The Utah Medical Card program has now been around for several years. It is helping tens of thousands of patients struggling to find relief through more traditional treatments feel better on a daily basis. And yet, while helping people feel better is at the root of the Med Card concept, there is so much more to it than that.
From our perspective, the Med Card concept is incredibly transformative to Western (allopathic) medicine. It is one of the key ingredients we have been missing in our healthcare system for decades. And now that so many states have adopted the concept, everything wrapped up in the Medical Card philosophy should ultimately change the American healthcare system for the better.
Among the many ways the Medical Card program has transformed healthcare in Utah is its encouragement of plant-based medicines. Med Card holders in the state have access to medicines that are not available through traditional means. These are medicines that cannot be purchased at the drug store or at the local grocery store pharmacy.
Plant-based medicines have been utilized by Eastern cultures for millennia. They used to be fairly common in North America at one time, too. We got away from them when allopathic medicine and pharmacology took root here. But now we are starting to see a return to the plant-based realm, and that's good.
The Med Card concept is also transformative in the sense that it seeks to put patients in control of their own health and wellbeing. Although most doctors and nurses have very good intentions, there is a tendency in allopathic medicine to shut patients out. They become merely recipients of care rather than active partners in their own health.
Medical Cards are somewhat unique to Western medicine because they aren't prescriptions. They are state-issued licenses to use plant-based medicines. Doctors can only recommend the medicines; they cannot issue Med Cards or write prescriptions. Ultimately, this means that a patient with a Med Card must take charge of their own health.
Incidentally, the KindlyMD team wants exactly that for each and every patient. We do not want to dictate to you how you should care for yourself. We are here to partner with you as a member of your healthcare team. At every level, we want you to be in charge.
Promoting a holistic approach to patient care is yet another way the Medical Card concept is transforming healthcare. Allopathic medicine has a tendency to treat diseases and symptoms as largely physical problems. But proponents of the Med Card concept are more likely to go beyond the mere physical. Practitioners prefer a holistic approach, which is to say treating the whole person rather than just the physical body alone.
Managing persistent pain is a particularly good example here. Pain is influenced by biological, psychological, emotional, and social factors. The point of issuing a Med Card is to address the biological and psychological factors. But clinics like KindlyMD also include other services to help address the emotional and social aspects. We treat the whole person rather than just their pain.
We have heard the Medical Card concept referred to as a 'new' way of looking at Western medicine. We do not consider it new at all. Rather, we consider it a different way of approaching healthcare. Both the concept and the principles behind it have been a long time coming. Now that they are here, we are witnessing a transformation within our healthcare system.
The Utah Medical Card gives certain types of patients in the Beehive State access to plant-based medicines that are not normally sold in grocery store pharmacies and corner drug stores. The medicines are only available to valid card holders. The question you might be asking yourself is whether a Med Card is right for you.
Looking for the answer in a single blog post isn't the best idea. Instead, it is better for patients to sit with their medical providers and have a frank discussion. That's something we do here at KindlyMD. If you are interested in a Utah Med Card, make an appointment at any of our clinics. We would be more than happy to talk things over with you. If a Med Card is right for you, we can help you get it.
The state requires patients to consult with the medical provider before receiving a Med Card. There is a good reason for this: the plant-based medicines made available through the Med Card program are not suitable for every medical condition. Allow us to offer an example.
There is no point in taking antibiotics to fight a viral infection. Antibiotics have no impact on viruses. Likewise, plant-based medicines made available through the Med Card program do not prevent viral infections either.
Utah maintains a list of qualifying conditions associated with the Med Card. Those conditions include things like persistent pain, PTSD, and nausea. Consulting with a medical provider confirms that you have one of the conditions on the state's list. As long as this is the case, a Utah Medical Card could be considered.
There is another reason state regulators want patients to consult with medical providers before getting their cards. They want to be sure that the plant-based medicines in question are an appropriate treatment for a patient's condition. That's not always a given.
A medical provider is among the most qualified professionals to help patients determine how to best treat their conditions. In some cases, traditional treatments may be more appropriate. In other cases, patients may have tried traditional treatments to no avail. Their medical providers believe that plant-based medicines are the most appropriate option.
Always remember that a medical provider's goal is to help you feel better. If your condition can be cured, doing so is the number one priority. And if it cannot, management is what medical providers shoot for. Why mention this? Because a determination of ineligibility for the Med Card doesn't mean your medical provider does not care. It just means that they believe there is a better way to treat your condition.
The point of this post is to explain how you can know whether a Utah Med Card is right for you. The answer is as simple as your doctor's evaluation. A complete medical evaluation will tell you everything you need to know. It will tell you:
If all three are determined to be true in your case, a Med Card is within your reach. You and your medical provider can complete your respective portions of the online application. Then you just pay the application fee and wait for your card to arrive electronically.
The Utah Medical Card is not right for everyone. Is it right for you? That is for you and your medical provider to determine together.
One of our goals in helping patients obtain their Utah Medical Cards is to help them feel better. But feeling better is subjective. It means different things to different people. There isn't necessarily a correct definition, but it is probably a good idea to have some goals in mind when you first apply for a Med Card.
A good place to begin exploring this topic is understanding that, from a medical perspective, feeling better and getting better are two different things. Feeling better is about symptoms. Getting better is about the underlying cause of those symptoms. Unfortunately, there are those medical conditions with no cures. Medical science can help a patient get better, but only to a certain degree. After that, treatment is about helping the patient feel better.
For many of us, feeling better involves alleviating the symptoms of whatever condition is bothering us. A person with a broken arm will feel better as the pain subsides, even though it could take weeks or months for the bone to heal. Not feeling the pain of the break is an improvement over the alternative.
The medicines made available through the Utah Medical Card are not a cure for anything. But patients do rely on them to alleviate pain. If you are dealing with persistent pain, you know that any significant amount of relief can help you feel better.
Do not feel bad about wanting to alleviate symptoms. There is nothing wrong or abnormal about wanting relief. And if you're dealing with a chronic condition for which there is no cure, finding relief is a big part of your reason for seeking treatment. Embrace it.
There are also those cases in which patients define feeling better as actually getting better. Persistent pain is a fitting example. In addition to Med Cards and the medicines they bring to the table, some conditions typified by persistent pain can be improved through lifestyle changes.
A person with osteoarthritis is not going to be cured by Med Card medicines. But their condition can be improved, at least in most cases, by getting regular exercise, eating right, and getting enough restful sleep. How so? Combining these three lifestyle changes can strengthen muscles, tendons, and ligaments. When they are stronger, they support the body's weight more effectively. This can help relieve osteoarthritis pain.
By strengthening the body, the patient is getting better. There may be no cure for osteoarthritis, but combining lifestyle changes with the right medicines can make an enormous difference. The patient can both feel better and get better to some degree.
Many of the Utah Med Card patients we work with are looking for more than simply alleviating their symptoms. They also want to take their lives back. Some have been on other prescription medications that have made living a normal life nearly impossible. Others have been offered literally no hope for their conditions, leaving them to remain living under the control of their health.
With a Utah Medical Card, they have access to medicines that provide enough relief for them to take their lives back. That is when they truly start to feel better. They can go back to work, they can enjoy spending time with family and friends, and they can resume activities that bring them joy.
Only you can define what feeling better means to you. Here at KindlyMD, we might be able to help you along your journey with comprehensive care and assistance with your Utah Med Card.
Most people with active Utah Medical Cards need to renew those cards on an annual basis. A small number of patients have shorter renewal times based on recommendations from their medical providers. Nonetheless, there is no such thing as a permanent Medical Card in Utah. That is a good thing.
Card renewal is designed to accomplish several things. If patients were not required to renew, which is to say they had permanent cards, it is quite possible that they would ultimately not receive all the potential benefits of comprehensive care. And that runs contrary to the whole purpose for introducing Utah's Medical Card.
We think it is important to point out that not every patient with an active Medical Card actually renews it. Just by looking at the monthly program data published by the state, you can see that thousands of cards expire every month. While the program continues to add new patients, it also drops patients who choose not to renew.
There could be any number of reasons for not renewing:
Possessing an active Medical Card isn't an automatic requirement to renew after a year. In order for patients to fully understand whether renewal is a good idea, a discussion with a medical provider is an order. That is the whole point. Requiring renewal encourages patients to visit with their medical providers on a regular schedule.
A Med Card is just one component of a comprehensive care plan. It provides access to plant-based medicines considered alternatives to traditional treatments. But care is only truly comprehensive when it adapts to a patient's health and current condition. Both of those things can change over time.
The reality of change is one of the reasons doctors cannot write prescriptions indefinitely. A prescription can only be renewed so many times before the patient needs to visit the healthcare provider again. Subsequent visits are intended to make sure that the medication in question is still an appropriate treatment. The same is true for the medicines accessible through a Medical Card.
Something else to think about is the possibility that better treatments will come along in the future. Healthcare is constantly evolving. Science is always teaching us new things about medicine. So what works best today might not work as well as a new treatment introduced a year from now.
Visiting with a healthcare provider is the best way to stay abreast of new treatments. A healthcare provider is in the best position to know whether a new treatment is more appropriate.
All of this is to say that things change. Rarely is a person's medical condition static for an entire lifetime. Symptoms sometimes get worse. Sometimes they get better. When it comes to degenerative conditions, a patient's experience changes as the disease progresses. These are all things providers take into account during renewal visits.
If you have a Utah Medical Card, you may consider it a hassle to have to renew every year. We get it. But as a QMP group committed to comprehensive care, we know that renewals are a good idea. Renewals give us an opportunity to visit with our patients, if for no other reason than to check up on them. It is better for patients in the long run.
Pain is a topic that can be discussed from an almost limitless number of angles. There are just so many aspects to it that pain is very difficult to put in a box. So it stands to reason that managing pain is similar. There is no one-size-fits-all way to do it for every person. Enter the Utah Med Card.
Historically, the U.S. has been reluctant to embrace the plant-based medicines made available through the Utah Med Card. We will not get into the reasons why. Rather, we have seen a growing acceptance of those medicines in recent years, especially for treating chronic pain. We have made such incredible strides that the KindlyMD team is confident in saying that the Utah Med Card is a legitimate option for managing pain.
Although Utah's Med Card program has been active for several years now, there are still plenty of chronic pain patients who either haven't heard of it or don't know how it works. The good news is that the program is fairly simple. As previously stated, a Med Card gives a patient access to plant-based medicines that are not available otherwise.
These are medicines that aren't available by traditional prescription. They also are not sold down at the chain pharmacy. They are dispensed only through state-licensed pharmacies to patients with active Med Cards.
One of the things we do here at KindlyMD is help eligible patients get their cards. If you have been diagnosed with a qualifying condition, our care team can evaluate your health and then recommend you for a Med Card. Then it is as simple as completing an online application form and paying a small fee. Truly, the process of getting a Med Card isn't difficult.
Obtaining a Utah Med Card is just the start of the journey toward feeling work alongside you with a range of additional services designed to help you feel better.
It has been said that using a Med Card and its associated plant-based medicines to manage pain is more of a journey than anything else. We cannot argue with such sentiments. For so many patients, managing pain is not a matter of taking a single drug or undergoing a single procedure followed by the pain immediately stopping. That's why we discuss chronic pain in terms of management rather than healing.
After getting your Med Card, you are likely going to need additional care to improve the way you feel. Our team is here to provide it.
One last thing we would like to encourage you before closing this post is the idea of the Utah Med Card being worth considering. We have no way of knowing where you are or how pain is affecting you. However, we do know that it is not uncommon for chronic pain patients to try every traditional treatment and still find very little relief.
Med Cards are available to chronic pain patients in Utah. You have nothing to lose by getting your card and beginning a journey with plant-based medicines. If the Med Card and its medicines don't work for you, you've only lost a little bit of time along with a minimal application fee. But if you do find the relief that you're after, the time and effort you put into getting your card will pay for itself.
KindlyMD is known throughout Utah for our ability to help patients obtain Med Cards for access to plant-based medicines. But we are so much more than Med Card evaluations and recommendations. We offer comprehensive care to patients dealing with pain, PTSD, and other conditions. Most importantly, our care is patient-focused.
What is patient-focused care? This post will explain our take on it. Needless to say, we don't believe “patient-focused care” is just a slogan. It is the foundation on which we operate. Our approach is vastly different from the outcome-based approach so many medical facilities are now trying to implement.
Over a decade ago, the federal government made it clear through the Medicare and Medicaid programs that it wanted healthcare facilities to begin transitioning away from the fee-for-service model in favor of an outcome-based model. Outcome-based medicine focuses on improving patient outcomes rather than concentrating solely on how much a clinician or facility charges.
Basing healthcare on outcomes is certainly a vast improvement over the old fee-for-service paradigm, but patient-focused care is better still. Patient-focused care acknowledges that patients are individuals rather than numbers. They are people with real needs, preferences, and values. Patients are not just statistics on a computer screen.
When a healthcare provider acknowledges patient realities, the next obvious step is figuring out how to provide care that meets individual needs, preferences, and values. The end result is a philosophy of care that goes beyond disease or injury to treat the entire person.
By its very design, patient-focused care is holistic. In order to focus on the patient, a healthcare provider cannot have tunnel vision. They must consider:
Something as seemingly simple as recommending a Utah Med Card and plant-based medicine can be influenced by each of these five factors. Is plant-based medicine best for the patient's physical, mental, and emotional health? Do social circumstances and the patient's cultural background in any way inhibit getting a Med Card? How does the patient view plant-based medicines in light of personal beliefs and values?
At this point, we should explain that patient-focused care at KindlyMD goes above and beyond Med Cards and plant-based medicines. We offer Complete Care that also includes mental health services and medication management. We apply the same patient-focused model to every service we provide.
The other defining characteristic of patient-focused care is the underlying goal of making sure that patients always maintain control over their own healthcare. Under both the fee-for-service and outcome-based models, clinicians remain in control. Patients might be asked for their input, but clinicians and care teams make decisions independently. We do not feel that this is the way healthcare should be.
As a patient, you know yourself best. You know exactly how you feel – both physically and emotionally. Only you know the principles and values that direct your life. So you are the only one who can make the final decisions about your care.
As we see it, patient-focused care is a better way to provide care. If you have been looking for comprehensive care for pain, PTSD, and other chronic conditions for which your primary provider hasn't been able to help, we invite you to visit us at KindlyMD.
We believe patient-focused care is the best way to treat patients, whether that means recommending a Med Card and plant-based medicines. If you are ready for a different kind of healthcare, pay us a visit.
KindlyMD fully supports Utah's Medical Card program and the opportunities to embrace plant-based medicine that come with it. We have been helping patients get their Med Cards since the very beginning, and we have seen nothing but positive results from it. But we can do better. That is exactly what we want to do.
We are here to help patients maximize their Med Cards with additional care. We call it “Complete Care.” It is one thing to have a Med Card and access to plant-based medicines. It's another thing entirely to combine them with a Complete Care strategy that involves an entire team of healthcare professionals. Complete Care at KindlyMD includes:
Med Card applications begin with evaluations and recommendations. We evaluate each and every patient on a case-by-case basis. When plant-based medicines are the best course of action, we recommend a Med Card. But it doesn't end there. When a Med Card needs to be renewed, we are ready to step in with a new evaluation and recommendation.
Returning to KindlyMD for each renewal ensures continuity of care. It ensures that the same clinic continues to follow you along your journey with plant-based medicines. Complete Care is made better that way.
Our Complete Care also includes continuing education on both qualifying conditions and how plant-based medicine can help. Not every medical condition qualifies for a Med Card. Even when a condition does qualify, plant-based medicines are not always the most appropriate course of action. These are things we want our patients to fully understand. So we make education one of the components in a Complete Care strategy.
Complete Care is individualized care. It is not the one-size-fits-all approach so often seen in modern medicine. We tailor treatment plans to each patient to ensure that the Med Card and plant-based medicine are as effective as possible. So in addition to the Med Card and its associated services, we also offer mental health and medication management services. When traditional medications are called for, we fully embrace utilizing them.
Tailored treatment plans are only successful when they are subject to adjustments and modifications. As patients progress along their journeys, medicine types and dosages may need adjustment. Additional care options might need to be offered. And sometimes, some of the care options patients have been taking advantage of can be eliminated.
Complete Care accounts for the fact that a patient's health changes over time. It accounts for physical, mental, and emotional changes. It also adapts to new technologies and treatment protocols. If a patient's treatment plan cannot be modified or adjusted, it is hard to claim that the patient is receiving Complete Care.
KindlyMD believes that patient knowledge and control are the foundation of Complete Care. We want and expect our patients to be active decision makers in their own care. To facilitate that, we do our best to provide as many resources as we can. In particular, we put a heavy emphasis on keeping our patients up to date on everything from delivery methods to different plant strains. If there is a helpful resource out there, we want to make it available to patients.
The entire KindlyMD staff is very appreciative of the fact that plant-based medicine is available in Utah. When combined with our other services and our operational philosophy, plant-based medicine can be a key component in offering Complete Care. If you have been missing Complete Care and want a better way to better health, we invite you to visit any one of our Utah clinics.
Dear valued community,
We have some thrilling news to share with you all regarding a significant leap in the world of Medical Cannabis in Utah. This change is set to transform the way many patients access Medical Cannabis and allows for more savings to patients seeking alternative care. Patients who see specific providers at KindlyMD are now given the opportunity to receive 1-year Medical Cannabis Card certifications for only $25. This will help those in our community customize their treatment plan to suit their specific requirements, incorporating mental health services, traditional medications, and alternative medicine as needed. This offer is available now in our SLC/Murray location, with plans to expand to our other clinics very soon.
The dawn of a new era — one where you no longer need to empty your wallet for quality care or the renewal of your Medical Card — is upon us! This is thanks to a groundbreaking approach that KindlyMD has implemented, integrating complete, whole-person healthcare visits with a Medical Cannabis recommendation.
For the past three years, many in our community have felt the burden of out-of-pocket payments for visits to obtain Medical Cannabis access in Utah. Luckily, that narrative has changed. Patients can now establish care under their insurance plan for pain, primary care, anxiety, depression, weight loss, therapy, prescription management, and alternative medicine, to name a few.
Select Insurance Plans Accepted at KindlyMD:
Select Health
Medicare
Once seen, established patients are then eligible to receive a Medical Cannabis certification (if qualified for cannabis use under Utah state law) for just $25.
As the founder of KindlyMD, I have always been at the forefront of the fight for affordable and accessible Medical Cannabis care. It's an honor to say that my vision and relentless efforts thus far have ensured that patients in Utah not only get higher quality care at lower costs, but also enjoy continuity in their treatment. With recent legislative changes, credentialed KindlyMD providers can treat an unlimited number of patients, unhindered by patient caps previously limiting them from doing so. This means consistent, quality care without breaking the bank.
*QMP costs vary for Medical Cannabis evaluations. QMPs may offer or require more frequent renewals at various rates. Please review the cost comparison chart on the Utah Department of Health and Human Services website.
**Annual fee for patients that require Medical Cannabis certification or recertification. This is not due each visit.
The world of Medical Cannabis has been shrouded in misconceptions, with many hesitant to share their use of cannabis with primary care or other providers. Our dual mission with UtahMarijuana.org and KindlyMD remains clear: de-stigmatize alternative medicine for seamless integration in traditional healthcare. This integration is about more than just access; it's about establishing a gold standard of complete care for all patients across our great nation.
The most evident advantage to establishing care with KindlyMD is reduced cost. But, KindlyMD is so much more than that. We dedicate our efforts to the elevation of patient care standards, integrating alternative treatment, prescription medicine, and behavioral health services into comprehensive care plans. KindlyMD commits to patient care, affordable access, and the destruction of barriers to quality healthcare for patients.
The Utah Medical Cannabis space is undergoing a significant upgrade, and this is just the beginning. We at KindlyMD are excited for what the future holds. To all members of our community, this is your chance to experience top-shelf care without top-shelf costs. Embrace the change and let KindlyMD guide the way. Schedule today.
Stay informed, stay healthy, and we'll see you soon!
Tim Pickett, MPAS-C, Founder & CEO
Looking for effective pain relief near you, without the risks associated with prescription medications? If you're in Utah and searching for pain relief near me, obtaining a Utah medical card may hold the key to your solution. In this post, we'll delve into how you can potentially wean off pain meds by making the most of the Utah medical card program and non-addictive treatments that are accessible nearby.
Before we dive into the advantages of non-addictive treatments, let's take a closer look at the Utah medical card program available near you. This program has been thoughtfully designed to offer individuals access to alternative treatments that may not be readily available through regular general practitioners or family doctors. These exclusive treatments can be accessed only with a valid medical card, which you can easily obtain nearby.
Acquiring a Utah medical card is a straightforward process. All you need to do is complete a convenient online application, consult with a medical provider close to you, and pay a nominal fee. Once your medical card is issued, it remains valid for one year. When the year nears its end, you have the option to renew it by consulting with a medical provider and paying the annual fee once more.
Now, addressing the pressing question: Can non-addictive treatments available near me help reduce reliance on pain meds? Specifically, we're referring to narcotic and opiate pain medications. It's worth noting that many individuals are also in search of alternatives to antidepressants and sleeping pills. Non-addictive treatments provided through the Utah medical card program can bring a ray of hope to those in need.
Non-addictive medications can potentially serve as a viable alternative to traditional medications. For individuals dependent on narcotic pain meds, it might be possible to gradually diminish their reliance on these drugs with the aid of non-addictive treatments. What makes this approach even more appealing is the possibility of combining non-addictive treatments with other alternatives.This ultimately eliminates the necessity for prescription medications.
It's crucial to understand that there are no universal solutions when it comes to medical treatment. Every person responds differently to various treatments, and this variability is why the field of medicine often involves a process of trial and error. Doctors often need to experiment with different approaches to identify the most effective treatment for each unique patient.
Know the effectiveness of the non-addictive treatments that are provided. It's equally important to understand how effective traditional treatments are. This is where KindlyMD excels, finding that perfect solution for you. People's reactions to medications vary, and what proves effective for one individual may not work for another. Therefore, a cautious and meticulous approach is of utmost importance.
For those seeking to transition away from prescription medications nearby, adopting a gradual and monitored approach is paramount. Many prescription medications should not be abruptly discontinued, as this can lead to uncomfortable side effects. Instead, a more prudent strategy involves tapering off prescription meds gradually. Then introduce non-addictive alternatives under the guidance of a nearby trusted medical provider.
With time and proper monitoring, many patients can successfully reduce or eliminate their reliance on prescription medications. Even if complete elimination is not attainable, significant reductions in medication usage can significantly enhance overall well-being.
If you are currently using prescription medications that you wish to reduce, and you qualify for a Utah medical card, it's time to talk about your treatment options. Consider paying a visit to one of our nearby clinics to consult with a KindlyMD provider. This initial step could mark the commencement of your journey toward reducing or eliminating medications you'd prefer not to take.
In conclusion, effective pain management near me can be achieved through alternative treatments offered via the Utah medical card program. We've helped thousands of patients become pain free, there is hope. Non-addictive solutions are real for those seeking an alternative to prescription medications. Don't hesitate to explore these nearby options and take the first step towards a healthier, medication-free life.
