Community Conversation => Transitioning => Gender Correction Surgery => Topic started by: delzebub on March 26, 2017, 05:38:48 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Facial Hair Transplant - (FTM) Insurance coverage?
Post by: delzebub on March 26, 2017, 05:38:48 PM
Post by: delzebub on March 26, 2017, 05:38:48 PM
Hey,
I identify as nonbinary/transmasculine. I have tried HRT in the past (testosterone injections) and I wasn't comfortable with them at all. I'm super dysphoric about my lack of facial hair, though; though I love my voice (I sing), I more or less am accepting of my body, etc. Aside the fact that for certain health reasons I just can't take testosterone, I'm uncomfortable with changes I'd experience in my voice and hair loss/body hair growth.
I've looked into facial hair transplants before, but they are super costly. I already tried talking to my gender therapist about it, to see if Kaiser would cover any transplants under the transgender coverage, but she said she was doubtful.
But I'm not sure. I downloaded the informational brochure from Kaiser, which says that top-surgery is apparently not covered by insurance either (even though my therapist, who is also through Kaiser, said it would be?). So I'm really not sure if the information she's relaying is accurate, or if the info on the brochure is inaccurate. I was looking to see if anyone else had an experience where facial hair transplants were covered under their insurance.
Or if not, how it was managed that they paid for it?
I'm very interested in this, and a little disheartened that both top-surgery and facial hair transplants seem out of reach under my insurance.
Thanks!
I identify as nonbinary/transmasculine. I have tried HRT in the past (testosterone injections) and I wasn't comfortable with them at all. I'm super dysphoric about my lack of facial hair, though; though I love my voice (I sing), I more or less am accepting of my body, etc. Aside the fact that for certain health reasons I just can't take testosterone, I'm uncomfortable with changes I'd experience in my voice and hair loss/body hair growth.
I've looked into facial hair transplants before, but they are super costly. I already tried talking to my gender therapist about it, to see if Kaiser would cover any transplants under the transgender coverage, but she said she was doubtful.
But I'm not sure. I downloaded the informational brochure from Kaiser, which says that top-surgery is apparently not covered by insurance either (even though my therapist, who is also through Kaiser, said it would be?). So I'm really not sure if the information she's relaying is accurate, or if the info on the brochure is inaccurate. I was looking to see if anyone else had an experience where facial hair transplants were covered under their insurance.
Or if not, how it was managed that they paid for it?
I'm very interested in this, and a little disheartened that both top-surgery and facial hair transplants seem out of reach under my insurance.
Thanks!
Title: Re: Facial Hair Transplant - (FTM) Insurance coverage?
Post by: Dena on March 26, 2017, 05:54:21 PM
Post by: Dena on March 26, 2017, 05:54:21 PM
I would suspect that facial hair transplants might not be covered but Kaiser seems to be one of the better providers. Michelle_P (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=47977) one of our moderators has been posting about her experiences and it appears that pretty much everything she will need is covered as long as she remains within the system. She has a running thread but you might want to start here (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,215456.msg1957567.html#msg1957567).
Title: Re: Facial Hair Transplant - (FTM) Insurance coverage?
Post by: Michelle_P on March 26, 2017, 06:18:13 PM
Post by: Michelle_P on March 26, 2017, 06:18:13 PM
Hi, delzebub! (Do I smell a hint of sulphur in that name?)
Kaiser, like many insurers, is a little quirky in some ways. I have an individual coverage plan on the Kaiser Northern California HMO, bought through an Affordable Care Act exchange. As such it has transgender care under Section 1557 of the ACA and state law regulating HMOs for anything deemed medically necessary. That includes the stuff that would normally be considered cosmetic for some folks, like electrolysis and FFS.
I don't think I can get hair transplants covered. They might be talked into covering my wigs as they already do that for chemo patients and severe alopecia in females, but I'm not going to push that. Facial hair transplants might land in the same fuzzy area.
Now, a private healthcare plan administered by Kaiser and funded by an employer lands in a different can of worms, with the state law governing their employer, which might not be a California corporation, getting involved. Those plans might not be required to cover surgeries for trans persons if the plan excludes them and the company is exempt from California laws on required care.
Kaiser, like many insurers, is a little quirky in some ways. I have an individual coverage plan on the Kaiser Northern California HMO, bought through an Affordable Care Act exchange. As such it has transgender care under Section 1557 of the ACA and state law regulating HMOs for anything deemed medically necessary. That includes the stuff that would normally be considered cosmetic for some folks, like electrolysis and FFS.
I don't think I can get hair transplants covered. They might be talked into covering my wigs as they already do that for chemo patients and severe alopecia in females, but I'm not going to push that. Facial hair transplants might land in the same fuzzy area.
Now, a private healthcare plan administered by Kaiser and funded by an employer lands in a different can of worms, with the state law governing their employer, which might not be a California corporation, getting involved. Those plans might not be required to cover surgeries for trans persons if the plan excludes them and the company is exempt from California laws on required care.