Medical Marijuana Financial Assistance Program

MPP has launched a landmark program to help low-income patients obtain government-issued registry cards that will allow the patients to use marijuana legally under state law.

Low-income patients or caregivers in Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Vermont, and Rhode Island are eligible to apply for financial assistance from MPP to cover their medical marijuana ID card application fee.

These scholarships are made possible by the donations of generous supporters, and MPP's ability to continue to provide this assistance is dependent on continued financial support. You can donate to sponsor a patient in need here.

*Nevada charges a $50 non-refundable fee to request the application and then $150 to join the program once accepted. Nevada also requires a) the patient be fingerprinted, for which the cost varies from $4-20, depending on where it's done; and b) a $11-22 fee paid to the DMV for photo-taking and making the actual physical card. MPP will typically reimburse the $50 application fee to the patient and pay the $150 fee directly to the registry program. The fingerprinting and DMV photo fees may also be reimbursed if the patient provides receipts showing how much he or she paid.

**The fee is $10 for patients on SSI, SSDI, or Medicaid.

If you are a patient who would like to apply for financial assistance from MPP, please follow this process:

1. Fill out the state's application materials completely.

Colorado: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/Medicalmarijuana/marijuanafactsheet.html

Montana: http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana

Nevada: http://health.nv.gov/MedicalMarijuana.htm

You must call the Department of Agriculture at (775) 688-1180, ext. 271, to request information on how to receive an application packet.

Rhode Island: http://www.health.ri.gov/hsr/mmp/index.php

Vermont: http://www.dps.state.vt.us/cjs/marijuana.htm

2. Send the following to MPP:

• Completed application materials, including any physician or practitioner recommendations required by state law;
• A statement describing the illness the patient has;
• A statement of the patient's income and some evidence of that income level, such as a copy of a pay stub, a tax return, or an SSI stub; and
• If the patient does not fall within the qualifying income levels but needs financial assistance, a statement explaining the patient's financial need.

Mail materials to:

MPP
Attn.: Zane Hurst
P.O. Box 77492, Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C. 20013

3. MPP will review the application and determine the likelihood that the patient will qualify for the registry, as well as check to see if the patient's income level or financial need statement qualifies him or her for funding from MPP. The review process will take up to eight days.

4. If the applicant qualifies for financial assistance, and it appears that the patient should qualify for the registry, then MPP will attach a check for the appropriate amount and send the application and fee to the department that runs the registry. MPP will also notify the applicant of his or her approval for financial aid and that the application has been sent to the department. In the case of Nevada, MPP will send the applicant a $50 check to reimburse him or her for the initial application fee.

5. If, in MPP's judgment, the patient does not qualify for the fund or the registry, MPP will return the application to the patient with a note stating the reason for funding denial.

A patient will qualify if:

1. the patient has one of the qualifying conditions,
2. the patient either falls below 150% of the federal poverty level or demonstrates financial need in a written statement, and
3. the program has enough remaining funds.

Please note that there are limited funds for the financial assistance program, and we will unfortunately not be able to provide assistance once funding runs out. Moreover, funding in states not currently covered by the program is dependent on donors coming forward to fund the program for those states. We are, however, always soliciting and accepting donations to continue the program.

SOURCE: Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 15, January 24, 2007, pp. 3147–3148