Kia Ora,
The cost of transitioning can run into the thousands, however I don't know many members(if any) who have had or are about to have government funded surgery... I know that in the US some insurers cover surgery..However in the UK and parts of Europe government funded surgery is also possible/available...
I just thought it would be interesting to find out (in other words I'm just plain nosy) ;) ;D
So have any of you had or planning to have government funded surgery (to become a GI Joe or Joanne ) ?
PS...I know that Canada also has government funding for reassignment surgeries...
Metta Zenda :)
I went with the NHS in England
Quote from: big kim on June 21, 2013, 04:17:27 AM
I went with the NHS in England
Kia Ora Kim,
I have heard some horror stories regarding the NHS and their treatment of people suffering from gender dysphoria...However I'm sure there were good ones too...
Are you happy with the results ? And were you treated with 'respect' throughout the process ?
Metta Zenda :)
I'm happy with the results thanks,I was well treated apart from my first visit to a local psychiatrist where he laughed at me and threatened to have me sectioned.(This was 1989 not 1929!).I then had a 20 month wait to go to Charing Cross hospital.I self medicated(don't do this at home) and had electrolysis while growing my hair out and living in role at nights and weekends to see if it was for me.Once I had been to Charing Cross things went much quicker although I think I was pushed into going full time a bit early as I still had some electrolysis to finish but all went OK in the end
Mine was funded by good old Uncle Sam
Quote from: Tristan on June 21, 2013, 09:57:18 AM
Mine was funded by good old Uncle Sam
How did that happen??? ???
Well don't SF, Minnesota and Philadelphia cover surgery?
Because my treatment in the psychiatric hospital was court mandated. They paid for alot of stuff that involved my care. I guess it helped and was the right choice
Quote from: Joanna Dark on June 21, 2013, 12:13:53 PM
Well don't SF, Minnesota and Philadelphia cover surgery?
MN hasn't covered surgery for a while although there is possibility of getting it funded with a lawsuit to overturn the law.
Kia Ora,
Thanks for your responses so far...
So there are states in the US where the local government allocates funds for gender reassignment...It would be interesting to find out what the criteria is...Does anybody know ?
In Tristan's case it would seem it was mandated but how about if you want to apply yourself how does one go about it ?
Metta Zenda :)
Quote from: Kuan Yin on June 21, 2013, 03:05:51 PM
Kia Ora,
Thanks for your responses so far...
So there are states in the US where the local government allocates funds for gender reassignment...It would be interesting to find out what the criteria is...Does anybody know ?
In Tristan's case it would seem it was mandated but how about if you want to apply yourself how does one go about it ?
Metta Zenda :)
Oh wow apply? I'm not sure how you do that? I think I was a ward of the state or something like that I still don't understand that. But they covered alot of stuff and I wasn't the only one they covered it for. The ECT was a mandate though . But I guess if they admit you for long term like they did for me it's cheaper to do the surgeries than keep you a full 8 years or so in a long term psychiatric hospital
Quote from: Tristan on June 21, 2013, 03:30:43 PM
Oh wow apply? I'm not sure how you do that? I think I was a ward of the state or something like that I still don't understand that. But they covered alot of stuff and I wasn't the only one they covered it for. The ECT was a mandate though . But I guess if they admit you for long term like they did for me it's cheaper to do the surgeries than keep you a full 8 years or so in a long term psychiatric hospital
Kia Ora Tristan,
Here in New Zealand government funded surgeries are provided on compassionate grounds, ie, it will give the recipient a "better quality of life" ...and the criteria involves one being in a position where funding it themselves is out of the question, having no assets/savings - no realistic means of funding it themselves, plus there were/are psychological and practical assessments (ones ability to cope in one desired gender=RLE) hoops to jump through...
A mental and or medical professions had to apply to the Special High Cost Treatment Funding Pool..My endocrinologist applied on my behalf ...
http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/hospitals-and-specialist-care/high-cost-treatment-pool (http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/hospitals-and-specialist-care/high-cost-treatment-pool)
Metta Zenda :)
That's pretty cool. Will they allow you to go back if you change your mind and want your old stuff
In Philadelphia, GCS is covered for all city employees and tax credits are given to businesses who cover it on their policies. There is no process other then the regular one for getting surgery: therapy, counseling, etc., etc.
Quote from: Tristan on June 21, 2013, 05:14:45 PM
That's pretty cool. Will they allow you to go back if you change your mind and want your old stuff
Kia Ora Tristan,
The gatekeeping involved is quite stringent so as to try and weed out those who might possibly regret having it done...You're assessed by the surgeons (three surgeons are involved) and the mental health professionals that belong to the clinic (A psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist come social worker) along with outside assessments by an independent psychiatrist...Bearing in mind it is not fool proof some do still 'bluff' their way through...However one as every right to regret their decision and detransition, but I'm not sure whether the government will contribute(pick up the tab) for/ towards the surgical costs...
For obvious reasons there are quite a few knock backs...A good friend of mine had her surgery 6 months before me, was put through the gatekeeping wringer, she was in a steady relationship with a man, the psycho-surgical team's psychiatrist demanded to see both her and her partner...The psychiatrist wanted to find out if they were in a 'gay' relationship and the possibility of her partner leaving her once she had it done(and boy was my friend and her partner pissed off) to cut a long story short they have now been happily married(legally) for 8 years...
I had made it quite clear from the outset that I was asexual, in fact I told the assessment team(which is on their records) I was a neo asexual, that is, when I felt comfortable and came out, so did my asexual nature...Some trans-women felt a little peeved off because they had accepted me for surgery and I didn't even want to 'use' my new vagina...Fortunately the psycho-surgical team were up with the times and knew that it was not all about 'sex' activity...
"Different Strokes For Different Folks !" (I just love that saying...and the TV show)
Metta Zenda :)
Quote from: Kuan Yin on June 21, 2013, 10:25:05 PM
Kia Ora Tristan,
The gatekeeping involved is quite stringent so as to try and weed out those who might possibly regret having it done...You're assessed by the surgeons (three surgeons are involved) and the mental health professionals that belong to the clinic (A psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist come social worker) along with outside assessments by an independent psychiatrist...Bearing in mind it is not fool proof some do still 'bluff' their way through...However one as every right to regret their decision and detransition, but I'm not sure whether the government will contribute(pick up the tab) for/ towards the surgical costs...
For obvious reasons there are quite a few knock backs...A good friend of mine had her surgery 6 months before me, was put through the gatekeeping wringer, she was in a steady relationship with a man, the psycho-surgical team's psychiatrist demanded to see both her and her partner...The psychiatrist wanted to find out if they were in a 'gay' relationship and the possibility of her partner leaving her once she had it done(and boy was my friend and her partner pissed off) to cut a long story short they have now been happily married(legally) for 8 years...
I had may it quite clear from the outset that I was asexual, in fact I told the assessment team(which is on their records) I was a neo asexual, that is, when I felt comfortable and came out, so did my asexual nature...Some trans-women felt a little peeved off because they had accepted me for surgery and I didn't even want to 'use' my new vagina...Fortunately the psycho-surgical team were up with the times and knew that it was not all about 'sex' activity...
"Different Strokes For Different Folks !" (I just love that saying...and the TV show)
Metta Zenda :)
Wow. It sounds like they take things very serious in your area of the world. I guess the government just wants to make sure that they invest well. Still don't understand it very much but I'm glad they do try to help out
Quote from: Tristan on June 21, 2013, 10:47:12 PM
Wow. It sounds like they take things very serious in your area of the world. I guess the government just wants to make sure that they invest well. Still don't understand it very much but I'm glad they do try to help out
Kia Ora Tristan,
The surgeons here 'only' perform the colonvaginoplasy type of surgery, a technique developed by a UK surgeon for young natal girls who had deformed vaginas at birth...After a while it was pick up by some gender reassignment surgeons...
When I had my surgery the total cost was around $30,000 NZ (this was eight years ago) I think now it's in the region of $40,000 +...So yes the government wants to take all possible measures to insure their investment is a sound one..Plus they don't want negative feed back from the tax paying general public-which often can happen when the gate keepers gate is not secured 'off the latch' and the odd one slips through...
Shortly before I was selected( I was about to be assessed by the psycho-surgical team), a programme went to air about an elderly trans-women (in her 70s) who was knocked back because(if I remember rightly) she had other 'medical' complications and the surgeons feared she wouldn't survive such intrusive surgery (colonvaginaplasty is not a walk in the park kinda surgery-they are fiddling about with ones inners pulling, cutting and using the colon to line the new vagina )...
Well this person was quite peeved off when she was knocked back and decided to go public-by doing so she was making things more difficult for other trans-women hoping to be selected...If the surgeons had operated on her and there were complications, it's possible she would have gone public causing even more strife...And the last thing the NZ trans-population need is for this funding to be cut due to public pressure...
Metta Zenda :)
i'm not 100% sure but am under the impression that brunei pays for all its citizens medical bills, inclusing overseas ones if locally unavailable...for srs it'll be done at the patient's choice of surgeon anywhere in the world.
that's uber cool...
Quote from: milktea on June 22, 2013, 02:07:18 AM
i'm not 100% sure but am under the impression that brunei pays for all its citizens medical bills, inclusing overseas ones if locally unavailable...for srs it'll be done at the patient's choice of surgeon anywhere in the world.
that's uber cool...
Kia Ora Milktea,
In NZ beggars can't be choosers...But I'm not complaining ;D
I've got a $30,000 piece of equipment down there, and it's never been used(well apart from dilation) so it's as good as new ;) ;D
Metta Zenda :)
It is not "government funded". This sounds like a kind of grant. Or like trans people becoming GRS money over the counter for saying "Hi, my name is Trann". It is medical expenses paid by money from income taxes, which lost of tax payers pay for all those who have medical issues (including themselves).
When we get GRS expenses paid by health systems we are getting our share of the tax money like everyone else, and not a special treatment. Just the same like everyone else, with the exception of the thorough gatekeeping and the play "hey, get dressed and prove you're a woman for about a year".
I'm saying all this because GRS expenses covered by national health systems are among the first targets by politicians claiming to have the solution to expensive health systems, turning to all possible jingoes about just sex and how unnecessary or low priority GRS treatments are. In some European countries they have succeeded.
If they give you a titanium hip because it is cheaper than paying for you sitting the rest of your life on your couch or on a wheelchair, they can give you your hormones and your parts because it's cheaper than having you depressed, drugged, long-term psychologically treated, jobless, abused, beaten, raped and killed, all of which generate some expenses for the tax payers as well.
Same with fertility treatments. Same with pregnancy care. Same with psychiatric and psychological care for old and new DSM labels. Same with physiotherapy and substance abuse rehab care. Same with millions of prescriptions and pre-emptive diagnostic treatments that keep the medical machine running financially. They're not all urgent, immediate life-saving treatments (only in the long run), but above all but money-saving treatments.
Quote from: Eurydike on June 22, 2013, 02:25:19 AM
It is not "government funded". This sounds like a kind of grant. Or like trans people becoming GRS money over the counter for saying "Hi, my name is Trann". It is medical expenses paid by money from income taxes, which lost of tax payers pay for all those have medical issues (including themselves).
When we get GRS expensed paid by health systems we are getting our share of the tax money like everyone else, and not a special treatment. Just the same like everyone else, with the exception of the much more through gatekeeping and the play "hey, get dressed and prove you're a woman for about a year".
I'm saying all this because GRS expenses covered by national health systems are among the first targets by politicians claiming to have the solution to expensive health systems, turning to all possible jingoes about just sex and how unnecessary or low priority GRS treatments are. In some European countries they have succeeded.
If they give you a titanium hip because it is cheaper than paying for you sitting the rest of your life on your couch or on a wheelchair, they can give you your hormones and your parts because it's cheaper than having you depressed, drugged, long-term psychologically treated, jobless, abused, beaten, raped and killed, all of which generate some expenses for the tax payers as well.
Same with fertility treatments. Same with pregnancy care. Same with psychiatric and psychological care for old and new DSM labels. Same with physiotherapy and substance abuse rehab care. Same with millions of prescriptions and pre-emptive diagnostic treatments that keep the medical machine running financially. They're not all urgent, immediate life-saving treatments (only in the long run), but above all but money-saving treatments.
Kia Ora Eurydike,
It's true..It is our own tax money being refunded in a way...So it could be seen as a government initiated 'special' tax refund...I guess seeing it this way will easy a guilty conscience (Not that I ever had a guilty conscience to begin with )
Metta Zenda :)
Quote from: Kuan Yin on June 22, 2013, 02:33:10 AM
Kia Ora Eurydike,
It's true..It is our own tax money being refunded in a way...So it could be seen as a government initiated 'special' tax refund...I guess seeing it this way will easy a guilty conscience (Not that I ever had a guilty conscience to begin with )
Metta Zenda :)
Hi Metta Zenda, may the force be with you/the Goddess bless you etc. I think I got you right from the beginning. No guilt about getting GRS by insurance Cos. and/or NHS. I was making my point because of two reasons: firstly, there's a lot of talk in some countries about not getting GRS covered by health systems. Secondly, by using phrasings like "funding", detractors and gender dilettantes usually enjoy presenting GRS as an unnecessary goodie, money grant or privilege, while it is just another health care service paid by tax money like many others, as I said before. One of the problems is that we still see it ourselves as an exception or kind of blessing. In general, in those countries with social security health systems people see health care as a right funded by their labour. Sex, gender and GD health problems should be no exception.
It's similar with women's health: if men could have breast cancer as often as women and testicle cancer just as often, there would be inexpensive mammogram and ultrasound booths in every corner. ;)
Cheers/blessings,
Eurydike
Yeah I'm kinda glad that some governments are willing to push us to do these things. I guess it's for our own good and normally turns out well :)
Quote from: Tristan on June 22, 2013, 07:33:54 AM
Yeah I'm kinda glad that some governments are willing to push us to do these things. I guess it's for our own good and normally turns out well :)
Kia Ora Tristan,
Yes in your particular case a 'government shove' in the right direction, it would seem has turned out well...You seem to be coping quite well...
Metta Zenda :)
Kuan yin thank you,
I was very well behaved and did what was required of me. I was just surprised for a while that not everyone else got the same government treatments
The Scottish NHS will soon be funding facial hair removal and I'm told also a tracheal shave in the fullness of time as would BIS (Banana Inversion Surgery) if I so chose. I don't have a guilt trip about it as I just calculated that in my life I have paid approx' £600,000 tax (£900,000) to the UK government. I realize no-one here would even suggest the guilt thing but we all know how trashy news papers throughout the world feel about such matters.
Quote from: sentience on June 23, 2013, 05:10:11 AM
The Scottish NHS will soon be funding facial hair removal and I'm told also a tracheal shave in the fullness of time as would BIS (Banana Inversion Surgery) if I so chose. I don't have a guilt trip about it as I just calculated that in my life I have paid approx' £600,000 tax (£900,000) to the UK government. I realize no-one here would even suggest the guilt thing but we all know how trashy news papers throughout the world feel about such matters.
Kia Ora Sentience,
Wow ! That's great news...I wish the Kiwi government would come to the party and allow trans-people access to their tax dollars to do the same...
As it stands here in NZ the government 'allows' funding for 3 M2Fs (bottom surgery only) and 2 F2ms ( I think in their case both bottom and top surgery) anything else we have to pay for ourselves...
Metta Zenda :)
Hi.
I've had government funded SRS in Denmark, hardly 4 weeks Post-Op as of today.
Denmark has government funded helth care (that's one of the reasons for our extreemely high taxes), but the selection process before SRS is very strict so very few get through the process (3-5 a year in average a year, M2F and F2M combined). My selection process took 3½ year with monthly sessions.
/Jeanette
Not all provinces in up here in Canada fund it but thank goodness I live in one of the areas that do. Allowed me to use my savings for a BA so I'm even better off now :)
US insurance companies aren't in to save money, only to make more money for themselves. Why else refuse birth control but pay for pregnancy and children? Health insurance companies have maintained a steady or rising profit when everything else lost or broke even.
I live in Sweden. Had GRS, laser, would get boobs if I wanted, trachea shave and I pay hormones and other prescribed medicine only up to 285 dollars per year and than I get it free.
Some people brake their legs and knees riding skateboards or hurting them while they are drunk and they get expensive surgeries as well. Everybody knows that we can get sick anytime and we get old and need to be taken care of so there is no debate about it. The debates about the health care system in the US seems completely absurd. That it´s some kind of political thing, even considered totally socialist. Not even the conservative right wing says that here.
Yeah in America it's a big business. And seeing as how so many people in America are poor and don't pay taxes the government really doesn't want to give up on the way health care has been for do many years :(
I just had mine funded in Quebec, Canada via the RAMQ. It had a few extra hoops to jump through and extra time to wait. I am a PR of Canada and been living here with my Canada born husband since 2009. I am seeing a lot of changes coming to the states and thinking in less then 2 years insurance companies will not be able to refuse coverage along with medicare and medicaid.
Izzy
I had mine on the Scottish NHS and it was a lot easier for me then people going through the same in England and Wales.
From seeing my doctor to seeing the phycologist and physchiatrist and seeing a speech therapist to surgery i think it took just under a year and a half.
The only problem was getting my hormone levels and LFT etc checked as my Endocrinologist wasn't too sure and i had to badger my doctor to get repeat appointments as the Endocrine department never made new appointments when they said they would.
I can says its a postcode lottery as down in England there are more people in our situation and only so much of a budget to go around, Yet up here its not as common so i scored really.
On the down side there aren't too many of us up here in the North East of Scotland so the doctors are quite lacking in knowledge, But I cannot put my one down as he did do his best for me.
My surgery was in Brighton at the Nuffield hospital by Mr Phillip Thomas.
Kia Ora,
Thanks for your responses...
It's good to see some members are living in countries where GRS is part of their NHS...Lets hope government funding for GRS is contagious and starts to spread worldwide...
Metta Zenda :)
I live in The Netherlands and I had my SRS in Amsterdam two years ago. Almost everything was paid by our health insurance system, however in my case the quality was so poor, that I had most of it revised by dr. Chettawut in a 3-hour surgery just a couple of days ago. I am very satisfied with the result now, however the revision is not covered by my insurance.
Quote from: Arike on August 08, 2013, 10:46:38 AM
I live in The Netherlands and I had my SRS in Amsterdam two years ago. Almost everything was paid by our health insurance system, however in my case the quality was so poor, that I had most of it revised by dr. Chettawut in a 3-hour surgery just a couple of days ago. I am very satisfied with the result now, however the revision is not covered by my insurance.
I am sorry to hear your first operation was not aesthetically pleasing to you. I hope you are recovering well this time.
I had my done in the UK by Dr ( MR) Thomas and I got no regrets
I'm grateful to the NHS
I'm very happy with my results and How I was treated I was well look after
all I wanted mentally was to be strong and pray no to have any complications
and to heal well and be happy
GRS comes with many challenges ,painful dilation's, blood and many other things
but I learn to be happy in my life
I'm cancer recurrence patient survivor and this hard time in my life teach me
how deal with my self during my GRS recovery time
and I'm now
My surgery was paid for by the german public health insurance. They also pay for therapy and HRT, they are reluctant however to pay for breast implants though usually it can be done if one can demonstrate a need (usually that means however pay various amounts of money in addition, especially if choosing a surgeon that is not the cheapest) and are very yucky when it comes to facial hair removal. Technically they do pay for it, but in practice no doctor will do it as it is underpaid, so most people pay for laser treatment themselves or pay for an electrologist. So all of this costs not a lot really and it is quite easy as one does not even have to pay and then get a refund or such, it is all paid directly. BUT there is a rather strict system of procedures. This consists of mandatory therapy and examination for some specific genetic problems and intersex indicators as well as psychological conditions that could mimick TS plus a brain scan to exclude tumours. Then there is a requirement for a year of real life change before HRT is assigned (which is cruel and I know of no one who kept that order except one - everyone else got their "drugs" somewhere else). Then follows an assessment by two therapists who have to sign off on the need for surgery describing it as the only solution to solve the gender dysphoria. Sadly, not all of the surgeons will do this on health insurance money as they usually do not pay well (thanks to the stupid neolibera agenda since the 1980ies) and charge extra money. Plus it is not easily possible to go out of the country with it, all treatment has to be within the country of Germany.