Free VA Day February 12th, 2021

Hempy New Year Everyone!

We hope everyone is staying safe, happy, and heathy. We would like to start off the year right with the announcement of our first FREE VA day for the year 2021. The date picked is February 12^th, 2021 from 10AM to 2PM. On this day we offer FREE INITIAL AND RENEWAL appointments to our veterans who are looking to get into or get back into the Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Program. This allows Rhode Island Veteran residents the chance to get an approval from B&B Medical Marijuana Evaluation Center (B&B Consulting, LLC) without worrying about the fee. The doctor’s approval fee is $140 with proof of Veteran Benefits on days that do NOT fall on the FREE VA DAY.

All patients will be scheduled by appointment and the appointment will be done over the phone via tele-medicine. There will be NO walk-in appointments (due to COVID-19). We apologize. These appointments are only scheduled after medical records from an outside physician are received, reviewed, and approved by one of our licensed physicians. In addition, we will require a clear copy of the patient’s Rhode Island Driver’s License/Rhode Island State ID and/or proof of Rhode Island residency since all appointments will be done remotely. Once the appointment is completed, we will prepare a packet that will be post-mailed to the patient’s current address.

How to get prepared for your appointment

1. Find out if your condition is a qualifying condition in the State of Rhode Island. Check out this link -> RI Qualifying Conditions
2. Make sure you have proof of Rhode Island Residency. This can be proven with Rhode Island Driver’s License, State ID, Vehicle Registration/Insurance, Voter’s Registration and/or any mail received from RI state correspondence with your current address.
3. Recent Medical Records, there are a few ways to get these.
1. Full out and sign a medical release form to obtain medical records from your doctor(s) office by either stopping in physically during operation hours OR signing a release form electronically
• PDF Medical Release Form
• Online Fillable Form
• After the form is completed, patients have the option of either submitting the fillable form, dropping off the release form to the office, emailing, faxing, or even post mailing the form.
2. Pick up a physical copy of medical records from your doctor and either bring them to B&B, post mail, email or fax the records over.
3. Reach out to your doctor and see if they would be willing to send records (Many offices will require a medical release form to open communication).
4. Once records are received, reviewed, and approved. Our office will be in touch with the patient to schedule a date and time for their appointment (Initial or Renewal).
1. If for any reason our doctor is looking for additional records, our staff will be in touch to let the patient know what medical documentation they would need in addition to what our doctor already received.

What happens at the appointment:

1. Re-Review of recent medical records and a minimal exam issued by a licensed physician who is in good standing as required by the Rhode Island Department of Health.
2. 6-month follow-up appointment is tentatively scheduled. The follow-up appointments are mandatory per The Department of Health [R21-28.6-MMP], Section 2.5(e). Therefore, if follow-up appointments are not kept, then we cannot renew your license when it expires.
1. This appointment fee is $50 and can be moved around to accommodate the veteran’s schedule
3. Educational information regarding Medical Marijuana will be given during the appointment, this would be a perfect time to ask specific questions regarding the program or medical marijuana.
4. B&B Medical Marijuana Evaluation Center will mail a packet that will include the patient’s approval. It is ultimately the patient’s responsibility to mail the application to the Department of Health for processing.
1. To process the approval, the state requires a check or money order for $50 or $25 (If patient is a recipient and has proof included of SSI, SSDI, Veteran’s Disability or Medicaid).

If the patient is new, the packet will include …

1. The initial application for the Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Program
2. A signed and dated Practitioner’s Written Certification Form (physician’s signed approval).
3. A copy of the patient’s Driver’s License/Rhode Island State ID or other proof of residency
4. B&B patient initial intake forms (follow-up appointment requirement notification, safe responsible use, disclosure form, etc …)
5. A stapled packet that will go over the patient’s rights and general information about the program, where to obtain the medicine once the MMP card is received and ways of intaking.
6. An envelope addressed to the Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program (DOHMMP) once the patient is ready to send their approved application to the DOHMMP for further processing.

If the patient is renewing their Rhode Island Medical Marijuana card, but is new to B&B Medical Marijuana Evaluation Center the packet will include …

1. A signed and dated Practitioner’s Written Certification Form (physician’s signed approval).
2. A copy of the patient’s Driver’s License/Rhode Island State ID or other proof of residency
3. B&B initial intake forms (follow-up appointment requirement notification, safe responsible use, disclosure form, etc….)
4. Instructions that go through the Renewal Paperwork**
   1. **B&B Does not provide the renewal paperwork, only the physician’s approval that would need to be included in that paperwork. This is issued by the Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program for renewing patients. This is REQUIRED for renewing patients. To request renewal paperwork, please contact the Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program 401-222-3752 **
5. An envelope addressed to the Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program (DOHMMP) once the patient is ready to send their approved application to the DOHMMP for further processing.

If the patient is renewing their Rhode Island Medical Marijuana card and is an existing patient of B&B Medical Marijuana Evaluation Center the packet will include …

1. A signed and dated Practitioner’s Written Certification Form (physician’s signed approval
2. A copy of their Driver’s License/Rhode Island State ID or proof of residency (if requested and on file for B&B to provide)
3. B&B renewal intake forms (follow-up appointment requirement form, safe and responsible use, and disclosure form, etc…)
4. Instructions that go through the Renewal Paperwork**
   1. **B&B Does not provide the renewal paperwork, only the physician’s approval that would need to be included in that paperwork. This is issued by the Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program for renewing patients. This is REQUIRED for renewing patients. To request renewal paperwork, please contact the Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program 401-222-3752 **
5. An envelope addressed to the Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program (DOHMMP) once the patient is ready to send their approved application to the DOHMMP for further processing.

 It is ultimately the patient’s responsibility to mail the application to the Department of Health for processing. To process the approval, the state requires a check or money order for $50 or $25 (If patient is a recipient and has proof included of SSI, SSDI, Veteran’s Disability or Medicaid). This needs to be payable to the Rhode Island General Treasurer or General Treasurer, State of RI.

Veterans are encouraged to call the office if they have questions, concerns or if they are interested to start the process of obtaining or renewing their medical marijuana license!