Insurance and HRT?

[modernist (imported)]

Does anyone know how insurance treats HRT for eunuchs? Context: I corresponded with Dr. Arnkoff's office by email and they sound fairly receptive to my reasons for surgery. I've been on blockers before and liked what I felt, and plan to do another trial in the fairly near future to double check (Cyproterone is expensive!). However, if I am castrated, I will still want to be able to control the T in my body - to keep up my energy and bone density. Anyone have experience with getting insurance to cover HRT after voluntary castration?

[raymar2020 (imported)]

Why would you volunteer that you were castrated by choice? If you are not local to Dr. Arnoff, then there is no reason that you need to reveal that you chose to be castrated. To get T , you need only to see your regular doctor, although an endocrinologist is a good idea.

Say to the doctor what you choose, I had an accident , and they removed them, I had a serious cancer risk , and removal was advised, they were a congenital issue.

Injectable testosterone is actually pretty cheap. Under 50.00 a month without insurance. Its the gel products that are crazy expensive. Insurance does NOT like to provide self injected products to patients, but with a letter from a doctor they will. I found it really funny that when Androgel stopped being as effective for me, and I asked to go back to shots, that insurance preferred to pay the higher price for Androgel.

Raymar

[modernist (imported)]

Thanks, practical advice! Just looking to the future. Good point, they really have no reason to know it was voluntary. Heh.

[Uncle Flo (imported)]

I don't know about Ohio but, some states do not allow insurers and providers to treat self imposed conditions any differently than they treat naturally occurring conditions. You might want to check out how your state deals with this. --FLO--

[Riverwind (imported)]

With the VA its a NO. final answer.

River

[Eddie (imported)]

With the VA its a NO. final answer.

I'm with the VA and get my Androgel thru them for 10 years now monthly for a $8 copay.

[scarnick (imported)]

I was on HRT prior to castration, due to low T levels. My insurance did agree to cover it and has continued the coverage for almost 6 years, now. They did require the doctor to complete forms certifying the need, however that was all in place prior to my castration.

[daifu-orchid (imported)]

Yes, my HRT is covered by BCBS and seems to be no problem. My PCP checks the T-levels from time to time and it all seems no problem. The expense is relatively small as it comes to just 2 small injections a month from a vial that lasts 5 months. Full price for the vial would be about $100, and I pay just $20 with the insurance.

Maybe if i wanted to slather myself daily with the expensive t-goop, they might want papers, and forms, and goodness knows what else besides!

[kristoff]

Yes, my HRT is covered by BCBS and seems to be no problem. My PCP checks the T-levels from time to time and it all seems no problem. The expense is relatively small as it comes to just 2 small injections a month from a vial that lasts 5 months. Full price for the vial would be about $100, and I pay just $20 with the insurance.

Maybe if i wanted to slather myself daily with the expensive t-goop, they might want papers, and forms, and goodness knows what else besides!

Full price of a vial that size should rarely ever exceed $60.00, and $5 for a 10 pack of syringes.

[cheetaking243 (imported)]

Hormones are a touch-and-go matter. Some cover them fully, some won't cover them at all. Getting testosterone HRT covered really shouldn't be that hard, though, because it is deemed much more of a medical necessity than, say, transgender hormones. When I visited my doctor in Columbus, what he said to me would seem to indicate to that getting gender-appropriate hormones is indeed usually covered by insurance. Because when he gave me my prescription for estradiol, he said "this might not be covered by your insurance since you're still listed as male legally." This would seem to indicate to me that hormones which do match the sex on your records are indeed usually covered.