The New Intimacy

Transitioning Without Insurance?

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Contributor: MasonM MasonM
Has anyone else had experience with transitioning despite having no health insurance?

I'm currently using 50mg of DHEA a day, plus doing exercises that are meant to decrease breast size and increase muscle mass. I'm also trying to find ways to somehow afford breast reduction surgery (I'm 46J and would need it even if I weren't a transgender) without insurance.

Does anyone else have thoughts or experiences to share on the matter?
03/22/2012
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Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
I've seen shows about transitioning which stated the costs...WOW it's expensive.

Good luck!
03/22/2012
Contributor: lukas24 lukas24
There's a post in the Trans Tumblr Invasion thread that has a link for transitioning cheaply. Sometimes companies will help you to get testosterone for free if you don't have insurance. Check it out!
03/22/2012
Contributor: butts butts
If you live in the USA, check the link near the bottom of this post link (the one mentioned by Lukas24), it's about free T for those of low income with no insurance. I mean, the whole post is meant for low income transguys haha.

Personally I go to a therapist with a sliding scale, she takes insurance but I don't have any. She recommended me to a pharmacy where I can get T on a sliding scale too. And top surgery wise, you can set up payment plans, research which hospitals have sliding scales and low income programs in your area. I'm from Seattle, there's LOTS here.
03/22/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
I don't know how much this will help you, but it was recently approved by the U.S. government that any and all expenses incurred during transition that are medically necessary are tax deductable.
03/23/2012
Contributor: Lock Lock
Yes, I do. I just have to pay out of pocket. I use a compounding pharmacy for my prescription and it saves about 2/3 of the price. I pay my therapist out of pocket and have only gone when I absolutely needed to go. I pay my endo out of pocket and only go when absolutely necessary (once a year) and I skip almost all the testing and only get T levels checked. It's not ideal, but it's what I have to work with.
03/23/2012
Contributor: MasonM MasonM
Quote:
Originally posted by MasonM
Has anyone else had experience with transitioning despite having no health insurance?

I'm currently using 50mg of DHEA a day, plus doing exercises that are meant to decrease breast size and increase muscle mass. I'm also trying to ... more
Thank you all for the suggestions, links and ideas. Hopefully I'll be able to make more use of these soon.
03/23/2012
Contributor: jesseftm jesseftm
I have insurance, but the clinic I go to (Dimensions) also accepts patients without insurance, though I think you have to be SF residents. I don't know if that's helpful at all to you, and I don't know what kind of out of pocket costs come with it, but if you're in an area with queer/gay/trans clinics it'd be worth looking into
03/23/2012
Contributor: TheParrishism TheParrishism
I think it makes a bit of a difference on where you live what kind of resources are available to you.
03/24/2012
Contributor: Chirple Chirple
For me, the only thing insurance touches is doctor visits and may cover testosterone to a degree. But every time I try to verify something, it turns out the information I had was out of date.

When I didn't have insurance, there were therapists with sliding-scales I could have gone to. If I went 50% as often, the cost would have been the same.

I'm not sure how psychiatrist / MD / other visits stack up along with labs and such. I know it was pretty horrible to just go to an Urgent Care type place when I didn't have it.

With insurance, they often strictly regulate breast reduction - so it's a crapshot if they'll cover what you WANT. My insurance won't be covering top surgery as far as I know, so I'm trying to put away money on my own, but when it comes closer and having some money put away, I might look into what EXACTLY I can get from their breast reduction coverage - if it would cover mastectomy (since I know they require a certain weight - but I don't know if they care about the end results).



Do you know if there are any local / county / other type healthcare plans around you ? I know we have such a thing, and I wish I'd known back when I didn't have health insurance at all. Look into it, see what they cover.
03/28/2012
Contributor: MasonM MasonM
Quote:
Originally posted by Chirple
For me, the only thing insurance touches is doctor visits and may cover testosterone to a degree. But every time I try to verify something, it turns out the information I had was out of date.

When I didn't have insurance, there were ... more
I don't live in a particularly accepting area (Oklahoma). I know there are other transexuals here in town (a friend of mine mentioned a friend of his that is one) so maybe I can get in touch with them for help or ideas.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.
03/29/2012