Gender-Affirming Letters of Readiness

If you are seeking gender affirming surgery, or hormone replacement therapy, you will likely be required to provide a letter of readiness to your provider that will inform the provider or surgeon and insurance company about the type of services, HRT therapy, or surgery you are seeking, why you are seeking this type of care, and a psychosocial history that supports the need for the HRT, surgery, or other gender-affirming care.  

OUR PROCESS

Any adult individual seeking a Gender Affirming Letter of Readiness can do so one of two ways: Establish ongoing mental health care with one of our providers (in which case documentation will be provided as a part of your care plan for no additional fee), or meet with one of our therapists for a minimum of one 50-90 minute consultation where you will receive a thorough mental health assessment, and a letter for your provider to provide evidence for the necessity of your gender-affirming care HRT, top-surgery, bottom-surgery, etc.).

  • On occasion a therapist may request additional sessions to obtain the needed information to support completing your letter.

  • Following the completion of session(s) which includes a bio-psychosocial assessment, the therapist will complete the letter in an agreed upon time frame, typically within 30 days. *This process can be expedited for an additional fee.

  • Your services include at least one session and allows for the cost of the evaluation and the letter writing to be covered.

One time Fee for Gender-Affirming Letter of readiness (including mental health evaluation) $300

What Letters may include

  • A statement reflecting your desire to undergo gender-affirming surgery

  • An confirmation of your understanding of the effect of gender-affirming surgery or procedure

  • A statement of your ability to consent to the procedure

  • Any necessary clearance from other mental health or medical conditions that could negatively affect the outcome of the gender-affirming surgery

  • An assessment that you are doing well on all your medications (including if you are taking hormones or other medications) if you are taking any.

  • A psychosocial history of experience with gender

  • An evidence-based clinical opinion for probable outcome of your receiving gender-affirming HRT, surgery, or other necessary care.

INSURANCE AND DIAGNOSTIC CODES

It is usually required by both your medical provider as well as your insurance provider for a letter to include a medical diagnostic code for “gender dysphoria” in order to cover transition-related care as medically necessary. You may not fit this diagnostic code exactly, but in some cases, the code is needed in order for insurers to pay for the surgery. A good example of this might be a letter for a person who identifies as nonbinary who may not have specific dysphoria related to one gender or the other. In circumstance such as this, they might still need a gender dysphoria diagnostic code attached in order for insurance to cover the surgery.

Whatever the barrier, our professionally trained providers are qualified and ready to meet people wherever they are in their journey of self-actualization, self-acceptance, and moving toward a more authentic you.

Contact Us

This is what you have been waiting for. Contact us to schedule your evaluation today!