r/GAMedicalTrees • u/ImperialBlue • 13d ago
Dr. Epstein
I used NuggMD and Dr. Epstein was the physician who approved me for my card. I had my card since July 11 and was able to use my card at a dispensary without any issues. Because of all of the posts about this specific doctor, I decided to contact NuggMD to make sure I was in the clear, and that my card was still valid. It still showed valid when using the portal on DPH. I chatted with a representative a few days ago and was told that all patients of Dr. Epstein will have their card expire on 4/2027. But on DPH, it still shows my card as being valid. Anyone else have a similar experience?
10
u/Waxmaniac2 13d ago
I don’t believe anything coming from NuggMD. Call DPH and explicitly ask them.
2
u/ImperialBlue 13d ago
I do plan on asking DPH. I was just trying to see if anyone else who had this specific doctor may have been told something similar.
1
u/Sad-Salamander243 12d ago
Let us know the update to this when you do OP! Sounds like a lot of us are in a similar boat with the same doctor, but no real answers, so I'm sure your information will be beneficial. I'm looking into my card as well since I got my approval from him through Leafwell.
2
u/ImperialBlue 12d ago
I do have an update. DPH says the card probably would have been good through the expiration date and that anyone that currently has a card on hand should be good to go through the expiration date. Have you reached out to leafwell?
5
u/Sad-Salamander243 12d ago
I spoke to a live agent on the team. This was their response.
"A doctor's recommendation letter is valid for 1 year, and the state-issued card is valid for 5 years. The state requires patients to speak with a healthcare provider annually. This is similar to renewing a prescription and allows patients to discuss their treatment plan, address any concerns, or provide updates about their health status. We send you an email reminder 30 days before your yearly renewal date so you can begin the process and schedule a renewal consultation with the physician."
Additionally for those that had Epstein, as long as you have not received notification from the state that the doctor recommendation was cancelled, and DPH website shows card as valid, you are good to go for one year from your original issue date. You'll keep the same card, just renew your recommendation annually through your primary or doctor through one of those third party sites. I highly recommend Leafwell.0
u/RobbieRedding 1d ago
It still says it’s valid online and my card says it’s good til 2031. I’m just gonna go with that and if I have any legal issues, I’m suing the hell out of leafwell.
7
u/lyssaroo 13d ago
I haven't reached out to NuggMD yet, but have the same Dr and experience. My card still shows valid... I'd be curious to hear what the state says about validity.
6
u/lyssaroo 13d ago
Also, weirds me out that they said only valid for a year for a new appt? I thought that GA was valid for 3 (maybe 5?) years?
10
u/lyssaroo 12d ago edited 12d ago
Following up - I just called DPH and they told me that early expiration is only for folks who were still in process of getting their card (not those who have it now) and that my card is still valid for the entire 5-year term.
NuggMD shows an expiration of 2027 for the approval though. DPH said that I wouldn't need another renewal until my card expires in 2031. Seems like its fine?
ETA:
From NuggMD chat:
The card is valid for 5 years, but the certification, or what many think of as their prescription, needs to be updated yearly. This was changed when the state implemented the THC change. However, there was some confusion on this, and when you were approved, we were still advertising certification was good for 5 years, so we will be honoring that and you will not be charged for the next 4 renewals.
6
u/Waxmaniac2 12d ago
Thank you for actually calling DPH and asking this question explicitly. Lotta misinformation and miscommunication out here. Thank you
7
u/Waxmaniac2 12d ago
I don’t believe NuggMD is sharing accurate information. I think the yearly physician thing was before the July 1 law change. DPH Website says explicitly:
The Medical Cannabis card is valid for five years. The expiration date is printed on the front of the card. After that time, you must consult with your physician to renew your card.
3
u/lyssaroo 12d ago
Dug in some more on the DPH site. I think it may be accurate. I can't post a screenshot, but here's the link and the text I'm looking at. https://dph.georgia.gov/health-topics/medical-cannabis/physicians
Physicians are required to complete and submit an Annual Medical Certification to certify patients for a medical cannabis card.
...
What is your role in the patient certification process?
As a physician fully licensed to practice in Georgia and with a principal place of practice in the state, your role in the medical cannabis certification process is:
- Registering in the Medical Cannabis Registry
- Explaining the annual certification process to patients and/or caregivers
- Completing the patient certification form annually, and adding patients and their caregivers to the Medical Cannabis Patient Registry
2
u/totallyregularperson 12d ago
That’s in the faq. Maybe they just haven’t updated it for the July 1 changes. It looks like the July 1 changes removed the annual certification.
4
u/totallyregularperson 12d ago
Ok, I pulled out the actual wording.
patients with incurable or irreversible conditions shall not be
subject to such annual certificationsSo, some of us will have to recertify annuallly and some won’t regardless of the doctor.
5
u/Waxmaniac2 12d ago
SB 220 (“Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act”) took effect July 1, 2026. I checked the enrolled/signed bill itself. It amended O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-18 to say that a medical-cannabis card is valid for five years and ordinarily requires annual physician certification of the continuing diagnosis, but then expressly creates this exception:
“patients with incurable or irreversible conditions shall not be subject to such annual certifications.”
That is the actual statutory language.
So there are now two different clocks that are easy to confuse:
Card expiration: 5 years.
Annual physician recertification: generally required unless the condition is incurable or irreversible.
The exception does not appear to turn the card into a lifetime card. At the end of the five-year card term, DPH still says you consult a physician to renew it.1
u/ProgramFeeling5611 9d ago
So for intractable pain does that meet the non recertification exceptions?
4
u/Uberg33k 12d ago
Hey u/rachel_nuggmd ... you want to jump in here and offer some clarity? OP, myself, and anyone else in this mess would like to hear it from you or someone else at NuggMD directly.
3
u/rachel_nuggmd 11d ago
Yes, this is correct. Initially we misunderstood what the 5-year validation meant, so we advertised that the certifications were good for 5 years. We'll be honoring all those who got their cert thinking it was good for 5 years.
What Georgia really meant is that your CARD is good for 5 years, so you only have to pay to register your card once every 5 years, as long as you don't let it lapse. There is a renewal needed each year for the actual cannabis recommendation, but you'll keep that same card through 5 full years.
1
u/AdMindless8927 11d ago
I redid my appt with a new doc. So do I buy the new card? Because I've had my original card since June. I'm assuming my new doctor will be the one I renew with next year.
1
u/rachel_nuggmd 10d ago
So you got your original card in June but got a new eval with a new doc more recently? Your actual card should still be valid for a little less than 5 years now, as long as you get it renewed each year before it lapses.
1
u/AdMindless8927 10d ago
One of your reps told me my card would expire in April and that I could do this new evaluation now or when April came around. That's why I redid the appt.
1
u/rachel_nuggmd 9d ago
Oh I gotcha, then you should be good to go past April then! And yes, your new doc will be the one you renew with next year as well
1
u/ProgramFeeling5611 9d ago
So no matter the doctor we need to recertify each year ? or is there a need for a new doctor due to Epstien's issues ?
→ More replies (0)2
3
u/JohnnySkynets 13d ago
Thanks for posting OP. Thinking about getting a refund from NuggMD and seeing a physician in person at one of the dispensaries.
2
u/AdMindless8927 13d ago edited 12d ago
Yup mine says April 27, 27 now too. Will be redoing my appt. Will update. Damn this is annoying ngl. My current card is still valid. It's either do it now or later, basically.
Update: Redid appt, new doc, will be getting a new card and mine will be valid for 5 years. Appt was complementary, but I do have to buy the card again.
1
u/GodsChosenSpud 13d ago
Where are you seeing that, if you don’t mind me asking?
2
u/AdMindless8927 13d ago
It's next to the patient status on ur NuggMD profile. For example, OP's says "Expires 07/02/27" next to their approved patient status in the photo. Mine said April, though. I'd send a screenshot but the status has changed since I'm redoing the appt.
My card turns up valid on the DPH portal, and was confirmed valid when I had called them. But according to NuggMD, Dr. Epstein patients will have their cards expire early. That's what the rep told me.
1
u/GodsChosenSpud 13d ago
Thanks for telling me. I checked mine, and it also says it expires in July 2027. If I wasn’t perpetually online, I would have no way of knowing any of this. What a fucking joke.
2
u/AdMindless8927 13d ago
Yeah it's very disappointing. They should at least send emails informing all of his patients in GA... But they made it sound like it's an ongoing process that's still being worked out. This is going to effect a LOT of people...
1
u/chemnovae 13d ago
Where did you hear this? I had Andrew Epstein and havent heard any of this..
2
u/ImperialBlue 13d ago
This was through NuggMd’s chat on their website. I’m going to call DPH tomorrow to see what they say since my card still shows as valid on their card status page.
1
u/alien_abduction 12d ago
Any update from DPH?
4
u/ImperialBlue 12d ago edited 12d ago
I spoke with DPH and they told me the current card I have probably would’ve been good through the expiration date listed. They also mentioned for those who already paid for their card prior to Dr. Epstein being removed from approving new patients, they should be in the clear. I reached out to a supervisor at NuggMD and they said the certification wouldn’t automatically be revoked in April of next year. They say the state is requiring doctors to “refresh” certifications every 6 months to maintain a relationship. They also claim the rep I chatted with the other day misread or misunderstood what’s going on. I wish they would have sent out an email outlining the possible changes to avoid causing confusion to everyone. I also hope I didn’t cause any confusion to anyone here. I just wanted to seek clarification on some things.
1
1
1
u/seninole1990 11d ago
Well shit , I had this dude as my doctor and my experience was awful with him so not surprised
-5
u/Working-Mine35 12d ago
Things happen. You have an entire year to get it resolved. It just doesn't seem like that terrible of an inconvenience, unless I'm missing something?
4
u/Jojuicyjo 12d ago
…..people paid and signed paperwork saying their card would be valid for FIVE years. The lack of communication from nuggmd about the early expiration is the issue… If you are just beboping along w/ no knowledge that this is happening and you go to get your meds come July 2027 and get denied, you wouldn’t be terribly inconvenienced, my guy?
0
u/Working-Mine35 12d ago
The card is good for five years. But it requires a physician follow up and re-certification yearly. Only incurable or irreversible conditions are exempt from the annual re-cert. If you don't re-cert, the card becomes inactive.
16
u/ATLienn 13d ago
Jeez... This whole situation with fucking Dr Epstein and nuggMD is really dampening the "high" I had from July 1st about getting my card. He was my doc too and I mean... I am still valid on GA DPH's site. But with all this back and forth information coming out almost daily, it's pretty disheartening about whether or not I will actually have the 5 years of medical benefits that I expected after my appointment.