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How can I afford the costs of gender-affirming surgery?

This is one of the most common questions we get from prospective patients, which makes sense. It reflects one of the greatest barriers that our transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive community faces in accessing gender affirming surgical care. The GCC (Gender Confirmation Center) has a successful track record helping our patients afford their operations through community financing partnerships and insurance advocacy. Fees and financing for gender-affirming surgery can vary based on provider options, and in the case of an insurance denial, we have compiled this resource guide for free and affordable surgeries tailored for patients who ask us, “how much will top surgery, bottom surgery, facial surgery or body contouring procedure cost me?”

At the center of the GCC’s practice is our commitment to accessibility. Gender affirming surgeries are medically necessary for many members of the trans, non-binary, and gender expansive community. We strive to eliminate or reduce the barriers that patients might face in improving their quality of life through gender affirming care tailored to their specific needs and identities. Our insurance advocacy team and community financing partnerships are extensions of our medical team’s work to combat the historical exclusion in transgender healthcare of people who are neurodivergent, disabled, and/or have high BMIs.

If you have questions about securing insurance coverage for your surgery, click here.

Does the GCC offer free surgery?

Yes, but only through established nonprofit organizations that have developed expertise in assessing need and in the selection of applicants. Read below to learn more about this process.

How much will my gender-affirming surgery and surgical consultations cost?

The following costs are used to calculate general estimates for surgical procedures, which can be found below:

• Consultations before and follow-up appointments after surgery
• Surgeon’s Fee
• Operating room fees
• Anesthesia fee
• Implants and postoperative garments

Exact price quotations cannot be made online or over the telephone; however, as part of your consultation, you will find out the exact costs of the procedures. This is because at the GCC, we are committed to giving each patient’s goals, body type, and accessibility needs the specialized attention and care they deserve. During the pre-surgical consultation, you and your surgeon will decide what surgery techniques and accommodations will be necessary to achieve your goals. This will be reflected in the final procedure cost. Therefore, the costs outlined below are general estimates only.

* Price range is for cash pay rates only; insurance rates may differ

Please note that there is no fee for virtual or in-person consultations. If you see our surgeons as part of an insurance plan, the consultation will be charged in accordance with your insurance. For questions about the insurance coverage process, click here.

Additionally, we do not offer a cost estimate for phalloplasty procedures as we are not able to offer them to cash-pay patients at this time. The hospitals that the GCC works with only accept patients who are able to pay for a phalloplasty with insurance coverage. This means that we cannot provide quotes without processing an individual’s insurance claim first, as the patient’s share of cost will vary from plan to plan.

When do I need to pay for surgery?

Please note that all patients are expected to cover their financial responsibility for their procedures 6 weeks prior to their surgery date. Failing to do so will risk the cancellation of your procedure. For cash-pay patients, you will be asked to pay the total cost by this date. For patients with insurance coverage, you will only need to pay your out-of-pocket expenses by this deadline.

To lower the barriers to access, we offer patients the ability to make multiple payments before this deadline you can read about below:

Are consultations free with the GCC (Gender Confirmation Center)?

Yes! At the GCC, we do not charge patients for consultations, virtual or in-person, with our surgeons. We recognize that many trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming patients experience immense financial barriers to accessing medically necessary gender-affirming care. In addition to offering our consultations free of charge, we provide a free insurance concierge service that has successfully secured insurance coverage for over 90% of interested patients. To schedule a free surgical consultation, click here.

Cancellation fees:

Our goal at the GCC (Gender Confirmation Center) is to provide you with high-quality gender-affirming care in a timely manner. To help us do this, we have implemented the following rescheduling and cancellation policy for surgical procedures. By following these guidelines, you can help us better serve you and other patients by keeping appointment slots available for our community.

We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, and you may need to reschedule or cancel your surgery. However, to ensure efficient use of resources and minimize disruptions to our schedule, a flat fee of $720 will be charged if you cancel or reschedule within 41 days of your scheduled surgery date. This fee may be waived in certain extenuating circumstances if evidence is provided.

We value the importance of early communication and understand that plans may need to change. Therefore, there are no fees or penalties for rescheduling or canceling your surgery if the requests are made 42 days or more before your scheduled surgery date. This allows us to make necessary adjustments to our schedule and offer the surgery date to another patient who needs it.

Does the GCC (Gender Confirmation Center) provide free surgeries?

Yes, thanks to our established partnerships with many nonprofit organizations, the GCC is able to provide surgeries pro bono or free of cost to some of our patients. We collaborate with organizations such as Point of Pride, the Jim Collins Foundation, and Genderbands because of their developed expertise in assessing need and selecting applications. Patients still pass through the regular surgical consultation process after they are first selected by the organization. Our clinical team confirms their candidacy for surgery as a second step. You can learn more about our three grant partnerships below:

Point of Pride

Point of Pride is a foundation that offers an annual gender affirming surgery grant. It is a scholarship-like program that provides direct financial assistance to trans, non-binary, and gender expansive folks who cannot afford their gender-affirming surgery.

The Jim Collins Foundation

The Jim Collins Foundation is a community-based initiative that raises money to fund gender affirming surgeries for gender diverse people who need surgery to live a healthy life but are unable to pay for it themselves. Their grant application cycle is annual; in other words, it is open once a year during the summer. Prospective patients may choose between applying for the General Fund, which covers 100% of surgical costs, or the Krysallis Anne Hembrough Legacy Fund, which covers 50% of costs and requires the patient to match the other 50%. All grantees are required to comply with the WPATH Standards of Care upon selection. For more information about the Jim Collins Foundation grant, click here.

Genderbands

Genderbands is an international nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that serves the transgender, gender non-conforming, and other gender-diverse communities. Their surgery grant application is available in English and Spanish and also occurs on an annual cycle. Grant applications are open from November 1 to December 31 every year. For more information, click here.

Summary: If I don’t have health insurance, how can I pay for surgery?

In the following video, Dr. Mosser (he/him) answers this question for our patients, summarizing the information above: