:

1. You need to be fully released from service
2. Must have Awarded or Pensioned medical conditions through VAC
3. Must have a Blue Cross K#
4. Must be able to provide a copy of your Summary of Assessment from VAC.

I called them and told them asking for my Summary of Assessment is not legal and they are asking me to compromise my personal health file without signing a medical waiver. Their response was "It's VAC's rule".

So I called VAC to confirm this as I found it odd that VAC would put a veteran in a situation to compromise their personal info with a third party without signing a waiver for said third party.

VAC verified that this IS NOT a rule and I do not have to give my personal medical info to a third party without a signed medical waiver.

So if you are renewing a medical marijuana prescription and you are asked for your Summary of Assessment politely tell them all they have to do is call the NCCN (1-866-522-2122) to confirm you do have the injuries discussed between you and their doctor.

Now I know some people will not give a fiddler's fadoo about this info. But during my conversation I asked out of 10 veterans how many refuse to do this?

Their answer was 2/3 veterans out of 10 do not get the Summary of Assessment because they do not want to deal with or trust VAC so they do not get their prescription submitted to VAC/Medavie Blue Cross for approval. I found this 'disturbing' because that's 2/3 veterans not getting a prescription filled to help with their chronic pain or PTSD.

In my conversation with a supervisor at VAC we agreed she is going to send this issue up the chain to create a "Rule Book" for business' that provide a service for veterans that need medical marijuana. Hopefully this happens sooner instead of later.

It was the supervisor at VAC that recommended that the business writing the prescription call the NCCN to verify the veterans injuries so the prescription can be submitted but most important...the veterans privacy remains secure.