Top Surgery Assistance

[okydoky]

Hey all!

I really hate doing something like this, but I really don't know what else to do. I would really like to try and get top surgery. However, living in Eastern Europe (Croatia to be exact) where no laws exist that regulate ANYTHING related to those who are transgendered, I have no option of getting this funded by my health insurance. In fact, there are NO surgeons in this country that could/would perform the surgery. Thus, my plan is to go to the neighbouring country of Slovenia and get surgery there. I'm hoping to find other trans/trans-friendly folks there (maybe even through couchsurfing) and stay with them during the procedure/recovery to cut down costs. In any event, the entire thing couldn't cost me any less than around $6000, so I'd need to get that much to do it.

I know most of you might not be able to give much, but hey, even if you can afford $1, $2 or $5 or something - that's great. Anything will help. There's really no supportive community here that could help me out or that I could organise an event for, so I'm turning to my online community. If you guys also know of other places (similar forums, groups, etc.) that might be willing to help out, feel free to post the link there on my behalf, as I really don't know all the online trans resources/communities that exist. Here's the link, any and all help is more than welcome Thanks for reading, guys (and gals).

Top Surgery Assistance

P.S. PayPal is used for the transfers, so it's definitely safe.

[NightWing]

Errr...

Good luck getting people here to help you.  Everyone is after the same thing, and it's expensive no matter where you get it.  It'd probably be better to save your pennies like everyone else has to.

[okydoky]

Yeah I know it's expensive everywhere, but I also read all the time that sometimes it's covered by insurance in north america and some parts of europe. I really don't have such an option at all - not even with a waiting list or something. First, because there aren't laws to regulate it, and second because there are no surgeons in my country that do these things. I AM saving every penny I can, but 99% of my pennies go towards bills and food. That's why I thought maybe other guys (mostly those who might be post-op and aren't saving for their own surgeries) might be in a place where they can spare a dollar or two for someone else. Is there any place (websites, forums, groups, etc.) where there is something like this? Kind of like those who are post-transition helping out those who are transitioning or something? In any event, thanks for reading.

[NightWing]

Actually, in the U.S., only some insurance companies cover top surgery.  A lot of guys just have to pay out of pocket.  I really do feel for you, bro, but I'm just sayin' that it isn't the best idea to ask for that here.  I unfortunately don't know where else you could turn though.  Sorry, but I do wish you luck!

[Dominick_81]

Someone on youtube told me about this site. He said a lot of guys use this site to raise money for top surgery. chipin.com

[okydoky]

Yeah, that is the site I used. But basically, nothing will happen if you don't actually ASK for donations. And since this is basically the only forum I'm posting in, I figured I'd ask here. Don't know what else I could do. I'd love to do a fundraising event like some have done - but a) there are no trans/trans-friendly people I know of that would be willing to come and b) I'm not even out to most people I know. If this doesn't work at all, I guess that just means it'll be years and years before I can afford surgery. I have no desire to get bottom surgery (not with the current options that are available), but top surgery is a MUST for me.

[Dominick_81]

That's true. I signed up for that site, but it wasn't what I thought so I didn't end up setting up any fundraiser thing on that site. I won't ask people for donations. I don't feel comfortable doing that.

If your planning on getting your surgery done in the states, some surgeon have financial options. It's like a credit card, but you pay for your surgery on this card and then you pay back a little( when I say little, it maybe be like $100 or more, it depends on how many months you have to pay it back and what the minimum payments are each month) at a time in so many months.

[Sean]

Yeah, that is the site I used. But basically, nothing will happen if you don't actually ASK for donations. And since this is basically the only forum I'm posting in, I figured I'd ask here. Don't know what else I could do. I'd love to do a fundraising event like some have done - but a) there are no trans/trans-friendly people I know of that would be willing to come and b) I'm not even out to most people I know. If this doesn't work at all, I guess that just means it'll be years and years before I can afford surgery. I have no desire to get bottom surgery (not with the current options that are available), but top surgery is a MUST for me.

In addition to the lack of tact in asking for money on a site where MOST people also need money and most people don't have surgeries paid for them, let me just add: you may feel that top surgery is a MUST, but the fact that you are not even out to most people you know is a bit of a red flag regarding the urgency here too.

[okydoky]

Geez, I try to go about things nicely and you come back so rudely.

a) based on my own research, it seemed like most guys in North America and most of Europe had other options, such as picking insurance companies that covered this, raising money through support groups/trans communities, being put on waiting lists for public health care coverage - various options NONE of which are available here. Excuse me if my research wasn't 100% accurate.

b) coming out to people I know could put me in life-danger, thus I don't plan to do that. This isn't exactly North America or liberal Europe. There simply AREN'T any out trans people here. What happens is often people move out, transition and don't really have much (if any) contact with the people they knew pre-transition. Or actually, more often, people don't even transition.

And finally, I wasn't saying "hey, you there, who has to pay for your own surgery but aren't financially in a place to do so - could you pitch in for mine?", I was saying if you CAN pitch in, great. If not, not a problem. This just seemed like a place full of nice folks and I thought, if nothing, I could get tips on WHERE I could find more help if not here. I really wasn't expecting anyone in a similar situation as me to do anything other than maybe give me positive suggestions - things they themselves are trying, not give me crap for trying the only thing I could come up with. And I figured, MAYBE if there are a few guys who work and either have top surgery covered by health care/insurance or have already got theirs, they'll be willing to help a guy out. I welcome all advice, but please, refrain from the attacks, that wasn't my intention.

[Elijah3291]

sorry you are feeling attacked, but asking other trans people for help with top surgery is kinda like being in a room full of starving people and asking them for food.  Its just unlikely.

and nah, hardly any insurance policies cover the surgery here.

Ever thought about throwing a benefit party? charge money to get in, provide music and food, maybe some sort of contest that people can pay to get in, and you can use the money to save up.  if you are worried about people being transphobic, just don't say where the money is going.  Thats what I was thinking about doing.

[okydoky]

Hmm...that sounds like a good idea, Elijah. Thanks a lot.

I'm just wondering - wouldn't I need to rent some sort of space for a party? Would that get too expensive (i.e. I wouldn't want to end up losing instead of raising money if not enough people show up)?

And, it sucks that most insurance policies don't cover the surgery. Do you not have an option of switching insurance companies to one that does cover it though? Here, there's basically only public health care, so the whole insurance company stuff is foreign to me and I'm not sure how it all works. I know one guy in Canada on youtube said that Canada's public health care covers it, but unfortunately the waiting lists are like 2-3 years And I know that some policies cover it in the US, but I didn't know how that works with regards to which policy you have - I thought you could just switch to whichever works best for you.

[tekla]

like being in a room full of starving people and asking them for food

Tell you what (and I know it from hard truth) it's the starving guy with a day old bagel that was thrown out who will share half if it with you, and not the rich guy in the car with a fresh dozen of them.

[Elijah3291]

Hmm...that sounds like a good idea, Elijah. Thanks a lot.

I'm just wondering - wouldn't I need to rent some sort of space for a party? Would that get too expensive (i.e. I wouldn't want to end up losing instead of raising money if not enough people show up)?

And, it sucks that most insurance policies don't cover the surgery. Do you not have an option of switching insurance companies to one that does cover it though? Here, there's basically only public health care, so the whole insurance company stuff is foreign to me and I'm not sure how it all works. I know one guy in Canada on youtube said that Canada's public health care covers it, but unfortunately the waiting lists are like 2-3 years And I know that some policies cover it in the US, but I didn't know how that works with regards to which policy you have - I thought you could just switch to whichever works best for you.

do it in some public place, like a park maybe, talk to the people who own the park and see if parties are allowed and how many people, music limit etc

and i dont think its that simple to just change insurance, plus its my dads insurance because I am a student

[okydoky]

Thanks again for the suggestion. I just may do that

And yeah, I'm sure even if you could change insurance, you couldn't ask your dad to do it just to have your surgery covered. Hmm... how do you get insurance in the first place? I.e. if let's say after finishing school, you find a job and need to get insurance - do you automatically get signed on to whatever that particular company where you work has, or do you PICK on your own at that time and then you're stuck with it, or is it some third thing that's not even coming up as a possibility in my head right now?

If it's the first thing, you'd basically have to "pick" jobs that have the appropriate insurance for you (and I'm sure that in today's market, you really have the option to be so picky with jobs - yeah, right), and if it's the second one, then you basically have to find one that works when you first take on your job (which isn't as bad for guys who will become employed in the future, and aren't already).

[wheat thins are delicious]

Hey all!

I really hate doing something like this, but I really don't know what else to do. I would really like to try and get top surgery. However, living in Eastern Europe (Croatia to be exact) where no laws exist that regulate ANYTHING related to those who are transgendered, I have no option of getting this funded by my health insurance. In fact, there are NO surgeons in this country that could/would perform the surgery. Thus, my plan is to go to the neighbouring country of Slovenia and get surgery there. I'm hoping to find other trans/trans-friendly folks there (maybe even through couchsurfing) and stay with them during the procedure/recovery to cut down costs. In any event, the entire thing couldn't cost me any less than around $6000, so I'd need to get that much to do it.

I know most of you might not be able to give much, but hey, even if you can afford $1, $2 or $5 or something - that's great. Anything will help. There's really no supportive community here that could help me out or that I could organise an event for, so I'm turning to my online community. If you guys also know of other places (similar forums, groups, etc.) that might be willing to help out, feel free to post the link there on my behalf, as I really don't know all the online trans resources/communities that exist. Here's the link, any and all help is more than welcome Thanks for reading, guys (and gals).

Top Surgery Assistance

P.S. PayPal is used for the transfers, so it's definitely safe.

A lot of us are in the same boat.  I have horrible dysphoria regarding my chest but I know it's expensive.  Instead of asking others, I'm just working extra hard and saving every penny possible to pay for my surgery.  You can do it.  Just buy only essentials needed for survival and you can save up enough money in a few years. 

[Bahzi]

And, it sucks that most insurance policies don't cover the surgery. Do you not have an option of switching insurance companies to one that does cover it though? Here, there's basically only public health care, so the whole insurance company stuff is foreign to me and I'm not sure how it all works. I know one guy in Canada on youtube said that Canada's public health care covers it, but unfortunately the waiting lists are like 2-3 years And I know that some policies cover it in the US, but I didn't know how that works with regards to which policy you have - I thought you could just switch to whichever works best for you.

Most people in the states have their insurance through an employer, so the employer picks the insurance company and plan- the only choice employees usually have with it is whether to subscribe to the basic plan or 'buy-up' option that has lower co-pays for doctor's office visits and prescriptions and lower deductibles.  Insurance through an employer still usually isn't cheap. Most people I know pay $100-200 or more per month(and the employer pays about that much too), but insurance is still far more expensive for individuals.  To get the coverage and deductibles/co-pays I have now with my company plan, I'd pay about $900 a month with my own, individual premium.  Also, pretty much any insurance you'd get by yourself here, the insurance company would never cover any SRS or GID treatment, or they'd deny you based on 'pre-existing condition'.  Our health care system is majorly screwed up here,  it's pretty much designed to turn a profit, but that's getting harder to do when the nation's very unhealthy.

[Elijah3291]

i'm not an expert on insurance but i'm pretty sure you just get what your work gives you.  for example, my dad didn't want the insurance company he has, but its what he got from work

[Michael Joseph]

I dont have any insurance, and where I live you get penalized for every month you dont have it, so I end up owing money for not having insurance to help. What Im doing is the same as most others, just saving up pennies, literally.. I pay all my bills first when i get my paycheck, then i buy gas and cigarettes and put a little money aside for coffee, and save the little that is left if any. I also have a big jar filled with change that I will use towards surgery when its full. Best of luck to you.

[wheat thins are delicious]

I dont have any insurance, and where I live you get penalized for every month you dont have it, so I end up owing money for not having insurance to help. What Im doing is the same as most others, just saving up pennies, literally.. I pay all my bills first when i get my paycheck, then i buy gas and cigarettes and put a little money aside for coffee, and save the little that is left if any. I also have a big jar filled with change that I will use towards surgery when its full. Best of luck to you.

wtf how can you end up owing money for not having insurance. 

[xAndrewx]

Sorry man, good luck with the funding. I'm saving cash just to have the money for testosterone. I haven't been able to get on my company's insurance yet (I'm too new) and once I do I don't think it will cover my testosterone and I know it won't cover my top surgery. Got my penny's saving in a bag maybe one day we will both reach that goal but in the meantime best of luck