TSTR wrote:Quick question for you ladies—you don't have to answer if you don't want to—are any of your treatments/procedures covered under your health insurance (if you have it)? I'm curious as to how insurance companies look at the process.
I can't speak for others, but while insurance will cover a lot of it, most trans healthcare is still seen as cosmetic or non-essential and thus not covered. Seeing a therapist to get a diagnosis/referral to an endocrinologist is covered. If you have the referral, seeing an endo is covered. Mine was able to get one of my two meds covered by insurance (one is an anti-androgen that also is used for blood pressure and potassium deficiency, the other is straight estrogen which insurance companies typically won't cover because all they see are "estrogen" and "male"). Any bloodwork is covered partially.
As for the operation, haven't looked into that yet so I don't know if I'll be covered or not. But again its one of those things that insurance companies often see as cosmetic. Some will cover partially, I know at least one IRL friend who is getting hers covered in entirety. So yeah, it varies.
MrPopo wrote:The life lesson here is jobs will come and go, but Earthbound will always be there for you.
TSTR wrote:Quick question for you ladies—you don't have to answer if you don't want to—are any of your treatments/procedures covered under your health insurance (if you have it)? I'm curious as to how insurance companies look at the process.
It depends on the carrier, from what I understand. I haven't started HRT yet, so I don't know for my situation, but as Amish said, it often has to be put into disparate categories to get covered. It's a loophole, but it works.
Vaginoplasty is faaaaarrrrrr more expensive, though. From what I understand, that can range around 25-30 grand, and I don't think you can get it covered, save for a few rare instances I have heard through hearsay. It's why many trans women choose not to have it.
Of course, this is also not including things insurance would never cover like electrolysis/laser hair removal, and things they can't cover like name change (about $500 in Florida), info change with social security, new driver's license, and so on.
MrPopo wrote:The life lesson here is jobs will come and go, but Earthbound will always be there for you.
TSTR wrote:Quick question for you ladies—you don't have to answer if you don't want to—are any of your treatments/procedures covered under your health insurance (if you have it)? I'm curious as to how insurance companies look at the process.
It depends on the carrier, from what I understand. I haven't started HRT yet, so I don't know for my situation, but as Amish said, it often has to be put into disparate categories to get covered. It's a loophole, but it works.
Vaginoplasty is faaaaarrrrrr more expensive, though. From what I understand, that can range around 25-30 grand, and I don't think you can get it covered, save for a few rare instances I have heard through hearsay. It's why many trans women choose not to have it.
I know the state of Minnesota used to, not sure if we still do, cover the vaginoplasty (guess who learned a new word today?) if you pass some kind of screening process. I have no idea what all the screening process covers though.
flex wood wrote:
I know the state of Minnesota used to, not sure if we still do, cover the vaginoplasty (guess who learned a new word today?) if you pass some kind of screening process. I have no idea what all the screening process covers though.
The 'screening process' is likely typical gatekeepnig "are you sure? are you really really sure? are you really really really really really sure? We'll let someone attach frankenstein bolts to their neck no questions asked but you weirdos we gotta make sure about. Bring me multiple referrals from different doctors and therapists telling me how sure you are."
Thank you very much for the responses, and being willing to be open about the process. I had figured most of it would be deemed elective, but I'm glad to see there are loopholes for at least certain things with some carriers. It's a shame that any of the medical aspects can be considered elective at all though, especially since gender dysphoria is classified in both the ICD and the DSM. Maybe one day.
@Apple — No worries, only share what you feel comfortable with.
@flex — As Apple mentioned, I remember hearing about the screening process for reassignment surgery involving being on hormone therapy and "living as" your gender for a certain time period (a year or more) before even becoming eligible for consideration. Of course this is about as far as I know re: specifics. I also think this sort of "gatekeeping" is ridiculous—although decisions to undergo surgery should never be taken lightly, regardless of the procedure.
flex wood wrote:
I know the state of Minnesota used to, not sure if we still do, cover the vaginoplasty (guess who learned a new word today?) if you pass some kind of screening process. I have no idea what all the screening process covers though.
The 'screening process' is likely typical gatekeepnig "are you sure? are you really really sure? are you really really really really really sure? We'll let someone attach frankenstein bolts to their neck no questions asked but you weirdos we gotta make sure about. Bring me multiple referrals from different doctors and therapists telling me how sure you are."
I don't like gatekeeping.
That's the best description of gatekeeping that I've ever heard.
TSTR wrote:@flex — As Apple mentioned, I remember hearing about the screening process for reassignment surgery involving being on hormone therapy and "living as" your gender for a certain time period (a year or more) before even becoming eligible for consideration. Of course this is about as far as I know re: specifics. I also think this sort of "gatekeeping" is ridiculous—although decisions to undergo surgery should never be taken lightly, regardless of the procedure.
Apparently, as little as 2-3 decades ago in most places in the USA, the process to even start hormones was that you ALREADY had to be full-time and passing (by a doctor's interpretation) for two whole years. I'm glad we don't have to deal with that anymore.
AppleQueso wrote:The 'screening process' is likely typical gatekeepnig "are you sure? are you really really sure? are you really really really really really sure? We'll let someone attach frankenstein bolts to their neck no questions asked but you weirdos we gotta make sure about. Bring me multiple referrals from different doctors and therapists telling me how sure you are."
I don't like gatekeeping.
But getting bolts put on your neck is going to be out of pocket and not COMPLETELY covered by tax payers. I'd say there has be some gate keeping on an expensive procedure that is going to be paid for with public money. I'm sure most of the "gate keeping" is to cover some asses so people don't start getting lawsuit happy or aren't going to be happy with the final result.
Here's the thing, even when it's *not* covered by public money, even when you're paying it completely out of pocket, those gate-keeping standards are still in place.
Even stuff like breast augmentation is gated if you're trans. Whether you're paying it out of pocket or not.
Last edited by AppleQueso on Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
