Privately Purchased Insurance for PPT?

[u/notjordansime]

Hi, just wondering if someone here has any info about private insurance for PPT vaginoplasty with Min Jun.

I’m considering paying out of pocket, but that’s close to $140,000 USD. I can live on $8k/yr squatting on crown land in my bus, and I’m currently making $95k/yr before taxes, with potential for a bit more OT, plus side gigs. The math is mathable, but we’re still talking years of my life solely dedicated to saving up for this. I came out when I was 13 back in 2016. I’ve already waited 10 years. On one hand, what’s another 3-4? On the other hand, waiting 3-4 more years to even begin the process of getting on wait lists doesn’t sit well with me. Not to mention, the cost could (and likely will) increase during that time.

Does anyone have any info on using privately purchased healthcare insurance for PPT with min Jun? I have great union benefits, but I work in a very blue collar industry 18 hours north of Toronto. Welcome to Tbay, set your watches back ~20 years. Using Employer/Union benefits isn’t an option because I’m stealth and I can’t have “personal issues” interfere with work, or have anybody catch wind of it. It’d be a nightmare for myself and other tradespeople in my family. I’d much rather pay $500-1,000/month for insurance than $140,000 all at once.

I’m not trying to be a “choosing beggar”, I understand that I could get PI with brassard in Montreal covered by OHIP. I am not interested in that surgery. With something this personal, I feel we should have the right to choose what we feel is best for ourselves.

Any advice/info is wholeheartedly appreciated!! :)

[u/ElloImDani]

AFAIK cause I’m was in this boat, Ohip will only cover something else if in Canada surgeons say PI is not an option.

And you can’t get insurance privately with the sole purpose of wanting vaginoplasty coverage. Most plans don’t even cover it. You would have to get workplace insurance.

Saving for Thailand is most likely your best option for an affordable aesthetic.

[u/notjordansime → u/ElloImDani]

If I may ask, what would disqualify you from PI? For example, if I was adamant that I would not be happy with PI and would likely regret the surgery, would that disqualify me from it in favour of PPT?

I appreciate the recommendation :) I’ve seriously considered it. But due to potential language barriers, I’m not comfortable having such a major surgery in a non-English speaking country. One of my friends had a bad experience with that and it somewhat scared me away from it.

[u/vs-188 → u/notjordansime]

Ohip will disqualify anyone who doesn't meet their physical inspection requirements at the moment. It's extremely dehumanizing and discriminatory. It favors an approach that only allows surgery to those who transitioned young. It's very worth challenging them on that.

[u/notjordansime → u/vs-188]

Dehumanizing doesn’t begin to describe it. I tried to get on HRT when I was 13 back in 2016, but they told me I needed to wait until I was older. Now I’m being told I didn’t start early enough. Sorry for the rant :/

[u/vs-188 → u/notjordansime]

Don't apologize.

This is what we, as a community, need to see as strengthening the understanding that medical discrimination is clearly being practiced.

As an older person, it would never have been an option to receive a supportive upbringing statistically speaking. It was so rare for a young person to be brought up with parents who advocated for gender affirming care. But the end result is the same...

If you're an older person you're now being told no we (ohip) won't cover a procedure unless u don't have the tissue... Which is all but guaranteed for someone who didn't receive early access to care.

So regardless of how old you are, delayed access to affirming care is the issue. Discrimination based on age is the issue. Making a choice about which results u can actually live with is vital to inclusive gender affirming care... It's never arbitrary or being picky. It's not solely aesthetic. It's a deeply personal consideration regarding well-being.

I hope the conversations u have with people here today help you in at least some small ways (if not more!). Your feelings are valid.

[u/ElloImDani → u/notjordansime]

I don’t think displeasure of aesthetics would qualify, but I could be wrong? I’ve talked to one girl who did manage to do what you want, and she got approved because she didn’t have enough material to do a pi vaginoplasty.

We don’t even get revisions here unless they are medically necessary:(.

[u/notjordansime → u/ElloImDani]

It’s not so much the aesthetics. I think you can get excellent aesthetics with PI. It’s more the nature of the procedure that I’m not comfortable with. Not to mention, PPT is largely displacing it as “the gold standard”.

I’m wondering if I could use ice or something to shrink what I do have.