In 20 hours I’m due for a hysterectomy (and my partner is as well) and our insurance company will NOT tell us whether or not we will be covered. This is an insurance company that advertises that they accept gender affirmation care claims.

We both went through the humiliating task of getting diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder (thereby medicalizing our own identities), and then getting letters of recommendation from TWO health professionals who each had to say that we were mentally sound and sure of our choices

We have just heard this morning that not only will they not give us an answer, but that they told our caseworker that they do not see this procedure as “medically necessary”.

We were also told this morning that if we go ahead and attempt to pay out of pocket before they authorize us, that gives the insurance company justification to refuse coverage. We followed all their directions. We did everything they asked. I am so angry, and so afraid.

If we reschedule and attempt to wait for the insurance (that we have already been working with on this issue for months now) we have no idea when we may be able to get this surgery.

In addition to relief from dysphoria, this surgery also is my best hope of reducing my debilitating hormone-influenced chronic migraines as well as my endometriosis, both of which severely restrict my functioning.

This is misogyny, this is transphobia, this is bigotry.

Please, please RT this and help us get someone’s attention. I’m sorry to ask this of y’all but I really am desperate. If my tweets have ever helped you here, please help me in return. Thank you.

@UnitedHealthGrp @UHC

FYI here’s their medical policy regarding gender affirmative care for proof:

https://www.uhcsr.com/media/852d755d-eeca-4d18-ab67-254f3478dea1

Update; on the phone now and have just been told my second letter don’t count because they are from licensed physicians and not behavioral health providers. This is NOT stated in policies, and again, we have been discussing this with them for MONTHS and they told us this ONLY NOW

19 hours until surgery and they JUST NOW are telling us they find this credential invalid. If we pay outright they’ll deny us. This is functionally loophole-rejecting us. I am so angry.

Now we are ALSO finding out that the behavioral health professional must be certified in treating gender dysphoria but no one will tell us how the company legally defines that

As if it’s so easy to find TWO behavioral health professionals both with specialties in gender dysphoria

My behavioral letter of recommendation was sent in from THE MEDICAL SPECIALIST who diagnosed me with gender identity disorder. How, legally, is her diagnosis acceptable but her recommendation for treatment not? @UHC @askUHC
This isn’t rhetorical, pls answer if anyone knows

Also separately but the person we spoke to for an hour wouldn’t stop interrupting me and literally hadn’t OPENED THE DOCUMENT she was telling us was rejected, and multiple times gave me incorrect info about what was wrong

18 hours to surgery; please RT.

Does anyone know of a lawyer who may specialize in issues similar to this who we could speak with?

Update: we have just learned that in order to keep our surgical appointment tomorrow we need to pay $6,000 today. And that there’s no chance that will be reimbursed fully. Because in order to get the surgery tomorrow we will have to classify it as “elective surgery”. Fuck.

Also because it will be reclassified as elective, all insurance will be voided. Meaning with hospital fees and such, it could be up to $40,000.
We can’t. We can’t do that. Fuck.
The next possible appointment isn’t for a month. I’m so angry. Fuck. Fuck.

Update: just got off the phone with our caseworker and she confirmed that the insurance company communicated NONE of these hidden requirements to them

The next time someone tells me that I’m only trans because of the pharmaceutical industry coercing me to be trans I’m going to actually lose my shit and scream this whole thread at them

Just found out that EVEN IF WE miraculously got letters we needed, the company is telling us that they would need TWENTY DAYS to read the document to correct THEIR MISTAKE of losing Em’s letter and not informing us UNTIL TODAY that my letter was invalid

I’m so fucking angry. I’m trying so hard not to just fall apart. And there’s nothing I can do. Nothing.
I feel so sick. I need it gone. I need it gone. My mental health is so bad right now. Intrusive thoughts of things that would maybe make a hysto “medically necessary” enough

Trying not to spiral thinking of having to wait another month. Can I even get off work again? We put a down payment on top surgery, will that be invalidated ?? Fuck! Fuck!

Sorry to be breaking down on main but I literally... I don’t even know what to do. There’s nothing. I can’t do anything. I’m just trapped in this horrible wrong fleshsuit and no one will even let me PAY them and BEG them to help me UNDERGO INVASIVE SURGERY and RECOVERY to escape.

I’m sorry. Thank you all for listening.
I’m so tired. How can we expect any trans person to survive.

Emery put it best. “I’m so tired of absolutely everything having to be a fight.”

Happy almost trans day of visibility everyone

Final update I guess: surgery hopefully April 23rd. We have to try again and hope it works this time. Gonna go get drunk in the hotel room we rented to cope regardless. Thank you all for your kind words.