Thursday, November 19, 2009
More nuggets on Montana Pain Management
Posted by Matthew Frank on Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 10:55 AM
A story in this week’s issue of the Independent looks at Montana Pain Management (MPM), a medical marijuana clinic on Third Street with some 350 patients run by Rick Rosio. Clearly there’s a lot more to the story as the state feels its way around the nascent medical marijuana law—and there’s more to Rosio’s story, too.
A few of Rosio’s former employees make claims against Rosio's business practices, but none could be substantiated by the Indy. We do know that two former employees are now opening their own storefront clinic, Zoo Mountain Natural Care, at the corner of Orange and Front streets.
One of their charges—and something questioned by state medical marijuana advocates in our story—is that Rosio is driven more by turning a profit than ensuring his patients have safe access to their allotted six marijuana plants. A 2008 civil case in Park County may give credence to their claim. The case involved Rosio and his former business partner Dave Minnick (who couldn’t be reached for comment) and resulted in the two dissolving their Livingston-based business Caregivers Montana LLC. From a report in the Livingston Enterprise:
"Richard (Rosio) thinks there is a lot of money in this business," Minnick testified, "but there isn't."Minnick's lawyer, Kevin Brown, asked Minnick, "Why?"
"Montana is a land of poverty," Minnick said. "We don't make a lot of money here in general. The patients have even less income, and have to pay as they can afford to."
As Rosio tell us, “You can’t have a mission without a margin.” But he says that margin is slight.
“We’re not making a ton of money, dude," he says. "I pay my bills, make sure my employees get paid, and make sure there’s medication for our patients, and that’s what it’s about. And I welcome, and I will work hand-in-hand and cooperate in, any type of effort to make this better for the people we serve. One hundred percent. I want you always to know that.”
Rosio says no patient has ever left MPM because they don’t have enough money for medicine.
MPM included, four medical marijuana businesses have applied for licenses in Missoula.
“We’re looking at rewriting our licensing ordinance to include this type of business and to better define it,” says Scott Paasch of the Missoula Finance Department.
The city appears to be adjusting to the new law, and Rosio thinks the public will follow.
“Two years from now you’ll be wondering what the controversy was,” he says.
But in the meantime, there are sure to be many more legal ambiguities to iron out. One is the issue of mailing medical marijuana. It’s not illegal under the state law, but it does violate carriers’ rules. Sources say they’ve seen caregivers mailing marijuana at FedEx in downtown Missoula. FedEx Office spokesperson Jenny Robertson tells us that while she can’t confirm incidents in Missoula, “We have had costumers request to ship it [in Montana], and we’ve had to turn them down.”
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How many of Ricks patients are willing to risk being arrested for his pushing the limits of the law. Rick has 4 attorneys how many poor patients can afford an attorney?
Why is the Independent allowing this man to defend himself? Ask around the entire state- anyone having interactions over a period of time with Rick would tell you he is not as he initially appears. Now even more people will become his prey. SAD SAD SAD Hopefully not too many people will lose money and go without quality, affordable medicine because of his 'business'- Get out of Missoula, RICK- we don't want you here! You are breaking the law! patients and legitimate caregivers will unduly suffer for your greed.
Read this quick folks, the Indy will surely delete this comment, too-
The Indy isn't deleting comments because it is defending the man. It's deleting your comments because you are making defaming comments you can't back up and it has no way to hold you accountable to them.
And honestly, if he is a bad caregiver, are people really suffering? I can now count about a dozen referrals to caregivers you can get around town if you don't like the one that is serving you. All it takes is to submit a free form to the state designating a different person as your caregiver. So if he is really "preying" on people, they can take their business elsewhere. One nice thing about capitalism (not that most lefties would ever let it happen anywhere else, say health care...) is that it forces better service and standards and eliminates the businesses that don't serve their clients well. If Rick is really running such a horrible shop, I'm sure the other 3 clinics mentioned or his former employees will gladly take his former patients, and he'll go out of business.
As a former patient of Ricks, I find his practices to be very wrong. That is why I switched caregivers to Logan with Zoo Mountain Natural Care last month. Logan has been able to make medicine more affordable for me by providing ounces for no more than $225.00. Tadams definitly has a good point in the comment below about how patients can go elsewhere, "there are many caregivers to choose from!"
I agree that MPM is a terrible clinic, they over charge their clients and their medication is mediocre at best. I switched to Big Sky Health and have never been disappointed! I think that MM patients need to be more selective in choosing their care givers and also realize that they can change their care giver at any time! My advice is check out all the caregivers in Missoula and pick the one that best fits your needs! Don't settle for second best! You don't have to! I was a patient at MPM and got charged $75.00 for an eighth or mid quality medication. Like I said I switched to Big Sky Health on the corner of Reserve and Mount!
Clearly there is enough going around to start stabilizing and leveling out the patient to house ratio. If people want to change to a med. house that is more conducive for them that's the only way the medical system has ever known how to operate. Being petty and back stabbing about it all hurts the entire industry children.... People who think this is about sides clearly have a problem other than what's going on here.
I do not know this Rick person personally I do know charging 350 dollars an once for most patients is far to much. This guy is not giving the patient much of a break on price. At the 350 an once gee that is a whole 50 dollar savings from street prices.
While people squabble to hold on to their petty personal positions, Rick is developing free hospice care. Could you imagine if you were on hospice and heard the people complaining and affecting your dignity in the end simply because of their own personal greed?
PEOPLE NEED TO FIND OUT HOW RICK ROSIO GETS THE MONEY TO SUPPOSEDLY GIVE FREE HOSPICE CARE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THIS FREE HOSPICE. FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCES DEALING WITH RICK ROSIO, NOTHING WAS EVER FREE!
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