The cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) will depend on a few factors, such as the treatment method you use and the level of hormones you need in each dose. It's important to consider the side effects of this therapy so that your health and well-being are properly monitored throughout treatment. Both federal and state laws require that health plans cannot exclude transition-related care from their coverage or place limits on HRT coverage. Before you decide to opt for HRT, it's essential that you evaluate your financial situation and see if you qualify for Medicare or other financial assistance programs.
If you qualify for Medicare, your hormone therapy may be covered by Medicare Part D, since HRT is considered a prescription drug. The costs of prescription drugs for HRT can vary dramatically depending on the dosage form, the prescribed dosing regimen, and your insurance status. As a young transgender woman, nothing was more important to me than being able to integrate seamlessly into society. It's not just crucial for vanity reasons (what girl wants to look like a boy?) , but also for security reasons. Being trans often subjects you to discrimination, harassment, and physical assault.
The prices shown in these graphs are based on the prices listed by GoodRx for typical HRT maintenance regimens; however, the regimen you are prescribed may vary depending on your needs and the approach of your provider. You might be surprised to learn that you could pay less or about the same for granule therapy as for other treatments, and that this treatment has other benefits as well. It's important to talk to your healthcare provider to find the dose and formulation of HRT that best meet your needs. In most cases, before you can get a prescription for gender-affirming hormone therapy, your doctor will ask you to get a referral letter from a mental health professional. According to the World Association of Professionals for the Health of Transgender People (WPATH), this letter is a best practice that indicates that you have been properly evaluated and that you are ready to start HRT. If you are awarded a grant, you will have 12 months of HRT coverage for prescription drugs, consultations and laboratory services.
Deciding to continue hormone replacement therapy can be a difficult decision, and it's important to have health professionals to support you through the process. A year after undergoing gender reassignment surgery, I re-underwent facial feminization surgery, a set of reconstructive procedures that alter typical male facial features to bring them closer in shape and size to typical female facial features. In my personal experience, this is the surgery that changed my life the most.
