Everyone who is able to fight through it cracks the door open a little wider for the next person. Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS) is a group of facial procedures that alter the face to create more classically feminine characteristics, such as a higher brow, a more refined feminine nose, and less pronounced Adams apple. Received for publication February 2, 2021; accepted February 27, 2021. These procedures may include: Tummy tuck, called abdominoplasty. With a view to clarifying this issue and answering frequently asked questions, we have compiled the following information in an effort to not only outline how Deschamps-Braly Clinic handles finance and insurance coverage but to also provide general information about how to approach your own health insurance company regarding the cost of your facial feminization. Facial feminization surgery (FFS) involves a comprehensive set of procedures to make your face appear more feminine. According to the Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery,. Historically, FFS hasn't been covered by health insurance or government healthcare. No. This denial should also lay out your options for appeal- both internal (basically, asking the insurance company to reconsider) and external. The pre-surgical authorization process for patients in Groups B and C, constituting 60.8% of all private insurance patients in our cohort, is highly time-consuming due to the individual review periods required for each level. They will need letters of support from you for the preauthorization, following WPATHs Standards Of Care. I always advise people to try with the insurance they have before they switch to another plan. For self-pay patients, cost will frequently dictate the operative and postoperative setting such that patients may be preferentially or solely performed in an outpatient setting. FGCS is a treatment for gender dysphoria related to the secondary sex characteristics in the face, not a treatment for anxiety caused by the experience of having gender dysphoria or being a transgender person in an unkind world. 50% of transgender women either had or wanted facial feminization (surgery to make a face appear more feminine). She has the skill and artistry to help produce the aesthetic goals that transgender and non-binary patients seek with Top Surgery, Breast Augmentation and Facial Gender Confirmation Surgery. Private insurances included health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organization. Only patients with insurance authorization decisions were included in this study (n = 40). Try your local trans advocacy groups, LGBTI legal services, support group, etc. The total costs of your Facial Feminization Surgery will be determined by the staff of the University of Miami. Staying in the hospital: Your procedure may be performed in a hospital or outpatient center. For example, there are now many hospitals across the . Post Surgery Recovery. https://links.lww.com/PRSGO/B648.). Padula WV, Heru S, Campbell JD. A total of 33 patients between 19 and 40 years of age were referred for facial feminization surgery between January of 2003 and December of 2013, for a total of 180 procedures. Every insurance company is "difficult" to work with. For people without local connections, the facebook group, " FFS Facial Feminization Surgery / Transgender TG TS " and the FFS Forums on susans.org are good places to seek community support as well. Dr. Mangubat is a board-certified cosmetic surgeon in the Seattle area who has been performing transgender surgery procedures for over twenty years. 2018 Physician Compensation Report. Tijuana, Cancun, Mexicali, and Monterrey are some of the more popular cities in Mexico for medical tourism and the flowing procedures: Dental treatments including dental surgery. She believes in a shared vision and works closely with her patients to deliver the best quality care that is in line with their needs. Initially, you would need to be seen in the office for an examination/consultation to determine the scope of yoursurgeryto determine the exact cost of your facial feminization. Gender-Affirming Surgery: Original Article. Upon denial, an IMR is requested directly from the insurance plan. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. These surgeries can reduce the size and shape of the forehead, alter and refine the nose, make the lips fuller and . As much as possible, Dr. Salgado will do what he can to keep costs at a minimum. to maintaining your privacy and will not share your personal information without 6. Surgical techniques and analysis of results. The blossoming of academic medical centers offering transgender surgical care also means that more well respected surgeons, with appropriate craniofacial and maxilliofacial reconstructive training, are able to do procedures through insurance. Despite improved insurance coverage for gender confirmation surgeries in the United States, coverage for facial feminization surgery (FFS) continues to be difficult. Out-of-pocket costs for FFS. FFS may include a brow lift, cheek augmentation, rhinoplasty, and lip augmentation. Referral letters and supporting documentation should be sent to: UCSF Gender Affirming Health Program 1725 Montgomery St. Suite 250 San Francisco, CA 94111 Phone: 415-885-7770 Fax: 415-353-3399 transcare@ucsf.edu However, California state law stipulates gender non-discrimination in health insurance, thus, Medi-Cal covers all procedures performed specifically for the purposes of gender affirmation. Facial feminization surgery (FFS) is a group of cosmetic procedures that reconstruct facial features that appear masculine and alter them to become more feminine. Requires supporting documentation that indicates specific type of FFS procedures requested. He has been performing gender surgery since 2005. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open9(5):e3572, May 2021. Plans that fall into this group include Medi-Cal, Medicare, and some private insurance plans. Among the 26 patients (65.0%) who underwent the standard approval process, 13 patients had Medi-Cal, 4 patients had Medicare, and 9 patients had private insurance. Unlike California-insured plans, job-based plans which are self-insured, also called Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)-plans, a second-level, patient-initiated appeal is typically required. I can't guarantee that you'll achieve coverage, but depending on how your insurance benefits are regulated and the support resources you have access to, it's definitely worth trying. ENQUIRE NOW. Jess Ting - Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery | Mount Sinai - New York Home Profiles Mount Sinai Doctors Video Visit Available Accepting New Patients Jess Ting, MD Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 4.6 Star s | 32 Responses CTMS 212-870-8270 View location details Book an Appointment About Me Clinical Focus Video Education & Certifications Awards Dr. Thomas Satterwhite Some people stress additional mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, ptsd) in these letters. There are a few limitations in this study that deserve mention. Resources in other locations are variable, but I'm attempting a general starter guide to FGCS through insurance. Dr. Harris is a highly skilled, board-certified Surgeon in the Dallas area who has been developing an international reputation for transgender surgery. This work was supported by the Bernard G. Sarnat Endowment for Craniofacial Biology (JCL) and the Jean Perkins Foundation (JCL). Dr. Hadeeds practice now has two locations: Beverly Hills, California and Miami, Florida. A Systematic Review of Tranexamic Acid in Plastic Surgery: Whats New? J Gen Intern Med. 2018; 153:609616. Dr. Hadeed is a board-certified surgeon who specializes in Transgender Surgery, including chest/breast procedures, facial surgeries and body sculpting for both trans men and women. Please read a few important elements consider when booking. However, its important to be aware that the terms and conditions of many insurance policies do not recognize coverage for the cost of FFS, or may exclude coverage for the services provided to you. This guide is 201 level, geared towards those who find themselves covered with an ACA exchange plan or private insurance, as Medicaid processes are much more state specific. He joined the Austin branch of the Crane Center for Transgender Surgery in 2021, where he offers Top Surgery and Breast Augmentation, Facial Feminization and Vaginoplasty. Facial feminization is the term given to a collection of procedures designed to make facial features more feminine. These delicate procedures change the male facial patterns to a softer, feminine appearance. Facial feminization surgery can be covered by health insurance in some instances. The average cost of facial feminization surgery (FFS) is $34,504, according to 213 reviews from RealSelf members. Braun TL, Braun JL, Hernandez C, et al. Los Angeles, CA: University of California, Los Angeles School of Law; 2019. Among the various gender-affirming procedures, facial feminization surgery (FFS) is arguably the most commonly denied surgery, as insurance companies often deem the involved procedures as cosmetic and not medically necessary. Known for her surgical skill and artistry, Dr. Nghiems patients also love her kind and caring demeanor. School-Based Dental Sealants; Licensed Rhode Island Dentists. Please keep track of the mail being sent to the address on file with insurance, as you often are only able to appeal within certain time frames from the initial decision. He works exclusively with trans women, trans men and non-binary patients seeking gender-affirming surgeries, including Phalloplasty, Vaginoplasty and Facial Feminization. Both of these methods are. Group A averaged 1.1 months for approval, requiring 1.4 hours of administrative time translating to $38.18 per patient. Dr. Youssef is a top Cosmetic Surgeon in the greater Los Angeles area and Director of the Transgender Surgery Institute of Southern California. Plast Reconstr Surg. These investigators reported patient satisfaction following facial feminization surgery, including outcome measurements after forehead slippage and chin re-modeling. However, some insurers are beginning to cover FFS from select surgeons. We identified 3 subsets of authorization processes, which partially correlated to the types of insurance plans of the respective patients. We identified all patients with gender dysphoria consulted for FFS under a single surgeon (JCL) at the University of California Los Angeles between January 2018 and February 2020 (n = 55). The differences between male and female facial features vary with age, ethnicity, and how early hormonal therapy began. These are difficult to quantify as our institutional billing activities are centralized and carried out by multiple administrators. Forehead (frontal bone recontouring, recontouring of superior orbital rim, hairline lowering). Thirdly, it is likely that the current work underestimated the total cost of the insurance approval process, as we could not quantify the cost of surgery cancelations, additional clinic visits, and unquantifiable administrative time. FFS consults (n = 40) at the University of California, Los Angeles (20182020) were reviewed for time and cost to definitive insurance authorization decision. FFS can include hairline lowering, jaw reduction, rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), eyelid surgery, face or neck lift, and other facial changes. Also referred to as Facial Gender Confirmation Surgery (FGCS), these procedures are becoming more and more popular, and increasingly are covered by insurance.