Florida medical marijuana evaluation for Apollo Beach via Ascend Mind and Body: in-person Compassionate Use Registry evaluation at our Tampa-Carrollwood office (3971 Moran Road, Suite 101, Tampa, FL 33618) for Apollo Beach-area adults with qualifying medical conditions under Florida statute. Conducted by a board-certified family medicine physician with a real workup, not a fifteen-minute mill visit. Dr. Jason Saylor, DO is the qualifying physician. [NEEDED: Saylor MMU registry status confirmation - Florida Office of Medical Marijuana Use qualifying-physician registration verified] Call (813) 670-3331 or book online.
What the Florida medical marijuana evaluation covers
Florida law (Section 381.986, Florida Statutes) authorizes physicians registered as qualifying physicians with the state's Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) to recommend medical cannabis for adults with specific qualifying conditions. The recommendation enters the Compassionate Use Registry; from there, the patient applies for a state-issued ID card through the OMMU and can purchase from licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers in Florida. The physician's role is the clinical evaluation and the entry into the registry - not the dispensary, not the product selection.
Our evaluation is more than a checkbox. We review your medical history, current medications, prior treatments, and how the qualifying condition has been managed up to now. We discuss what's been studied for cannabis in your condition (the evidence base varies a lot - PTSD has different research support than chronic pain, for example), the FDA's regulatory position (medical cannabis is not FDA-approved for any condition), drug interactions to know about, and the state ID-card process. We also discuss alternatives that might be appropriate alongside or instead. The certification is a clinical decision, not a transaction.
Florida's qualifying conditions
Florida statute lists specific qualifying medical conditions, including (at the time of this writing): cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, medical conditions of the same kind or class as those listed, terminal conditions diagnosed by a physician other than the qualifying physician, and chronic nonmalignant pain caused by or originating from a qualifying medical condition. The list can change as Florida law evolves; we confirm eligibility at your evaluation based on current statute. [NEEDED: cite - Florida Statute §381.986; current OMMU rules]
How it works
Step one: the evaluation
Your in-person evaluation takes 30 to 45 minutes at our Tampa-Carrollwood office. Apollo Beach-area patients drive about 35 minutes via US-41 or I-75 north. You will bring records documenting your qualifying condition (specialist notes, imaging reports, prior medication trials, related diagnoses). We review symptoms, treatment history, current medications, and what you are hoping cannabis might help with. We discuss what the actual research says for your condition, what risks and side effects to know, and what to expect from the state ID-card process. If clinically appropriate, the recommendation is entered into the Compassionate Use Registry that same visit.
Step two: the state ID card
After your registry entry, you complete the patient application through the Florida Office of Medical Marijuana Use website. The state fee is paid separately to OMMU (not to us). Processing typically takes a few weeks. Once your ID card is issued, you can visit any licensed Florida Medical Marijuana Treatment Center.
Step three: follow-up
Florida law requires ongoing physician evaluation to maintain the registry recommendation. Most patients need a follow-up visit at the state-required interval (currently 210 days, subject to statutory change - we confirm at your evaluation). Many follow-up visits are appropriate via telehealth in Florida, which means Apollo Beach-area patients often only need to make the 35-minute drive once for the initial certification. We coordinate with your other providers when cannabis affects medication management for other conditions.
Who we work with in Apollo Beach & nearby
Apollo Beach (33572), and the surrounding Hillsborough County corridor including Sun City Center (33573), Ruskin (33570), Riverview (33578, 33579), Brandon (33510, 33511), Wimauma (33598).
Conditions where evaluation is most often appropriate
- Chronic nonmalignant pain - when caused by or originating from a qualifying medical condition under Florida statute; we coordinate with non-cannabis pain management work
- PTSD - documented diagnosis required; we coordinate with our talk therapy team and psychiatric program when both are appropriate
- Cancer-related symptoms - nausea, appetite, pain (coordinated with oncology)
- Crohn's disease and inflammatory bowel disease - symptom management coordinated with gastroenterology
- Multiple sclerosis - spasticity and pain coordinated with neurology
- Parkinson's disease - symptom management coordinated with neurology
- Other qualifying conditions per Florida statute
Our physician
Dr. Jason Saylor, DO is a board-certified osteopathic family medicine physician with 17 years of clinical experience, serving as Chief Medical Officer at Ascend. His clinical scope explicitly includes chronic disease management, chronic pain, and preventive medicine. [NEEDED: Saylor MMU registry status confirmation - verify Florida Office of Medical Marijuana Use qualifying-physician registration is active] Dr. Saylor sees Apollo Beach-area patients in person at the Tampa-Carrollwood office.
Insurance & pricing
Most insurance plans do not cover medical marijuana evaluations because cannabis remains a federally controlled Schedule I substance. The clinical visit itself is typically self-pay. We can sometimes bill insurance for the underlying chronic disease management visit (for example, a chronic pain or PTSD evaluation) when that's the appropriate clinical scope, separately from the certification.
[NEEDED: medical marijuana evaluation self-pay rate confirmation - initial certification, follow-up, and renewal pricing per CMO/billing review]
Florida ID card application fees are paid separately to the OMMU. Those fees are not part of our clinical visit fee.
Also see our nearby options
- Medical marijuana in Brandon
- Medical marijuana in Riverview
- Medical marijuana in Tampa
- Medical marijuana program pillar: full program detail
- Chronic pain: comprehensive evaluation and non-cannabis options
- PTSD: full evaluation and treatment options
- Psychiatry: medication management and diagnostic clarity
- Tampa-Carrollwood office: full office detail
FAQs about medical marijuana evaluation in Apollo Beach
What are Florida's qualifying conditions?
Florida law lists specific qualifying conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, PTSD, ALS, Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, medical conditions of the same kind or class, terminal conditions, and chronic nonmalignant pain caused by or originating from a qualifying medical condition. The list can change as state law evolves; we confirm eligibility at your evaluation based on current statute.
Where is the Apollo Beach evaluation done?
The initial Compassionate Use Registry evaluation is done in-person per Florida law at our Tampa-Carrollwood office (3971 Moran Road, Suite 101, Tampa, FL 33618), about 35 minutes from Apollo Beach via US-41 or I-75 north. Follow-up visits can often be done via telehealth.
How much does it cost?
[NEEDED: rate confirmation] Florida ID card application fees are paid separately to the state's Office of Medical Marijuana Use; those are not part of the clinical visit fee.
Is the evaluation covered by insurance?
Most insurance plans do not cover medical marijuana evaluations. The clinical visit is typically self-pay. We can sometimes bill insurance for the underlying chronic disease management visit when that's the appropriate clinical scope.
How long does the state ID card take?
After we enter the recommendation in the Compassionate Use Registry, you submit the patient application through the OMMU website with the state fee. Processing time varies, typically a few weeks. Once issued, the card is valid for the period set by current state rule.
Can I do the evaluation via telehealth?
Initial certification visits are required to be in-person under current Florida law. Follow-up visits can often be telehealth, which means Apollo Beach-area patients usually only make the 35-minute drive once.
What if I don't have a qualifying condition?
We won't recommend cannabis when the qualifying condition isn't documented or doesn't meet statute. We're a family medicine practice, not a mill - the certification is a clinical decision. If your situation doesn't fit the qualifying criteria, we'll be straightforward about that and discuss other options.
Medical cannabis is regulated under Florida Statute §381.986 and is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of any condition. The clinical evidence varies substantially by condition. Side effects and drug interactions exist and are discussed during evaluation. Cannabis remains a federally controlled Schedule I substance. This page is informational and does not substitute for a clinical visit. [NEEDED: cite - Florida Statute §381.986; current OMMU rules]