How To Actually Start The Two-Hat Practice
Part 10 · Getting StartedTwo-Hat Provider Guide · Part 10 of The previous nine parts of this guide cover the legal framework, the operational separation, the financial picture, and the practical considerations of the two-hat model. This final part is the concrete path from “I am considering this” to “I am seeing my first cannabis […]
Solo Provider Vs. Group Practice Realities
Part 09 · Practice StructureTwo-Hat Provider Guide · Part of 10 The two-hat model can be operated by solo providers or within group practice structures. Each setting has real advantages and real constraints. Providers entering the model benefit from understanding which structure fits their situation before they invest in setup that may not match the […]
State-By-State: Where The Model Works
Part 08 · Geographic FeasibilityTwo-Hat Provider Guide · Part of 10 The two-hat model’s feasibility depends heavily on the state where the provider practices. Federal VA Community Care credentialing operates the same way nationwide, but state cannabis programs vary enormously — in what they authorize, who can participate, what evaluations look like, and what restrictions […]
Malpractice And Liability For The Two-Hat Practice
Malpractice coverage is one of the practical concerns that most often slows providers’ movement into the two-hat model. The concern is reasonable. Cannabis evaluation work is not yet covered by all standard medical malpractice carriers, and the coverage that does exist varies in scope and quality. Understanding the landscape lets providers structure their coverage correctly […]
Talking To Veteran Patients About Cannabis
Part 06 · Patient CommunicationTwo-Hat Provider Guide · Part 06 of 10 The patient-facing conversations in the two-hat model are where the model becomes real or where it falls apart. The legal framework, the credentialing, the operational separation — all of it is invisible to the veteran sitting in front of you. What they experience […]
The Economics: Two Practices, Two Revenue Streams
Part 05 · Financial RealityTwo-Hat Provider Guide · Part 05 of 10 The Economics: Two Practices, Two Revenue Streams Providers considering the two-hat model deserve an honest economic picture. State medical cannabis practice is generally cash-pay; VA Community Care work pays through federal reimbursement at established rates. Together they create a financial structure with some […]
What “Kept Separate” Actually Looks Like
Part 04 · Operational RealityTwo-Hat Provider Guide · Part 04 of 10 “Kept separate” is the phrase that does the heavy lifting in the two-hat model. The legal protections of the model assume separation. The credentialing protections assume separation. The financial structure assumes separation. But “separate” is a word that means different things at different […]
Will This Affect My VA Credentialing Or DEA?
Part 03 · Provider ConcernsTwo-Hat Provider Guide · Part 03 of 10 Of all the concerns providers raise about the two-hat model, this is the one they raise first. The fear is reasonable, and it deserves an honest answer rather than a reassurance. Operated correctly, the two-hat model does not affect VA Community Care credentialing […]
Can A Doctor Legally Do This?
Part 02 · Legal FrameworkTwo-Hat Provider Guide · Part 02 of 10 The first question every clinician asks about the two-hat model is the legal one. Federal law lists cannabis as Schedule I. State law in 40 states authorizes medical cannabis programs that licensed clinicians actively practice within. How is that not a direct conflict […]
Why The Two-Hat Model Exists
Part 01 · For ProvidersTwo-Hat Provider Guide · Part 01 of 10 Veterans use cannabis. State programs in 40 states authorize the medical practice of cannabis. The VA itself, under VHA Directive 1315, encourages veterans to disclose cannabis use and protects them from any benefits consequence for doing so. But the same VA directive prohibits […]