Faqs on Medical Marijuana Card Service and Marijuana Dispensaries

Yes, The Green Alternative Doctor is accepting new mmp patients, transfer mmp patients, and re-certification mmp patients. For safety and convenience, The Green Alternative Doctor is seeing new and existing mmp patients via telemedicine and telehealth appointments. We do have staggered office appointments for new mmp evaluations that want to come to the office in person however they are limited and they fill fast. 

Now you can get Pre-Qualified for an mmp card for Free in the comfort of your home.

The Green Alternative Doctor has streamlined the mmp application process down to 3 easy steps.  Take 5 minutes and fill our our contact form. Our patient care specialists, Chante or Trista will reach out to you to review the required state documents and to process your mmp evaluation appointment with Dr.Fortino, 

Your final step is to pay a $50 in PA or $100 in NJ processing fee for the medical marijuana ID card. After receiving your mmp ID card, you can use it to purchase medical marijuana from an approved Department of Health medical marijuana dispensary or Alternative Treatment Center. You will need to schedule your first patient appointment at the dispensary. We suggest signing up for the newsletters at each dispensary so that you can view their weekly specials and inventory. 

Ask our team at The Green Alternative Doctor about telemedicine mmp evaluation appointments.

Proof of qualifying condition or letter of diagnosis, payment and the following:

Document 1 – Government issue photo identification

– Required -one of the following:
– Current digital license
– Current digital non-driver ID card 
– ID Card

Document 2 – Proof of current residency PA or NJ 

– Required (P.O. Boxes NOT Accepted) one of the following:
– Utility bill issued in the past 90 days that shows your name at your current address
– Utility Bills accepted: Gas-Electric-Water-Sewer-Cell Phone-Cable (Television/Internet/Phone)
– Any correspondence from IRS or State tax office within the last year.

Document 3 – Proof of government assistance PA or NJ patients 

-Required -one of the following:

– Medicaid

– Food Stamp Benefits
– Temporary Disability Insurance benefits
– Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit
– Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits

What is a bona fide physician-patient relationship?


A bona fide relationship is defined as: a relationship in which the physician has ongoing responsibility for the assessment, care and treatment of a patient’s debilitating medical condition whereby:


The physician-patient relationship has existed for at least one year; or
The physician has seen and/or assessed the patient for the debilitating medical condition on at least four visits; or
The physician assumes responsibility for providing management and care of the patient’s debilitating medical condition after conducting a comprehensive medical history and physical examination, including a personal review of the patient’s medical record maintained by other treating physicians reflecting the patient’s reaction and response to conventional medical therapies.

Medicinal marijuana in Pennsylvania and New Jersey requires a physician’s authorization, much like other medications that are provided or prescribed by a doctor. Medical Marijuana can be prescribed for mmp certifications ranging from 90 days until one year depending. Our offices issue 90 day certifications and 365 day certifications medical marijuana certifications.  

Yes,

Anxiety is a qualifying condition for a medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the United States. Statistics reveal that nearly 18% of adults and approximately 8% of children and teenagers in the country are affected by anxiety. Experiencing some level of anxiety now and then is normal and healthy. However, when excessive fear, nervousness, or constant worrying (in non threatening situations) disrupts daily life and starts to interfere in your personal relationships, work life, and home life then it becomes a disability that requires medical attention or treatment.

For Pennsylvania residents: The PA Department of Health will email you for payment of your card immediately upon completion of your medical evaluation with The Green Alternative Doctor. Log in as a returning user with the username and password that you created when you registered. Usernames and passwords are case-sensitive. Click the  ‘Make Payment’ tab and follow the prompts to enter payment information. A confirmation will appear when you have successfully paid for the medical marijuana ID card. The fee for the patient or caregiver medical marijuana ID card is $50. Individuals who participate in the following government programs may qualify for a discounted medical marijuana ID card: Medicaid, PACE, PACENET, CHIP,  SNAP and WIC.

For New Jersey residents: Monitor your Email: Within 30 days, the New Jersey Department of Health will review your application and your supporting documents.  If approved, you will be required to pay the $100 state card registration fee or if you qualify, the reduced $20 state card registration fee. If you qualify under one of the following categories, you are eligible for the reduced fee of $20.00. Military Veterans, Senior Citizens 65+, SNAP, NJ Medicaid, NJ Temporary Disability Benefits, Medicare-under the age of 65, Social Security Disability (SSD) (SSI).

Approved applicants will be emailed instructions on how to make an online or e-payment to the State of New Jersey for their physical mmp card. You will need your Reference Number #.

Yes, MMP physicians have the ability to accept a registered patient who is currently under the responsibility of another MMP physician. The process is completed by the physician through the registry.Transferring mmp patients will need to show proof of their original qualifying condition and proper identification. You will need to contact the Department of Health to order a replacement mmp card. The Green Alternative Doctor  cannot replace the physical mmp card, only the state can issue the replacement mmp id card.

If a registered patient or registered primary caregiver becomes aware of the theft, loss or destruction of his or her registry ID card, he or she shall notify the MMP within 24 hours after the discovery of the occurrence of the theft, loss, or destruction. There is a small cost to replacing the registry ID card.

A patient certified for medicinal marijuana may elect to have a caregiver if needed. A caregiver can be used if a patient’s condition is too severe to the point where they cannot physically go to their alternative treatment center (ATC) by themselves. Patients may designate up to two caregivers.

A caregiver can purchase medicinal marijuana from an ATC without the patient’s presence.
Caregivers are chosen by the certified patient; usually a friend or family member. Caregivers can be added at any time during registration and must go through the same process as patients to receive a card.
Caregivers are required to submit fingerprints for a criminal background investigation. The fingerprinting forms will be available once the caregiver has begun the online registration.

There is a fee of $100 for a caregiver identification card, unless the caregiver is a senior citizen, military veteran, or receives certain forms of government assistance (see below). In the event any of those conditions are met, the reduced fee is $20. In addition, there is a fee to have your background check processed.

You may be eligible for medical marijuana if you have been diagnosed with one or more of the following severe debilitating or life-threatening conditions:

Anxiety, Autism, Opioid Use Disorder or Addiction, Crohn’s Disease, Glaucoma, Cancer, HIV infection or AIDS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Seizure Disorder, Spinal Cord Injury with Spasticity, Epilepsy, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Terminal Illness, Tourette Syndrome, Neuropathy, Huntington’s disease, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Migraines, Chronic Pain.

Chronic pain that degrades health and functional capability as an alternative to opioid use or substance use disorder. The severe debilitating or life-threatening condition must also be accompanied by one or more of the following associated or complicating conditions: cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, or severe or persistent muscle spasms, PTSD or opioid use disorder.

PA Qualifying Conditions and NJ Qualifying Conditions

You will receive your medical marijuana card in the mail after you make your electronic payment to the state. The state will email you directly after your mmp evaluation with our doctor, for payment of the physical card. It can take  two to four weeks to receive your card in the mail but most of our patients receive their card within seven business days of their appointment. 

While it’s difficult to gauge medical marijuana’s efficacy with limited research there are anecdotal reports of marijuana helping to reduce stress levels by creating a calming experience for people suffering from anxiety. Experts believe that cannabis interacts with receptors in the brain which has a positive impact on mental health.
The findings suggest that cannabis administered in the correct dosage is safe, well-tolerated and offers substantial benefits to people struggling with negative emotions like anxiety and excessive fear.

The compound known as cannabidiol (CBD) found in marijuana has the potential to treat and alleviate symptoms arising from multiple neuropsychiatric disorders.  It has been noted that CBD has several anti-anxiety properties that offset the adverse effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical to blame for the “high” in marijuana).  Usage of CBD products can diminish anxiety-related symptoms like panic, twitching muscles, pounding heart rate, panic, trembling, and body tension. It improves mental health by lessening stress, headaches, depression, and mood swings. Cannabis products in small doses relax the brain and reduce inhibitions during social events.

In many states now, chronic pain is a qualifying medical condition, allowing you to be treated by medical marijuana. One of the latest states to approve medical marijuana for the treatment of chronic pain is New York. Chronic pain is a qualifying condition in Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents.

A telemedicine appointment is just like a regular appointment. You will sit in front of a camera where you will be able to see yourself and your health care provider on the screen once your session begins. Virtual patient appointments are also called virtual visits or telehealth visits. You can use a cell phone, desk top, laptop, or ipad to log on to your telehealth appointment with Dr.Fortino.

Telemedicine is safe, secure, convenient, and efficient. Telemedicine and telehealth appointments allow our mmp patients to meet with our doctor in the comfort of their own home. Patients do not have to worry about directions, traffic, or parking their car with a telehealth appointments.

There is no additional cost for a telemedicine new patient appointment.  You will be billed for your telemedicine appointment the same as if you were seeing your health care provider in person.