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January 2023: Oregon Legislative Efforts

Compassionate Oregon takes lead in pushing Ryan’s Law, in Oregon’s 2023 legislature.

Compassionate Oregon begins push for “Ryan’s Law”, in Oregon’s 2023 legislature. Ryan’s Law or the Compassionte Access to Medical Cannabis Act, was recently signed into law by California’s Governor Newsom requiring California’s hospitals and certain licensed healthcare facilities to allow terminally-ill patients in hospice care to use medical cannabis for treatment of pain relief rather than opioids.

Critical in getting this legislatin adopted after first being vetoed by Governor Newsom in 2021, was communication with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) addressing the issue of hospitals and licensed healthcare facilities who receive certification and reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid patients. The CMS indicated that, to their knowledge, no facility had ever lost funding or were penalized for use of cannabis within its facility. Further, that CMS would not cite any facilities and that in their determination the risk of federal intervention is little to none. This affirmation that CMS funding is unlikey to be affected by the limited use of cannabis licensed facilities will be key to getting Ryan’s Law passed in other states and Compassionate Oregon is pleased to be part of the effort.

Compassionate Oregon will be working with others to develop a Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act that will meet our needs here. Oregonians who are part of the state’s medical cannabis program are already afforded the ability to designate a licensed healthcare facility as a secondary caregiver and administrative rules require the facility to designate an individual who will oversee those individuals who may be using cannabis.

We will also be encouraging those in the healthcare professions who support the use of cannabis by patients in their care to join our efforts in opening the door to these patients and in removing the barriers that prohibit access to cannabis.

Compassionate Oregon has long advocarted that those OMMP cardholders who are also members of the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) should be merged. The statement by the CMS will be essential in pushing forward with these efforts to remove the policy roadblock preventing Oregon Health Plan (OHP) doctors from signing forms for the 30% of Oregon Medical Marijuana Program patients who are also OHP recipients.

If you would like to join our efforts please contact us at [email protected]