I am starting to get nuts!

[Linde]

My genital dysphoria is growing by the minute.  If anything, the orchi really brought it out!  I am in need of SRS very urgently, and my therapist is in full agreement with this and is willing to write as many letters as required!
My problem is to find a surgeon who will accept my insurance!
The insurance company is no help whatsoever, they give me all kinds of names of plastic surgeons because they have no listing of surgeons who do SRS.
would any of you know a surgeon who will except Humana PPO?  I don't care where in the US, I just can hopp into my motorhome and take my hotel with me.  I just need to find a surgeon who is doing the bottom stuff, and will take my insurance!
I am retired and have no means to pay that out of my pocket!

[Dena]

Probably as they don't have a surgeon in the system (something I would expect from a PPO), you need to go back to them and find out what their out of the system procedure is and how much will be covered. Most surgeons will accept any insurance if they know the coverage is sufficient. The problem with PPOs is that unless special arrangements are made, a PPO probably isn't going to pay out of the system so you need to nail down the exception.

[KathyLauren]

Please tell me that the ironic pun in the title was intentional! 

I wish you success in finding a surgeon.

[Linde]

Please tell me that the ironic pun in the title was intentional! 

I wish you success in finding a surgeon.

To be honest, originally it was not, but as I opened it a little while ago, I realized this, too.  I am good as a micro sized satiric, aren't I?

Thank you for your wishes!

[Linde]

Probably as they don't have a surgeon in the system (something I would expect from a PPO), you need to go back to them and find out what their out of the system procedure is and how much will be covered. Most surgeons will accept any insurance if they know the coverage is sufficient. The problem with PPOs is that unless special arrangements are made, a PPO probably isn't going to pay out of the system so you need to nail down the exception.

Thanks, I found out that a doc could contact their Clinical Intakes Team and ask for becoming an in system provider.
Now I have to contact every surgeon who does bottom surgery and ask them this! 
This is another clear sign that the US health insurance system sucks to the nth degree!

[Dena]

The medical system isn't that bad but the problem is PPOs. They are low cost but they do it at the expense of selection of medical care. My job had one of those and I found it useless for any of my trans medical care so I continued to pay it out of pocket. It's great for a family that stays at home and just needs routine care but not for much else.

You will have to explore out of system care because the doctors aren't likely to join a PPO for your surgical care. It doesn't pay enough and they need to accept everybody that comes along. If it was a good deal for them, they would have joined a long time ago. I know there was no way I could get my doctors to join one and I suspect you will have the same problem.

[CynthiaAnn]

Hi ya,

  I will share a little of my experiences with PPO - Dr Bowers was "in plan" for my PPO at work, that part was good, her fee, the labs, the anesthesiologists fee all were taken care of, but where the system failed (I've heard others have this issue), was the negotiations for the ambulatory care (3 days in the hospital). The hospital billed outrageous numbers, only to have PPO reject the claim. Sticking me the patient in between this mess. Long story short it took months to get my PPO to negotiate with the hospital and finally come to a "reasonable" payment of less than half the original billed amount. Just a heads up, even if you get the Dr's to accept your insurance, the hospital billing can be "gotcha" waiting to happen.

Hope you find the care you need at a reasonable price....

Take care

C -

[Linde]

The medical system isn't that bad but the problem is PPOs. They are low cost but they do it at the expense of selection of medical care. My job had one of those and I found it useless for any of my trans medical care so I continued to pay it out of pocket. It's great for a family that stays at home and just needs routine care but not for much else.

You will have to explore out of system care because the doctors aren't likely to join a PPO for your surgical care. It doesn't pay enough and they need to accept everybody that comes along. If it was a good deal for them, they would have joined a long time ago. I know there was no way I could get my doctors to join one and I suspect you will have the same problem.

Well, the problem is being on Medicare and living in Florida.  I had a nice Advantage Plan up north, and every facility there was excited to take it.  But they don't do business in Florida, and my insurance broker got me into this thing!

I really don't want to wait until next year with the selection of a new insurance to get this SRS started, because dysphoria wise I need it tomorrow!

I am writing to all of those docs I know, it they would accept me as a special case.

[Linde]

Hi ya,

  I will share a little of my experiences with PPO - Dr Bowers was "in plan" for my PPO at work, that part was good, her fee, the labs, the anesthesiologists fee all were taken care of, but where the system failed (I've heard others have this issue), was the negotiations for the ambulatory care (3 days in the hospital). The hospital billed outrageous numbers, only to have PPO reject the claim. Sticking me the patient in between this mess. Long story short it took months to get my PPO to negotiate with the hospital and finally come to a "reasonable" payment of less than half the original billed amount. Just a heads up, even if you get the Dr's to accept your insurance, the hospital billing can be "gotcha" waiting to happen.

Hope you find the care you need at a reasonable price....

Take care

C -

Tanks, I am willing to fight (I am actually a pretty mean fighter in those things). Can you provide me with the contact information of Dr. Bowers?  He/she might be in plan, with Humana, too, or might be willing to join them.

[CynthiaAnn]

Tanks, I am willing to fight (I am actually a pretty mean fighter in those things). Can you provide me with the contact information of Dr. Bowers?  He/she might be in plan, with Humana, too, or might be willing to join them.

Oh sure Dr Marci Bowers is a great surgeon, I am one of her happy patients, just she has a long waiting list is the only downside. I waited 18 months myself.

Here is her contact web page....

http://marcibowers.com/contact-us/

Cynthia -

[Linde]

Oh sure Dr Marci Bowers is a great surgeon, I am one of her happy patients, just she has a long waiting list is the only downside. I waited 18 months myself.

Here is her contact web page....

http://marcibowers.com/contact-us/

Cynthia -

Thanks a million!  She may take me in fast once she sees my friendly face, who knows?

Just did shoot a message off to her!

[Rachel]

Hi, you can get a spot with Dr. Bowers and ask to be on a first open spot from a cancellation.

You should start genital electrolysis ASAP.

Dr. Bowers is a fantastic surgeon and you can cut the wait time substantially by being on a cancellation list. Since you are retired this can work in your favor.

[NatalieRene]

Best of luck on getting this taken care of.

[Linde]

Hi, you can get a spot with Dr. Bowers and ask to be on a first open spot from a cancellation.

You should start genital electrolysis ASAP.

Dr. Bowers is a fantastic surgeon and you can cut the wait time substantially by being on a cancellation list. Since you are retired this can work in your favor.

I have an email in to her already!  I do not need much, I never had more hair down there than between Tanner II and Tanner III (Probably more towards II), and because I want limited depth only, I might not need any electrolysis at all.
I was this mostly hairless person all of my life, only the hair on my head is growing very well!

[Linde]

Best of luck on getting this taken care of.

Thank you.  At our meeting today I got an address for a surgeon in Miami.  That would be tops, because that is only 2.5 hours to drive.

[Gail20]

Look up Dr Bluebond-Langner at NYU.  NYU is a phenomenal Hospital and she is a top GCS surgeon. They take virtually every insurance. . .

[Linde]

Look up Dr Bluebond-Langner at NYU.  NYU is a phenomenal Hospital and she is a top GCS surgeon. They take virtually every insurance. . .

Thanks! She seems to take my insurance!  I need to double check that with them!
Thanks a million!

[NatalieRene]

I have an email in to her already!  I do not need much, I never had more hair down there than between Tanner II and Tanner III (Probably more towards II), and because I want limited depth only, I might not need any electrolysis at all.
I was this mostly hairless person all of my life, only the hair on my head is growing very well!

Why not go for full depth? Even if you're not interested in guys I can say that the toys are amazing.

[Linde]

Why not go for full depth? Even if you're not interested in guys I can say that the toys are amazing.

I don't have any libido left, and am not interested in toys.  I thought I would be after the orchi, and no spiro, so I invested some money for a toy.  It was wasted money, and is just catching dust now!
The minimal depth is a less invasive surgery, and the complication rate is to be expected less and also less dramatic (I don't need to get a hole created in my abdomen).  All work is more or less surface/skin work, and the healing should also be faster and easier.  And I would not have to mess with the dilation for nothing but to keep an artificial hole in my abdomen open for nor real purpose.
If I would be younger and sexually active, I would go for the full show, but for me the return I would get out from it is if anything, extremely limited, and my risk analysis tells me, don't do it!

I just want this done to eliminate this stupid genital dysphoria which is troubling me pretty badly!

[DawnOday]

I am in the same boat. Sexual interest has been on the wane for a good part of twenty years. Health problems keep me from the surgery table. Mom used to dress me in sisters clothes. I wonder if time were different maybe she would have sought advice on getting me a sex change. I know she was concerned about my testicles not dropping until senior year. To me this is another DES clue.