wizewizard555
Member
Maybe they took a break from approving applications to print and mail out provisional letters.. I don't know, but I do know that a little bit of hope and positive thinking helps keep spirits up during the wait.
Illinois medical marijuana card wait time
- Thread starter Znewberry
- Start date
HatetheState
Member
I agree with Newgrower64. People need to stop calling. I get it, we all want our cards. But calling them does nothing but slow things down. This dept. was so understaffed and probably still is, do you really think that they are staffing the phones with another state waged employee? No, it is being answered by one of a few employees that is supposed to be working on our apps. I have heard the argument that you just want to know what date they are up to. For what? For all any of us know, they may have several hundred apps that were received between Sept. 15th and the 30th. How is knowing what day they are working on help you? I have heard many of you say that the state has slowed down. That maybe because of the number of apps they have received and the number of phone calls asking where they are in the process. The phone number on their website is for help in filling out your app. They make it very clear that status updates will not be given.
Not a single person on this page has reported that they called and the employee told them “hold on, let me pull your paperwork. Ok it looks like everything is here, we can approve this right now”. STOP CALLING!
Not a single person on this page has reported that they called and the employee told them “hold on, let me pull your paperwork. Ok it looks like everything is here, we can approve this right now”. STOP CALLING!
Ahhh ok! MCO usually take 1-2 weeks from when you go, to send it in. So that may mean they received your paper work a week later!I went to MCO. I emailed a couple of weeks ago and didn’t get a response. Emailed again last week and was told my application was recieved but they didn’t specify a date.
I mailed it myself on September 14thAhhh ok! MCO usually take 1-2 weeks from when you go, to send it in. So that may mean they received your paper work a week later!
That's a loaded and unfair question because you know I never said any such thing. I've never defended the current 90-day approval process, and along with you, I've been eagerly anticipating provisional access and scouring to learn more about it.
But at the same time, I understand that provisional access is a big step for the program (bigger than I think you give credit for) and will take some time to roll-out smoothly. It's not just about the patient and the dispensary. There's the record-keeping imposed by the Act. There's HIPAA. There's law enforcement training -- let's avoid having provisional access patient face arrest because a LEO didn't know the new rules. There's other Illinois agencies involved in the program. And there's the whole opioid program at the same time.
If you want to call IDPH evil for taking a few weeks to roll-out provisional access, that's your right. But I don't see it. "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." IDPH may not be efficient or enthusiastic about the program, but neither they nor I are trying to make people suffer. Jeez.
It's a loaded question because obviously the legislature says it's not reasonable and you're making excuses for another month when the 3-6 previous months weren't enough.
How do you think HIPAA is involved? Your condition isn't mentioned and cannabis is not a prescription medicine.
There is none of what you say involved because provisional is just a temporary document that acts exactly the same as the card.
They've already done the temporary document thing before.
Most cops haven't seen a card as it is and drivers licenses will be flagged just the same.
The opioid alternative program is a completely separate issue as stated in the law. I think that's where your thinking goes astray. Yes opioids needs infrastructure, it needs forms, those forms have to be at hospitals and Dr's offices. Opioids needs everything you say (except HIPAA worries).
Provisional access needs a document issued and temporary approval made, exactly the same as with the card except it isn't permanent.
It’s not like everyone in here is constantly calling, if you look back, we talk about when we are calling so we don’t slow it down, and we do it strategically based on dates. We are looking for the to approve us right away, but a 2 minute call, asking if we are approved doesn’t hurt. We have told people, that have asked if they should call, to not call because they just submitted their app.I agree with Newgrower64. People need to stop calling. I get it, we all want our cards. But calling them does nothing but slow things down. This dept. was so understaffed and probably still is, do you really think that they are staffing the phones with another state waged employee? No, it is being answered by one of a few employees that is supposed to be working on our apps. I have heard the argument that you just want to know what date they are up to. For what? For all any of us know, they may have several hundred apps that were received between Sept. 15th and the 30th. How is knowing what day they are working on help you? I have heard many of you say that the state has slowed down. That maybe because of the number of apps they have received and the number of phone calls asking where they are in the process. The phone number on their website is for help in filling out your app. They make it very clear that status updates will not be given.
Not a single person on this page has reported that they called and the employee told them “hold on, let me pull your paperwork. Ok it looks like everything is here, we can approve this right now”. STOP CALLING!
Just fyi
Twistedcrypto1
Well-Known Member
That means it was probably received on 9/17 or 9/18I mailed it myself on September 14th
My app (confirmed receipt date 9/17) check was cashed 12/1
Ahhh ok! Never mind then! HaI mailed it myself on September 14th
Maybe I'm getting too old and cranky, but I think we should be burning up the phones at the IDPH office that deals with this, letting these people know that we're not going to just sit back and allow them to put our health on the back burner. The more calls, emails, letters, the better. What's their incentive to get things moving otherwise? The squeaky wheel...
Yes 30 days to approve is in the law. And now it's 90 days. 15 days to issue the license once approved.It's worth noting that we all seem to have accepted that 90 day process as part of the standard protocol at this point, when in fact there is no such process described in the law.
As far as I can tell, there's nothing in the law that refers to any processing deadlines between the state's receipt of an application and issuing a card. No minimum OR maximum allowable processing time. The 90 day waiting period seems completely arbitrary. And interestingly, it seems to have been around the same 90 day period both before and after the signing of the Aug. 28 amended version. Supposedly at that point the state got serious about things, added funding and staff to the office that deals with this, but the processing time doesn't seem to have changed.
I get the impression that someone, somewhere in the bureaucratic chain of command has OK'd slow-walking this whole affair, and three months seemed like a nice round number. And I definitely haven't gotten the impression that the people running the show consider cannabis as a medicine. They're treating us like a bunch of sneaky stoners who are trying to pull off a scam, so they're punishing us for it.
"verify the information contained in an application
or renewal for a registry identification card submitted
under this Act, and approve or deny an application or
renewal, within 90 30 days of receiving a completed
application or renewal application and all supporting
documentation specified in Section 55;"
natureboy!
Well-Known Member
we are but a small sample of the total number of applicants. the average month is 2000 apps. we don't know how many lurk this page , but I think a few from here that call , are not going to upset the balance of approval rates. and thinking so is...well...try indica and stay away from sativa ! ( to the member that gave us a scolding ) So... Call Away , they are state employees , paid by our tax dollars , if they are busy , they aren't going to take the time to answer the dang phoneMy thing is that it just doesn’t make sense why they are going so slow, or why they would give us false info. If they said 90 days but that’s not a gaurentee, that would be fine. But we have proof that people who submitted their apps on 9/17 and before that, were approved, and that was last week, so unless they completely stopped and aren’t doing any more, then they should be onto later dates, close to the 17th.
Unless they don’t know that we know where they are at, and want us to stop calling, if that makes sense. I had a lady tell me last Tuesday, they were CLOSE to me, and now this guy says it’s 2, maybe 3 more weeks until they get to me? I think people would stop calling if they were just honest with us
HatetheState
Member
The squeaky wheel doesn’t always get fixed. Sometimes it just gets pulled off and thrown away.
natureboy!
Well-Known Member
Because they are sending out Temp Registration Letters (just a guess , but ifI were a betting )My thing is that it just doesn’t make sense why they are going so slow, or why they would give us false info. If they said 90 days but that’s not a gaurentee, that would be fine. But we have proof that people who submitted their apps on 9/17 and before that, were approved, and that was last week, so unless they completely stopped and aren’t doing any more, then they should be onto later dates, close to the 17th.
Unless they don’t know that we know where they are at, and want us to stop calling, if that makes sense. I had a lady tell me last Tuesday, they were CLOSE to me, and now this guy says it’s 2, maybe 3 more weeks until they get to me? I think people would stop calling if they were just honest with us
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Knowstigma
Active Member
It's not their fault, they aren't making the staffing decisions. All it does is slows it down.Maybe I'm getting too old and cranky, but I think we should be burning up the phones at the IDPH office that deals with this, letting these people know that we're not going to just sit back and allow them to put our health on the back burner. The more calls, emails, letters, the better. What's their incentive to get things moving otherwise? The squeaky wheel...
It would basically be like going to a massive food restaurant chain and then complaining over and over again to the fry cooks and people at the front counter. If you want to complain, email your local and state officials.
Calling once or twice is fine but over and over would do nothing. This whole process is likely going to get much better once JB comes into office since he is a pro-marijuana candidate.
Also this is good news:
http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pritzker-legalize-marijuana-illinois
Twistedcrypto1
Well-Known Member
For all the people saying they are slow walking the apps are probably miss informed. The fact is the state is slow in everything they do. They dont rush anything and that’s just the facts. When going to get drivers license you can see how the sloths work. They are nice but slow. It’s just how they operate. If you live in Illinois you already know this.
It would be nice to keep this thread for updates and basic questions and not all types of conversations about theoretical stuff. People come here for updates and when real dates and timelines get posted they get pushed back pages within hours.
As for the new laws they are pretty clear. But if they don’t get followed right away who will prosecute the officials? No one for something that’s still considered illegal by the feds.
This is medicin and eventually it will be recognized as such nation wide. But for now we should just be glad it’s moving forward this fast. Not acceptable by any standards for medicin but try getting medicin in Russia or Guatemala. (Both places I travel) in Russia state issues medicin and when you arrive at the pharmacy they say it’s going to be $300 more since theirs a shortage or some other bullshit excuse. Then they give fake meds... Corruption at its best!
It would be nice to keep this thread for updates and basic questions and not all types of conversations about theoretical stuff. People come here for updates and when real dates and timelines get posted they get pushed back pages within hours.
As for the new laws they are pretty clear. But if they don’t get followed right away who will prosecute the officials? No one for something that’s still considered illegal by the feds.
This is medicin and eventually it will be recognized as such nation wide. But for now we should just be glad it’s moving forward this fast. Not acceptable by any standards for medicin but try getting medicin in Russia or Guatemala. (Both places I travel) in Russia state issues medicin and when you arrive at the pharmacy they say it’s going to be $300 more since theirs a shortage or some other bullshit excuse. Then they give fake meds... Corruption at its best!
Ha ha. That's a clever spin, but are you really saying that if you call, they'll throw away your application? That's just silly.The squeaky wheel doesn’t always get fixed. Sometimes it just gets pulled off and thrown away.
HatetheState
Member
If your check was cashed and more than 14 days go by and no card. Call them and try to find out if your card is lost in the mail. If you want to know if your app was received, email them to find out. If there is a problem with your app, they will contact you. What more do we need to know? In reality, although only a few from this page have called, there may be calls coming in constantly from others not on this page. If an employee spends his/her entire day on the phone, that is x amount of apps not being processed that day.
I like the way you think!! That would be sweet!Because they are sending out Temp Registration Letters (just a guess , but is I were a betting )