Pubdate: Thu, 01 Jan 2015
Source: Westword (Denver, CO)
Column: Ask a Stoner
Copyright: 2015 Village Voice Media
Contact: http://www.westword.com/feedback/EmailAnEmployee?department=letters
Website: http://www.westword.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1616
Author: William Breathes

CAN KAISER DRUG-TEST ITS PATIENTS?

Dear Stoner: Kaiser Permanente is sending out forms to people who are 
on pain medication that say the insurance company is going to be 
doing random urinalysis tests and not allowing even medicinal users 
of cannabis to continue using it. I was wondering about the legalities of this.

Timidly Toking in Thornton

Dear Timid Toker: This was the first we'd heard of drug testing by 
Kaiser - though, frankly, it doesn't surprise us much, coming from a 
health-insurance company that looks out for its bottom line more than 
it does for its patients. But there's more to it than that.

The agreement you signed is part of an effort to combat the illicit 
prescription-drug trade that is going on nationally, killing more 
people each year than auto accidents do. In Arapahoe County, the 
number of drug overdoses last year was three times the rate of 
motor-vehicle deaths, and 83 percent of those overdoses were on 
prescription drugs.

But here's the thing: If the doctor prescribing your opioids is the 
one who signed off on your medical card, then you can probably still 
puff away the pain while blissfully popping pills. We've got a copy 
of the Opioid Treatment Agreement for Chronic Pain form from Kaiser, 
and your story checks out, Timid Toker - but the agreement says you 
can't use medical marijuana unless it has been authorized by Kaiser. 
A spokeswoman with Kaiser's Colorado office says she can't comment on 
any specific patients, but she did say that these agreements are 
quite common. They aren't really about catching medical marijuana 
users so much as they are looking out for people who may be abusing 
opioids. In fact, Kaiser doesn't have a policy for or against medical 
cannabis, she says; that's up to you and your doctor.

Now, how to breach that conversation with your friendly Kaiser rep is 
a completely different story. (We suggest using the words 
"hypothetically" and "in general" and speaking in the third person 
about a made-up individual.) Also, don't expect Kaiser to pony up for 
your pot. Colorado's medical marijuana law states that "no 
governmental, private, or any other health insurance provider shall 
be required to be liable for any claim for reimbursement for the 
medical use of marijuana."

Side note: We spoke with a health-/life-insurance expert who tells us 
that most insurance companies view cannabis use as being on par with 
cigarette use, even if you are an edibles person and don't actually 
smoke your weed. Basically, it's a strike against you as a 
healthy-living individual - and it isn't going to be something they 
look upon favorably in any circumstance. You're not likely to be 
denied coverage, but your premium could go up.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom