I am not really sure if Hormones are covered under different Health Insurance but if you do pay for your hormones how much do they usually cost per month? Just an estimate is fine. I am just trying to figure out a lot of things and before I go to a gender therapist and all that I just want to know what I want and where I want to do when it comes to being transgender. I know that taking hormones can be a major choice and I just want to make sure that I make the right one so I was just curious about the money side of it and how much it costs?
Also are there different types that you can use? Or is it pretty much the same kind that most transgender women use that help you transition to becoming more feminine? Thanks
Quote from: Sandy74 on October 10, 2015, 04:01:39 PM
Also are there different types that you can use? Or is it pretty much the same kind that most transgender women use that help you transition to becoming more feminine? Thanks
You could have a look at this thread:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,196831.msg1751795.html#msg1751795
Hi Sandy,
The standard regimen for a trans woman without an orchiectomy includes an estrogen, such as estradiol, and an anti-androgen, usually spironolactone in the US.
Spironolactone is cheap, like $10/mo with coupons like GoodRx. I am older, so I use estradiol patches to minimize the chance of liver damage and thromboembolisms, but they are expensive without insurance ($100/mo or so.) Oral estrogens are the cheapest, but I have no experience with them.
Progestins are also used as anti-androgens, but not all endocrinologists advocate their use (mine does not).
I have read many of your posts, and I know you suffer a great deal from gender dysphoria, poor thing. I think you should ask your doctor/therapist about low-dose HRT, just for the mental relief it can bring. It may bring you some peace, without any major physical changes, and buy you time to consider what you want to do going forward.
Best wishes,
Terri
I didn't know that Spironolactone had gotten so inexpensive, or that there was a coupon available; it used to cost me $80.00 per month the last time I paid out of pocket for it, but that was 8 years ago, and I am prescribed a high daily dose. As far as oral estradiol, I think I was paying something like $20-$30 dollars per month, but I am also prescribed a high daily dose of this medicine. A vial of Estradiol Valerate for intramuscular injections is expensive, I think I paid around $150.00 for my prescription out of pocket, but it lasts about 3 months; however, if you go through a compounding pharmacy it is usually less expensive.
With my insurance coverage, it's $10/month each for Spiro and Estradiol. So $20/month total. Not sure what Progesterone will cost if/when I go on that though.
Without insurance Spiro ($53) plus Estradiol ($10) plus progesterone ($88.) costs me around $151 per month.
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I pay 38.67 a month. For my meds and am hopeful it's 44.00 at the beginning of the new year.
Under my insurance plan, spiro the co pay is $3 for me and E is $5 co pay now. Walmart has E on their $4 list or $10 for 90 pills. Spiro is a blood pressure drug and it does double duty for me.
P is covered as birth control for $5 co pay.
So in total I pay $10/ month for my hormones and spiro.
If you were paying cash you'd be looking at around $40 per drug except for E which is $10 thanks to Walmart and other big box stores discounts.
Well if mine wasn't covered by my first nation status it would've costed me just about $20
The prices vary substantially depending on location and insurance plan. I pay $12/mo for Spiro and around $90 a month for Estrogen patches WITH insurance. It is worth noting that I use a name brand because I am allergic to the adhesive used on the generic version of the patch.
Yeah, it definitely depends on both location and insurance. I pay $15/month for a generic for Vivelle Dot with insurance; according to the paperwork from Target, without insurance it'd be more like $35 around here. Before the generic it was a $50 copay (or $90 without insurance). Incidentally, that's for what would be considered "low dose," if that's relevant to you; I'm basically paying for the amount of patches per month that a cis woman in menopause would be, which makes it easier to get from insurance and also cheaper. Some trans women have to wear more than one patch at a time, etc.
Quote from: KristinaM on October 10, 2015, 07:21:59 PM
Not sure what Progesterone will cost if/when I go on that though.
$8.74 for me.
Spiro: $10
Estradiol: $10
Progesterone: $8.74
Progesterone seems to be the odd one out. Every other medicine I've been prescribed so far this year has been $10.
Quote from: lisarenee on October 11, 2015, 08:07:19 PM
$8.74 for me.
Spiro: $10
Estradiol: $10
Progesterone: $8.74
Progesterone seems to be the odd one out. Every other medicine I've been prescribed so far this year has been $10.
I believe that due to Obamacare, P is covered as birth control and they have to cover birth control for males and females.
Guess I'm lucky... Estradiol is $1 copay for me
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My Spiro and estradiol cost about 18$ every 3 months with insurance. Probably would be around 200$ without it.
I pay $17 a month without insurance for generics at a clinic that specializes in LGBT patients.
Both E + Spiro 3 month supply = $48
VA Military benefits really help!
Quote from: lisarenee on October 11, 2015, 08:07:19 PM
$8.74 for me.
Spiro: $10
Estradiol: $10
Progesterone: $8.74
Progesterone seems to be the odd one out. Every other medicine I've been prescribed so far this year has been $10.
I looked up my prescriptions on my drug plan's website and they indicated $8.74 was full price (less than the $10 copay). They listed the regular prices as about $10 more ($39 vs. $29). Since my company is changing insurance providers (and the new plans are all deductible only and may not cover Oral HRT at all), I'm going to be looking on eHealth come Sunday and/or see if I can get a 3 month mail order script when I see my HRT doctor at the end of next month.
Thankfully my estradiol and spironolactone are both covered by my insurance.
Therefor I only have to pay $10 for a 90 day supply of estradiol and $20 for a 90 day supply of spiro.
I have no insurance but having my hormones are extremely important to me..My income
is solely from social security retirement..my hrt meds average 12-15% of that per month
though I usually maintain a two to four month supply on hand.
I am super lucky in more ways than one. My estradiol and spiro cost me five dollars apiece out of pocket; my health insurance at work covers them and my endo visits.
Y'all know I have to say this.... whatever you do, hun, DO NOT give into the temptation to buy anything online or from an outside country. Trust me, you will be playing with dynamite.
Be safe :-)
Marlo
My meds went up 14 cents ::). It looks like Publix changed its source of Progesterone.
The walgreen's I went to has a discount pricing deal with the clinic I went to. Initial doses were about $46 for a three month supply. Without the discount, I want to say it would've been a bit over $100 for a 3 month supply.
Not sure if insurance would be better or worse at a place closer to home? Splitting hairs really. I used to fill prescriptions for other meds (non-hrt) at costco, and had my insurance company hounding me to do mail order so they would cost $6/mo instead of $9 per month.
Gotta love insurance companies - they are like men; run hot and cold lol
Be safe
Marlo
In an interesting update, I asked my Endo for a 3 month Mail Order script when I saw her just before Thanksgiving as my employer was changing insurance providers next year and I wanted to do the mail order route so I could get the full 3 months worth on this year's plan. To my genuine surprise, the invoice says they are FREE. I had been paying $28.74/month to get them at Publix.
On a side note, the color and shape of the Spiro and Estradiol changed. They were filled by a different company than Publix used.
Spiro: Went from Round Beige --> Oval White
Estradiol: Round --> Oval
Thirty days of spiro and estradiol is $4 each with my insurance.
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Quote from: lisarenee on November 30, 2015, 07:08:02 PM
In an interesting update, I asked my Endo for a 3 month Mail Order script when I saw her just before Thanksgiving as my employer was changing insurance providers next year and I wanted to do the mail order route so I could get the full 3 months worth on this year's plan. To my genuine surprise, the invoice says they are FREE. I had been paying $28.74/month to get them at Publix.
A 3 month supply via our mail order pharmacy is $0.00. Filling the prescriptions for spiro and estradiol at the local pharmacy would have been $8.00 each per month.
No insurance, with discounts from GoodRX, getting my meds at Walmart, I pay about $110 for a three month supply of spiro, prometrium, and estradiol. However I'm upping all my doses soon and changing one of the sources so it'll be more like $120.
With a kind of complimentary insurance from a clinic, it's about $35/month for spiro and E for me. The actual cost without that help would have been over $400.
*
The grocery chain's pharmacy has a 90 days plan for generic estradiol for $10. MediCare drops that to less than $3 for me.
There are legitimate American domestic mail order sources if you shop around, including those operated by health insurance carriers. Their prices might be cheaper than going to the pharmacy store.
Many people dissolve their pills under the tongue to direct the medicine to your bloodstream. Virtually all pills dissolve under your tongue; you need not fall for special formulas.
Your physician will likely direct you to take your ERT spread throughout the day to maintain a steady level.
*
Quote from: Sharon Anne McC on December 12, 2015, 01:39:58 AM
*Many people dissolve their pills under the tongue to direct the medicine to your bloodstream.
It might be a good idea to spread the daily dose in a few small doses instead of two big ones to avoid spikes and lows, which might make for a menopausal like effect and affect mood.
Quote
Virtually all pills dissolve under your tongue; you need not fall for special formulas.
There are coated pills which might take a bit longer...
micronized bioidentical estrogen should be fine...
hugs
I'm lucky that my wife and I setup a coordination of benefits so my cypro and E will cost nothing, and my prometrium will be 80% off so will be just under 20 bucks likely (fee guide lists 85$ for 100g), but if I went with Teva-progesterone 100mg instead would cost nothing. I'll likely pay for P though as everywhere I've read speaks glowingly of bioidentical P.
I was paying 120 cash at Walgreens. Now 30 at costco.
Spiro and estrodial
Quote from: Brooke33 on December 12, 2015, 01:21:30 PM
I'll likely pay for P though as everywhere I've read speaks glowingly of bioidentical P.
Yes... its supposed to have less side effects and more effects since its bioidentical, making for a good match on receptors.
hugs
My plan fully covers my anti depressants and anti anxiety meds, along with my Spiro. So I pay absolutely nothing out of pocket for those. It doesn't cover my estrogen because it's considered gender specific... or something along those lines. My out of pocket cost at Walmart is $77 a month for the patches that I am using. When I am able to change plans I will likely switch to a company that provides better benefits to transgender individuals.