Why choose medical cannabis over traditional treatments?

One in five Canadians suffers from Chronic pain. One in ten Canadians suffers from an anxiety disorder. Those symptoms affect their everyday life and cost a lot of money, to the patient but also to the Health Care system. Many patients do not respond well to conventional medical treatments such as opioids and antidepressants, which have many side effects and a strong risk of addiction. Medical cannabis could be the ideal alternative treatment.

Health Canada’s Access to Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) allows patients to legally possess, purchase cannabis from a Licensed Commercial Producer, and/or apply for a personal production license. In order to register under the ACMPR, patients must have support from a medical doctor or nurse practitioner.

Medical cannabis VS. Opioids

Like all medication, cannabis doesn’t work for everyone. But for many, cannabis is a safer alternative to chronic-pain medication. Chronic pain is the number one reason people seek medical help. Chronic pain affects more people than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined.

Opioid prescriptions for OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet and Fentanyl are more commonly issued than cannabis prescriptions. Opioid use has spiralled out of control in Canada and the US. Between January 2016 and June 2018 more than 9,000 people in Canada died from opioid overdoses, even more people continue to struggle with opioid addiction and misuse.

Although further research is needed, we know that cannabis is effective for treating chronic pain.

With the number of veterans reimbursed for their medical cannabis costs reaching nearly 7,300 in 2018, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) has played a major role in managing the medical coverage for veterans in Canada.

Medavie Blue Cross, a leading Canadian non-profit medical insurance provider, administers health programs on behalf of VAC. Even though each Blue Cross cardholder’s benefits differ, Medavie Blue Cross does approve medical cannabis coverage amongst its patients.

Although VAC has set a daily patient limit of 3-grams a day, for health and cost reasons, Blue Cross allowed exceptions for more than one in five veterans, extending coverage above and beyond the 3-gram per day limit.

A service you can count on

We are confident in our ability to provide the highest level of service for patients, including Canadian veterans. Veterans who experienced severe trauma during peacekeeping missions in Yugoslavia, Rwanda, or Afghanistan often need medical relief. If you are a Veteran, you may have found that medical cannabis can help reduce dependency on opioids and other medications. Please contact HIP LIVES and we would be honored to assist you, totally free of charge.

FAQ

1.What is CoverLeaf? 

• The CoverLeaf clinic assists hundreds of Canadians in need of medical cannabis by helping them connect with a health practitioner that understands their needs.

2.What is the process for obtaining my prescription? 

• First you will fill out the intake form on our website which includes some preliminary questions. The CoverLeaf team will then contact you and set a consultation with an health practitioner that will better understand your health condition and needs. The team will email you a copy of the prescription and guide you in choosing the best licensed producers in Canada.

3.Is medical cannabis the right choice for me?

• Medical Cannabis may help relieve symptoms that may not be resolved with traditional medicine. Patients of medical cannabis have seen improvement in anxiety, depression, chronic pain, PTSD, nausea and more.

4.What insurance coverages are available to me?

• There are different coverages available depending on your status. If you are a veteran, you are eligible for coverage through the Veterans Affairs Canada program. Many insurance providers have also began to offer coverage for medical cannabis including Green Shield Canada, Great-West Life, Manulife Financial Corp, Sun Life Financial and Desjardins Insurance. Please contact your insurance provider if you have any inquiries about medical cannabis coverage.

5.Can I call in for someone else? 

• You can call in on behalf of someone else for the sole purpose of requesting information. However, for the consultation to take place, the person can only be accompanied by a legal responsible person in charge (or responsible adult).

6.How much does it all cost me?

• The cost of the prescription will depend on which form of medical cannabis is being purchased as well as the licensed producer that it is being bought from. There are also different coverages by insurance companies and federal/provincial programs that may affect overall costs. Therefore, as prescription costs are subjective, it is difficult to determine one single cost. However, we will do our best to find the options that fit your budget needs.

7.After completing this form, how long will it take to receive my medical cannabis if approved?

• Typically, once a form is received the patient is contacted within 3 business days to confirm the consultation, an appointment, and request photo ID. The appointment cannot go forward however until we are provided the ID beforehand. Therefore, we know for some patients there will be follow-ups necessary until the appointment is booked.

8.Does the clinic staff know languages other than English?

• CoverLeaf’s staff can assist you in French, Vietnamese as well as Tamil. One of the health care practitioners is bilingual in English and French.

9.Is the old, red and white health card okay?

• Any form of government-issued ID is fine, as long as it is valid (not expired) and has a photo of the patient on it. Citizenship cards with photos of patients when they were 5-8 years old will not be accepted.

10.Can cannabis prevent COVID-19? 

• Currently, there are no exclusive studies that link cannabis as a preventative method for COVID-19. However, cannabis may help with pain relief, anxiety as well as stress, symptoms that many COVID-19 patients often experience.

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