Documenting Real-Life Experience

[JohnnyTruant]

My insurance company requires a GID diagnosis plus 3 months of "documented real-life experience" before they will cover hormone treatment. My insurance's listed policy online and in my benefits book does not explain what this looks like.

Has anyone else had to prove RLE to their insurance and if so, how did you do it?

[invisiblemonsters]

i didn't do it for insurance but it was required to have hormones/surgery covered by the government. what you basically have to do is show proof you are living as your intended gender, etc. so for school, have your professors write a note saying you're going by so and so or that you handed in papers and w/e that show you're going by so and so. name change documents. if you work, have your employer state that you go by that name. if you have a work ID and can show that with your chosen name, do that. it's just stuff proving you live your day to day life as a male.

[Darkness Approaching]

The letters of support could definitely help, but could also mean exposing your personal life to people at your job/school just to get them to understand why you'd need the letter.

I got mine done though insurance from my job, and they had the same criteria (consistent with WPATH standards of care). Basically, I proved RLE within the letter from my mental health professional which was also mandatory for my insurance to cover it. He just sort of documented how long I had been presenting as male (clothes/passing), and what I had people call me. Luckily for me, my nickname became my legal name during transition so it was more convincing in terms of how long I had been going by my male name.

Long story short, you should have to present enough information to your shrink for he/she to attest to your RLE in the mental health screening letter. It was the least invasive and most private way to prove myself (bleh). I even had pictures of me growing up just in case.

Best of luck

[Darkness Approaching]

P.S. it also works out since many mental health professionals prefer to be seeing you for at least three months before clearing you anyway (there's the 3 months of RLE). They want to make sure you're consistent about your decision and that you won't regret surgery/hormone treatment as some effects are irreversible.