Hi, guys. It's been a little while. I was wondering if you had some ideas for me as to health insurance groups with reasonable (aka cheap) premiums, that cover the necessities for transitioning. I currently pay for all of my hormones and therapy out-of-pocket, and that makes a serious dent.
I've never had health insurance before, so I'm not sure what the best way to go would be. I'm in my mid-20s, so hopefully cost won't be too harsh. If it matters, I live in Denver, Colorado.
Thanks in advance, everyone.
Insurance companies are in business to make money. They seek ways to have more people paying in, then they have to pay out. Since you know this about yourself, insurance adjusters could easily claim that its a pre-existing condition.* There is not a way that you can pay a little and have someone else cover the rest unless that burden is spread across thousands of other people who would be paying, but not using, that insurance. Hence, group plans are about the only way to go, and such plans are available only to people who are part of some group that has a plan. Businesses, unions, fraternal organizations and the like. On your own it's highly doubtful that anyone is going to write a plan that would cover that without pretty much charging you premiums that would cover the cost.
* This by the way is one of the great 'outs' such companies have. Several of which will not even cover any injuries resulting from domestic violence after the first occurrence, feeling that knowing that person hurt you, and you're going back constitutes you taking on a known risk and further injuries are the result of a pre-existing condition. They tried to stop that particular practice in Congress last year, but guess who voted against it?
Quote from: tekla on January 07, 2010, 11:08:20 AM
Insurance companies are in business to make money. They seek ways to have more people paying in, then they have to pay out. Since you know this about yourself, insurance adjusters could easily claim that its a pre-existing condition.
This is exactly right. At one time I owned a small company (which is about the same as buying insurance on your own), and we went around and around with insurance companies on a regular basis. We were not big enough to get a good group rate. They would hook us with a low rate, and then start raising rates while paying out less on claims, or denying them altogether.
The last quote I had from an insurance company was about $1300/month for a family of 4 with no preexisting conditions. Outrageous.
If you live in an area with TG friendly employers, getting hired on at one is probably your best bet to get cheaper insurance. Even then they may levy the "preexisting condition" against you, and attach a rider to your policy to that effect.
But, such an employer has already been down the TG road with their insurance company, so you never know what kind of coverage might be available to you - you might be pleasantly surprised.
Your best bet is to find local trans groups and see if you can find companies in the area that offer coverage for us. For example, Kodak in my area covers SRS.
BCBS through my father (i get cut off in a year, and have to remain full time student... ugh.) gets me 90 days of estrogen/spiro for $5 each and 180 caps of avodart for $40 (that would be like $600+ without), but I have to go through the mail... and it's a clusterf' to set up.
It's not paying for blood work, but otherwise... it's not bad.
edit: whee being tired makes me type not-ladylike.
I'm fortunate to have great insurance that pays for everything, i have an $20.00 co-pay for the therapist and the endo. Bloodwork and all other test are paid for! When it comes to the hrt i roughly pay $140.00 for a 3 month supply mail order, which kinda sucks when you are running low.
wal-greens card saved me a ton of money. I pay less than 30 dollars a month for my drugs there. Before I got it, it was closer to a 100 dollars.
I don't know about Denver or cost, but Kaiser in Los Angeles covers everything but surgeries related to transition. Meds, doc visits etc. Like someone said, I think BCBS is decent too.
'Not covered expense'
To be honest I don't really want to rock the insurance boat in case they go 'oh wait you're not supposed to get pills either, ->-bleeped-<-.'