Help? SSI and changing gender/therapy/surgery

[Guest Arekkusu]

Hello there, I'm new and apologize in advance if I posted in the wrong forum.

I get $600 a month for all my living expenses from SSI. I'm allowed to only save $2,000 max, any more and my benefits are taken. I cannot work more than part time due to personal disabilities. I've recently found a gender therapist who I thought I could afford but it's costing me a good $60 per session, plus $20 gas money to get there and back home. My therapist was really strict that I see her every other week, but I can only afford once per month. I'm wondering if there are cheaper gender therapists or a way to convince her to charge less.

I'm worried about top surgery too, seeing as I won't be able to save more than $2,000 at any given time, how would I pay out of my income? I see top surgery range from $5,000 - $10,000. I feel sick worrying about this. I wonder if there is a way to get medical insurance to pay for it, or partially, since my situation has me in a corner. I don't know who to ask for help, as I'm without any support from family or friends. It seems daily I struggle with thoughts of self-harm and controlling my anxiety over my gender dysphoria.

~Arekkusu

[Carolyn Marie]

First off, please let me welcome you to the Playground. We'll do our very best to answer your questions.

Although $60 per session seems very reasonable, I can understand why it would still be a burden for you. If you live in or near a city, there may be government supported LGBT centers that offer therapy based on the ability to pay. There are also online gender therapists who may or may not charge less than $60. Your therapist works for you, hon, and if you tell her you can only afford to see her once per month, she is really obligated to do as you wish, unless she wants to drop you as a client because you won't bend to her wishes. That might be legal, but it would be reprehensible.

I wouldn't worry too much right now about surgery. If a surgeon followed the Standards of Care (SoC), they wouldn't likely do the surgery until you had been on HRT and were living full time as male for a year. That seems a ways off. Some insurance plans do cover top surgery, but finding a state supported plan (they call it MediCal in California) that covers it is more rare.

I hope that helps. Please post in the Introduction Forum when you get around to it, so everyone can meet you.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Arekkusu]

Thank you very much Carolyn, I'll be honest and say I didn't even expect a reply from anyone. I'm grateful you did. My depression has been pretty bad lately, so feeling hopeless and alone are common for me. I joined this site to try and combat that a little. I'll ask my gender therapist if she's willing to bend the price or maybe has another therapist she can refer me towards.

And I'll go work on an introduction now!

[Guest LizMarie]

There are organizations that can help those in financial need with surgery costs when the time comes, but as Carolyn noted, that seems a ways off for you yet. Good luck with your therapist, whether the current one or another!

[Guest Alexthecat]

You can't just keep cash at home and save it up until you have enough?

[Guest Arekkusu]

I have a representative-payee. Basically a person from the state holds onto my money until there is an expense, which they pay for with my benefits. I don't have access to my funds.

[Guest Melissa~]

Therapists are all over the map on pricing. My original is $180 for her 45 minutes, 53% of which is covered by my insurance.

Her replacement is $90 for 50 minute, 82% covered ($20 co pay only.)

They are not operating on quite the same level, and thats okay by me. The new therapist isn't as much of a gatekeeper.