There is a group on FB called Medicare transgender surgery support.  Looking into other's experiences.  It's a closed group.  Don't know more than that as I just joined.

Crocodile is rather tasty, bit like chicken, catching the buggas is a bit of a problem though, you need a hefty fishing rod!

Generally TG are well accepted in most areas. We have strong anti-discrimination laws that help. But we cannot get treatment in our public hospital system, as yet. But someone you know is working on it . Along with lots of others

I gave a talk recently to the ANZ Occupational Medicine Society and the head HR person of BHP Billiton was also a guest, he said that if (and they do) have TG people at their mining sites they would have separate and private showers and be treated with total respect and acceptance.

I also recall a message from the regulars in an outback pub to a therapist I work with that thanked him for  helping a FtM to transition and that he was a lot happier an no longer got into fights with them in the local pub. So maybe we are winning!

Quote from: Cindy on September 18, 2014, 04:53:50 PM
Crocodile is rather tasty, bit like chicken, catching the buggas is a bit of a problem though, you need a hefty fishing rod!

Generally TG are well accepted in most areas. We have strong anti-discrimination laws that help. But we cannot get treatment in our public hospital system, as yet. But someone you know is working on it . Along with lots of others

I gave a talk recently to the ANZ Occupational Medicine Society and the head HR person of BHP Billiton was also a guest, he said that if (and they do) have TG people at their mining sites they would have separate and private showers and be treated with total respect and acceptance.

I also recall a message from the regulars in an outback pub to a therapist I work with that thanked him for  helping a FtM to transition and that he was a lot happier an no longer got into fights with them in the local pub. So maybe we are winning!

OK that's it. How do I go about being Aussie?

Wow that is great Cindy. Who do we know that is working on it though. Don't be so humble. My God. I bow down to your greatness. Yeah. I saw the video.

I really don't care too much at this time about public hospital systems. A wild woman in the outback? How would that go over though? FTM I can kind of see but MTF? Would they want to kill me? I know how some redneck places are here in the US and some don't really care too much and each to their own and some have to make some stupid butt statement and try to hurt someone.

Or would it just be better to live in the big cities or towns?

I know you guys have road trains that run across the outback. How do those drivers feel about transgenders? Could I find a job driving or buy trucks to lease them on? Sorry. So many questions I know but I'm kind of looking for a change. Musician/driver, is there any way to make it in Australia?

I ain't worried about catching them as much as frying them up and eating them. Especially before they eat me.

I should just move to Canada. I believe their NHS covers trans-related costs.

No offense but I really think I would prefer Australia. Canada gets too cold in the winter. I don't know. Cindy may think I'm crazy and yeah I am but Australia? I won't mention the company but I drove for a company that hired a lot of "Kiwi" drivers and actually got busted for it. "Kiwi" for Aussie and New Zealand and those were the best drivers, at least one, that I ever knew. Sigh..... He weren't skeered of a transgirl truck driver, for sure. The only time I ever run team.

Quote from: Jess42 on September 18, 2014, 06:18:32 PM
No offense but I really think I would prefer Australia. Canada gets too cold in the winter. I don't know. Cindy may think I'm crazy and yeah I am but Australia? I won't mention the company but I drove for a company that hired a lot of "Kiwi" drivers and actually got busted for it. "Kiwi" for Aussie and New Zealand and those were the best drivers, at least one, that I ever knew. Sigh..... He weren't skeered of a transgirl truck driver, for sure. The only time I ever run team.

I live in Alaska so cold is no bother to me. I love cold and dark winters. Australia would be too hot and lacking in snow for me. Plus the MURDEROUS DEATHBEAST SPIDERS AND SNAKES!!

Seriously, jellyfish the size of pencil erasers that can kill you? Who the f*** comes up with that kind of thing??

Quote from: Jessica Merriman on September 18, 2014, 03:44:59 PM
OMG! I never even thought of what kind of shoes goes with the jumpsuits.  I must be losing it! 

Yup Sis, your losing your touch. Gotta have the right shoes. Can't run around those places barefoot and besides, as you know, shoes make the outfit, lol

Quote from: Jessica Merriman on September 18, 2014, 03:44:59 PM
That is a good idea Cindy! I have been polite with them so far and have not CAUSED any damage. Hmmmm. I will rethink and develop a new strategy. I knew I loved you for some reason! 

This^^___^^ is a great idea. Getting the medics involved would be a positive step. You tell me what I can do if anything to help. I'm not afraid of Orange either. Maybe we can be cellmates,lol! Just as long as I can bring those wedges Jess42 suggested. I want mine in black tho so they'll match my hair.

I was told tho by Miami TG Center at USF on Monday they would take my medicaid as long as I changed my HMO to United or Coventry. If I do this then no problem. It's just the distance I have to travel for consults and such. 5 hours one way plus the appointment will involve a motel room overnight in my case. I'm going to go ahead with scheduling tho cause I know the consequences if I can't have my SRS soon.

Ally

Quote from: Cindy on September 18, 2014, 03:34:25 PM
Just thinking of another approach. Try and get the medics involved, ask them to join the campaign, why will they not accept or take medicare. Get them to state that this is not cosmetic but life saving, go for the human rights issue. We have the medics on side in Aus, they are joining the fight to empower the community.

Ask Bowers, McGinn to fight with you, don't get them offside get them to join.

This I can answer easily.  Why would any doctor want to accept less than the procedure costs? Yet that is the amount that medicare is willing to pay. this is true not just for SRS but most medical procedures. They simply can not afford to take medicare patients when they would go broke by trying. Many will take a limited number and offset it out of their profits from other patients.

Even surgeons who know how important it is cannot not afford to do many surgeries at a loss.

Quote from: LordKAT on September 19, 2014, 02:50:23 AM

Quote from: Cindy on September 18, 2014, 03:34:25 PM
Just thinking of another approach. Try and get the medics involved, ask them to join the campaign, why will they not accept or take medicare. Get them to state that this is not cosmetic but life saving, go for the human rights issue. We have the medics on side in Aus, they are joining the fight to empower the community.

Ask Bowers, McGinn to fight with you, don't get them offside get them to join.

This I can answer easily.  Why would any doctor want to accept less than the procedure costs? Yet that is the amount that medicare is willing to pay. this is true not just for SRS but most medical procedures. They simply can not afford to take medicare patients when they would go broke by trying. Many will take a limited number and offset it out of their profits from other patients.

Even surgeons who know how important it is cannot not afford to do many surgeries at a loss.

My ignorance of the USA system is showing. What happens here is that medicare pays for a set amount and the medic can then charge a 'gap' fee on top to bring the cost up to their desired level, but the result is still that the client pays less than the full fee. Here in many cases our private insurance (which is just about compulsory) will then cover that gap fee.

So for example I pay 1.5% of my salary in compulsory medical insurance to the government that provides me with any service I need. My private insurance that costs me about $3000 a year covers the gap fees for most procedures. That private fee is on a sliding scale so you can choose what you want to be covered for.

Not sure if that makes sense?

So for my GCS I have to have done privately as the government won't cover GCS in the public hospital system - at the moment, I'm waging war over this - but I can recover about 60% from medicare, my surgeon can charge his fee on top of that which is covered by my private insurance. So in my case the out of pocket expense will be about $8-10k, too much but manageable.

Medicare people are told to get supplementary insurance because not all things are covered. Most do get it but it still doesn't cover SRS since private insurance doesn't usually cover that. that gap isn't exactly allowed. Usually there is a co pay which the co insurance will pay but they can not charge the patient more than the agreed amount which is less than the cost of the procedure.

Damn...reading through this stuff. It makes me thankful that I had my orchi done when I had better health insurance. I'm not gloating by the way. I'm just thankful that it worked out when it did. But, then again, I felt the same way about getting the hell out of high school before all of the school shootings started to happen. Jeez, things are just screwy.

Quote from: Laura Squirrel on September 19, 2014, 01:21:47 PM
I'm not gloating by the way.

We know that you silly squirrel! I am happy for those who have no problems and I think anyone here would be happy as well. When one of us is successful I feel we all share that a little. 

Quote from: Jessica Merriman on September 19, 2014, 01:26:38 PM
We know that you silly squirrel! I am happy for those who have no problems and I think anyone here would be happy as well. When one of us is successful I feel we all share that a little. 

Well, they weren't perfect. I remember fighting with these idiots for four months straight over them refusing to cover an anti depressant because they thought that it was "too expensive". Stupid schmucks.

Hi Jessica,

Yes this is a perfect example of why universal healthcare is the only way to go, and okay I'm British and our NHS looks on the surface like a giant black hole of debt, and a burden but it's made such a difference to so many people.  Despite this, I am riddled with guilt by my admiration for so many things American, in fact I used to have an aspiration to move to New England and raise a family back when I was probably 14 or so.  I was such a dreamer, and I'm so happy I snapped out of it.  Okay I'm not familiar with the American way of doing things.  Can you lobby the government or something?  Are there any trans advocacy groups in the area which you could approach for help?  I'm so sorry for you, I wish I could offer better support.  Look after yourself chick. 

Caitx

Quote from: Wynternight on September 18, 2014, 05:56:02 PM
I should just move to Canada. I believe their NHS covers trans-related costs.

Each province has its own health care system with some variations. Here in Ontario, surgery is covered but there's about a two year waiting list. The good news: Brassard is on the list of approved surgeons   HRT is not covered yet (until age 65, I believe) but most private insurance plans do cover it. I get 85% of my HRT costs paid for by my drug plan at work, that continues when I retire. For counseling, if you are referred to a psychiatrist by an MD, that is fully covered. My visits to the endocrinologist, blood tests, physicals, all of that covered as well by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). As far as our rights, currently they are guaranteed by the governments of Ontario, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories. There was a bill that passed in the Canadian House of Commons, but it was defeated in the Senate so it never got Royal Assent and thus there is no federal guarantee as such yet, but I suspect that will be revisited in the not too distant future. As you may already know, marriage in Canada is not restricted to hetero-cis people.
So yeah. Canada is progressing, it's a good place to be trans. Really, the winter isn't that bad.

Quote from: EllieM on September 19, 2014, 02:06:22 PM
So yeah. Canada is progressing, it's a good place to be trans. Really, the winter isn't that bad.

I grew up in the Detroit area, right on the border, and I've seen the houses in Montreal. There's a reason all of the porches and main entryways are on the second floor. Pull the other one! Anyway, it's hard to emigrate. I couldn't pull it off and I'm half Canadian. Dad was born in Toronto and his family's all over western Ontario. Beautiful country, though.

Quote from: EllieM on September 19, 2014, 02:06:22 PM
Each province has its own health care system with some variations. Here in Ontario, surgery is covered but there's about a two year waiting list. The good news: Brassard is on the list of approved surgeons   HRT is not covered yet (until age 65, I believe) but most private insurance plans do cover it. I get 85% of my HRT costs paid for by my drug plan at work, that continues when I retire. For counseling, if you are referred to a psychiatrist by an MD, that is fully covered. My visits to the endocrinologist, blood tests, physicals, all of that covered as well by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). As far as our rights, currently they are guaranteed by the governments of Ontario, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories. There was a bill that passed in the Canadian House of Commons, but it was defeated in the Senate so it never got Royal Assent and thus there is no federal guarantee as such yet, but I suspect that will be revisited in the not too distant future. As you may already know, marriage in Canada is not restricted to hetero-cis people.
So yeah. Canada is progressing, it's a good place to be trans. Really, the winter isn't that bad.

I'm Alaskan so winter means nothing but good times to me!

I wonder if there's a need for nurses in Ontario?

here's a starting point: http://ontarionursing.ca/

Sorry to be late to this thread. Reading the how "medically necessary" SRS , FFS or any treatment that is covered by WPATH in their terms.
I too have been taking with Doctors and Medicare Advantage plans in this area. Feeling the same thing no one has a clue how this is to work. How much medicare will cover. It is like limbo  . No real answers. Some insurances falling back on old polices on these very issues no new updates to what has been set forth. One of the updated 2015 medicare Advantage plans booklets I got said they do not cover sex changes. When I called them and pointed out that medicare covers these now what dose that mean If someone tired to fill a claim with this Medicare Advantage plan " IT WOULD BE DENIED!! This is a very sad time for all of us, but I hope this will be fixed and ANSWERS will come to all!!!

UPDATE:

Well it's official! No one in this %#$@@%^$^$%#%## Government knows what is going on-------at all! Politicians have no clue about what the trans care lifting allows, Lobbyist's don't care because there is no cash in it for them and even Medicare itself is clueless. I keep getting transferred to people even stupider than the one's who answer the phones. I kind of figured this going into this battle, but at least I held out some hope however small. Long story short I will be dead of old age before I am complete. Very angry now, must breathe!  Still trying though with the E-mails and calls. 

I guess it will take someone popular to make us visible. Anybody know Brad Pitt or Denzel Washington?