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The Cost of FTM or FTN Top Surgery
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The emotional and psychological benefits of female-to-male (FTM) or female-to-nonbinary (FTN) top surgery are unequivocally real and life changing. Just ask anyone who has already undergone the procedure. My patients share this with us all the time.
In order to be able to undergo either FTM or FTN top surgery, there will be expenses that you will be faced with. Knowing what your ultimate financial responsibilities are will allow you to plan and prepare accordingly.
What Determines Your Cost for FTM/FTN Top Surgery?
Your out-of-pocket costs for top surgery will be determined by whether or not you have health insurance and, if you do, if FTM and FTN gender-affirming top surgery are covered procedures. Without insurance coverage, expect that your out-of-pocket costs will be substantially higher.
If you have health insurance that will cover FTM/FTN top surgery
Virtually all major insurance companies have plans that include gender-affirming surgery as a benefit. However, not all plans do provide coverage so you may want to check your policy for a transgender healthcare clause.
If your plan does offer coverage, you still will need to fulfill their requirements in order to obtain authorization for surgery. One of these is a letter from your therapist that includes a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
Each plan has its own fee schedule. This will ultimately determine what costs you will be responsible for related to your surgery. Your plastic surgeon’s office can obtain this information for you from your insurance company.
If you have health insurance that does not cover FTM/FTN top surgery
If you have health insurance but it does not cover gender-affirming care, then you will be paying all costs out of pocket. Having health insurance in this situation is effectively irrelevant.
If you do not have health insurance
If you do not have health insurance, then you will be paying all costs associated with your procedure. This will include the surgical fee, anesthesiologist cost, outpatient or hospital facility fees, pathology and medication costs. The amount of each of these fees is quite variable and dependent on numerous factors, including the individual plastic surgeon and the specific area you are contemplating having surgery.
What Is the Private Pay Cost for FTM/FTN Top Surgery?
The private pay cost (you pay the whole amount of surgery yourself) is extremely variable, being affected by numerous factors. These would include:
- Plastic surgeon’s fees
- Outpatient or hospital facility fees. Outpatient center fees are usually substantially less expensive than those of hospitals.
- Anesthesia fees. Anesthesiologist (MD/DO) versus CRNA (nurse anesthetist)
- Particular locations. Costs vary tremendously depending on the particular areas of the country as well as in different cities and communities.
- Medication costs
- Specific FTM/FTN procedure to be done
- Individual patient characteristics such as obesity
Though this is by no means accurate or very useful, the range of the cost of FTM/FTN surgery in the United States may be between $7,000 and $17,000 or more.
Paying for Your FTM or FTN Top Surgery
If you don’t have insurance coverage for your top surgery, the cost of paying for it yourself can be a barrier—often a quite significant one. Fortunately, there are some options available that can help make this transformation affordable to pursue. The following may be sources of the funds needed for payment for your top surgery.
Personal Savings, Including Investments
If you have the money, whether in savings or checking accounts or investments, then you are quite ready to pursue your top surgery financially. For many, however, this is not their reality, so other options have to be considered.
Credit Cards
If you have credit cards with a significant line of credit, this can be a source of at least some of the funds for surgery. The downside to this is that the interest rates on money used this way can be exorbitant—upwards of 25% per year.
Loans or Contributions from Family and Friends
Family members and friends can also be a source of funds for your surgery—either as contributions or as loans.
General Line of Credit
Using a general line of credit is another source of funds but is an unlikely option for most pursuing surgery and for several reasons.
Medical Loans and Lines of Credit
Medical loan companies offer financing for surgeries and medical treatments. These loans have flexible terms, and some even have low or 0% interest introductory periods. Two of the more commonly used ones are:
Grants and Scholarships
There are grants and financial assistance available for transgender and gender nonbinary people seeking gender-affirming surgeries. Some of these are:
- Point of Pride
- Jim Collins Foundation
- Transgender Surgery Funds (through various LGBTQ+ organizations)
Quality Over Cost: FTM and FTN Top Surgery
When purchasing items in a store or online, you typically want to go with the lowest price, everything else being equal. Why pay $4.25 for a gallon of milk when another store has it for $2.89?
The same, however, does not and should not apply when selecting a plastic surgeon for your top surgery.
Don’t select a plastic surgeon based solely on price—that is, the cheapest one. If your surgeon is great and is not the most expensive—then you are even luckier. By the same token, the highest priced one doesn’t mean that they are the best (perhaps in their own mind!).
You want to seek a reputable and experienced plastic surgeon who has excellent results that you like as the one to do your surgery. They should also be board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Your long-term satisfaction and safety are worth the investment.
Dr. Steven H. Turkeltaub is a plastic surgeon who is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery with years of experience performing top surgery for transgender and gender nonbinary individuals in Phoenix, Scottsdale, throughout all of Arizona and elsewhere.
Your Consultation
To schedule an in-depth consultation with Dr. Turkeltaub for top surgery, please call us at (480) 451-3000 or complete our online contact form.