This blog lists five ways to overcome some common barriers to healthcare that transgender people face. When you are searching for gender-affirming healthcare as a transgender, nonbinary, or genderqueer person, you might have to contend with barriers that cisgender patients do not. Because of this, your plan for navigating barriers may take you in unexpected directions. This blog is a guide to those options, for people who need help navigating a medical system that is not set up to support transgender folks.
Each person’s experience may be unique, but we all deserve to feel supported as we navigate the medical care system. For transgender, genderqueer, and nonbinary people, seeking and accessing healthcare comes with its own challenges. Some of these barriers can feel relatively minor, such as paperwork that doesn’t offer a space for our pronouns or gender marker. Other times, the barriers are high and dangerous. Transgender people report discrimination, transphobia, and even violence in hospitals and clinics—experiences that nobody should experience, especially not in the vulnerable space of a healthcare setting.
Below, you’ll find five suggestions for finding a trans-inclusive medical provider, connecting with affordable resources, and other ways to get better care and overcome the barriers to healthcare for transgender people.
Five ways to get better care and overcome the barriers to healthcare for transgender people
We take care of us—so whatever path you choose, know that you are not alone. We know it can be hard to know where to start or who to trust. However, we also know you can overcome those barriers and get exactly what you need to become your most authentic self. You can improve your healthcare experience by finding allies and supportive resources within the system. Here are five suggestions:
1. Find a provider who knows their stuff.
You deserve to work with a doctor who you don’t have to educate about your needs. Trans-inclusive providers should feel safe, experienced, and culturally competent. The WPATH directory is a great place to start if you are looking for medical care and providers with experience treating our community. You can search by location or area of expertise, which is helpful if you have a specific need.
2. Go-go-government insurance.
If you want health insurance but you’re unemployed, freelancing, or low-income, check out your options at the Healthcare Marketplace. This insurance portal helps you find insurance that is priced based on your income. It can also guide you through your state’s Medicare or Medicaid application. So you know, the Affordable Health Act (ACA) bans discrimination by qualified health providers, including physicians, hospitals, and clinics, on the basis of gender. That protection extends to insurance as well. Starting in 2014, the ACA prohibited insurers from denying coverage to individuals on the basis of their gender identity. Also in 2014, the US Department of Health and Human Services lifted a ban on Medicare coverage for gender-affirming surgery, which had been in place since 1989.
3. Bring a friend to your doctor’s appointments.
If you have a trusted friend, partner, relative, or ally who will agree to go with you to a new clinic—take them along. Many trans people carry years of trauma from trying to interface with the medical system. This experience can be discouraging and overwhelming. Having a friend in your corner who can support you while you ask questions and interact with medical staff can help. You deserve to feel safe and heard when you are in a medical provider’s office.
4. Try telehealth.
For many trans people, telehealth has been a life-changing option. Instead of driving hours to see a medical provider, waiting months for an appointment, or paying costly fees to get your basic needs met, telehealth is faster, often less expensive, and easier to use. Telehealth connects trans people with care providers who are compassionate and culturally competent. Many clinics now offer telehealth options and here at Plume all patients can access care via an app on their phones.
5. Pledge to take the US Trans Survey in 2022.
When you pledge to take the USTS, you are helping improve care for everyone in our community. The survey is easy and anonymous. It will come out later this year, in 2022. This survey is important because is shows what transgender people really experience. It gives us a chance to speak for ourselves! Sharing your feedback creates the data that decision-makers need to serve transgender people better.
At Plume, our priority is to help you get what you need
We founded Plume because we know how daunting, exhausting, and costly accessing hormones can be. Our vision is to transform healthcare for every trans life and reduce every barrier we can to provide you with expert, affirming, and reliable care.
If you choose to use Plume, you can bypass many common barriers that transgender patients experience in mainstream healthcare. Our telehealth care model doesn’t require insurance. Our intake forms are gender-expansive and include multiple options for pronouns, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Our trans-led care team shares many of the lived experiences you’ve had, too. We can order lab tests, offer care to help you feel your best, and prescribe medications—which you can opt to have delivered to you. While we do not offer surgery, we can connect you with low-cost and scholarship options such as the Point of Pride Annual Trans Surgery Fund. They also have an HRT Access Fund for folks who want to use gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT).
Whatever your goals or individual needs, Plume’s priority is making sure you have the medications and mental health support you need to thrive. We believe that every transgender person deserves to live in a way that is true to themselves. We are dedicated to improving healthcare for all trans people. Currently, Plume is available in 41 states, and we plan to be in all 50 by early next year. Our virtual clinic is a safe space where you can feel seen and heard—by providers who truly understand your gender journey. In all we do, we aim to close the gap between the healthcare you need and the community who nurtures you.
If you have additional questions about gender transition, your health needs, or anything else, you can learn more about signing up and getting started with Plume. Already a member? You can always reach out to your trans-led care team of medical experts at Plume. We are also working on creating spaces where you can connect with other trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer folks. Our blog, social media, and newsletter are all packed with free, accessible resources that you can use any time to learn about GAHT, too.
Plume provides gender-affirming care to trans and nonbinary people in 41 states across the United States (and growing). Learn more about our services here.
