21 Jul Healthxare Resources and HRT for the Transgener Community in Washington State
Hi Everyone,
You know that we want you to be healthy and safe. To help you with your health care journey we are creating a list, by state, of health care organizations that serve the transgender, nonbinary, gender queer and non-conforming community. While we are creating this site for you, we are also doing this weekly post on health care. While it’s nice to have a list, in these posts we can also give you a few details on what each of the organizations we post actually do. We’ll just go through the states alphabetically, unless you send us a note and request a particular state and we’ll move requests to the top of the list.
This week we are covering Washington state which has an abundance of resources. Many resources across the country are, to their credit, creating comfortable places for transitional medicine as well as routine proactive health maintenance and interventionary health care. We will try to highlight what is offered in each case.
If you still can’t find the health care you need, drop us a note on FB (B.UR.SLF LLC), instagram/ twitter @burslfllc or email burslfllc@gmail.com and we will see what we can do to help.
This week we are covering resources in Washington state.
Washington
UW Medicine (Website – Care Transformation -Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Care, FB – @UWMedicine, IG – @uwmedicine, #uwmedicine)
The vision of UW Medicine is to provide patient-centered and gender-affirming care to UW Medicine patients, UW Medicine is striving to create an integrated program for transgender and gender nonbinary people which incudes gender-affirming HRT, primary care, fertility and reproductive care, urologic condition care, orchiectomies and hysterectomies and externally coordinated behavioral care,
Payment Otptions: UW Health accepts commercial insurance, govertment plans and click the link billing and insurance for more information.
UW Medicine has several locations in and around Seattle, including 4 medical centers, Harborview, Northwest, Mountlake (main campus), Valley (Renton) and 14 neighborhood clinic. click the link for more info on locations
Age limitations for various services are not obvious, call provider for guidance.
QueerDoc /Telehealth (Website – Queer and Gender Confirming Medicine Online, FB – queerdoc, IG – @queerdoc)
QueerDoc offers queer and gender diverse medical care online gender-affriming HRT, puberty blockers, PrEP, STI screening, contraception, medical and surgical referals and gender marker change consultation. – ALL ONLINE via TELEHEALTH. Set up a free 15 minute consultation by pushing the Request Appointment button.
Payment Options: Queerdoc charges are fully transparent and posted on the website at the pricing tab.
Since QueerDoc is a telehealth service, QueerDoc serves ALL of Washington state.
Services from QueerDoc are open to patients of all ages.
Virginia Mason (Website – Transgender Health, FB – VMCares, IG – @virginiamasonfranciscanhealth)
Virginia Mason provides both adult and pediatric transgender health. Both programs provide gender-affirming HRT, puberty blockers and primary care.
Primary care for adults includes, among other services, sexual healthcare includes STD/HIV testing and treatment and PrEP, pap smears breast/chest exams, urology, management of chronic health conditions. Pediatric primary care inlcudes, among other services, puberty blockers and menstrual suppression.
Additional transgender health services includes gender-confirming plastic and reconstructive surgery including masculizing and feminizing top surgery, body contouring, facial plastic surgery, revision surgery, also voice transformation, partial and full hysterectomies, and infertility evaluation and treatment.
Payment Options: Virginia Mason accepts insurance insurance and grants financial assistance. on the basis of eligibility and income.
Virginia Mason has several locations.
Virginia Mason provides both pediatric and adult transgender health care services, check with VM for age limitations on services.
Kaiser Permanente (Websites – Gender Health Program and Teen and Young Adult Transgender Clinic, FB – @KaiserPermanenteWA, IG – @kp_washington)
Kaiser Permanente Washington strives to deliver quality gender-affirming care with dignity and sensitivity to our transgender and gender non-conforming patients inlcuding gender-affirming HRT, pubertal suppression (for adolescents), menstrual suppression, primary and preventative care, some gender-affirming surgies (top surgery, facial surgery, testicle removal), family medicine and other services. by in-house physicians and surgical evaluations for partner plastic surgeons.
Adolescent Medicine for pediatric and adolescent patients includes the whole family in their model for care and offers puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and referrals for surgery.
Coaching on speech and communication techniques is also offered by speech pathologists.
Payment Options: Kasier Permanente accepts insurance and can help you apply for financial assistance for eligible patients. You can learn more about patient financial responsibility and help with financial aid by reading a pdf in your preferred language at the patient finacial responsibility link.
Kaiser Permanente has a network of care givers and care options various locations in Northwest Washington, Central Washington, Eastern Washington, the Coastal and Olympic region, and Puget Sound. Use the get care search function to find the right option and location.
Kaiser Permanente has health care for adults, adolescents and children, check with the provider for age limitations for services.
Cedar River Clinics (Websites – LGBTQ Wellness and Transgender Services , FB – CedarRiverClinics, IG – none found)
Cedar River Clinics offer many services inlcuding primary & wellness care, sexual healthcare, hormone therapy, HIV testing, STD testing and treatment, birth control, insemination services, referrals for gender-confirmation surgeries and follow-ups, and many other services.
Payment Options: Cedar River Clinics accepts insurance for telemedicine appoints and possibly for some in-clinic services and they have a sliding fee scale.
Cedar River Clinics are located in Seattle, Renton and Tacoma and offer HRT and other services via telehealth throughout the state of Washington
Ages limitations are not obvious, but services appear to be oriented to adults, contact the provider for more information.
Queen Anne Medicalt and Transformative Aesthetics (QAMTA) (Website – Transgender Care, FB – QAMTA, IG – @qamta_seattle)
QAMTA offers gender-affirming HRT primary care, pre and post-operative care, and transgender-friendly aesthetics including laser and electrolysis hair removal.
Payment Options: QAMTA has the following payment and insurance options, but there does not appear to be any option for financial assistance.
QAMTA is located in Seattle.
There are no obvious age limitations, but services appear to be oriented to adults, check with QAMTA for age limits on services.
The Polyclinic (Website – Transgender Care, FB – ThePolyclinic, IG – @thepolyclinic)
The Poly clinic offers gender-affirming HRT and surgeries including masculizing and feminizing top surgeries, primary care, gynecology, urology, orchiectomies and hysterectomies.
Payment Options: The Polyclinic accepts insurance, and medicare the financial dept. can help you learn if you qualify for financial assistance, click the link billing and scroll down for more information.
The Polyclinic has many locations (9) Seattle, (1) Edmonds, and (1) Issaquah
There are no obvious age limitations, but services appear to be oriented to adults, check with the provider for age limits on services.
Trust Women (Website – Transgender Health Services, FB – TWClinics, IG – @trustwomenfoundation)
The Trust Woment Clinics offer, gender-affirming HRT (to both adults and minors), wellness care, STI/STD testing and treatment, rapid testing for HIV, chlamydia and trichomoniasis, referrals to plastic surgeons and urologies for gender-confirmation surgeries.
Payment Options: Trust Women accepts some insurance plans and invites you to call if you have concerns about your ability to pay your medical bill see the following link insurance and payments.
The Trust Women Clinic is located in Seattle.
There are no obvious age limitations, but services appear to be oriented to adults, check with the provider for age limits on services.
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital (Website – Gender Health Program, FB – marybridgechildrens, IG – none found)
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital has a multidisciplinary team of highly trained pediatric professionals includes endocrinologists, social workers and certified diabetes educators (nurses and dietitians) and so although it is not stated, we assume they provide hormone therapy in the gender health program and perhaps puberty suppression as well. Please check with the program for details
Payment Options: Mary Bridge Children’s Hosp. accepts insurance and has a financial assistance program.
Mary Bridge Children’s has several locations around the state of Washington.
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital is for children and adolescents.
Seattle Children’s Hospital (Website – Gender Clinic, FB – seattlechildrens, IG – @seattlechildrens)
The Gender Clinic at Seattle Children’s offers gender-affirming HRT and puberty blockers.
Payment Options: Seattle Children’s Hosp. accepts insurance and has a financial assistance program that takes online applications.
Seattle Children’s has several locations around the state of Washington.
Seattle Children’s Hospital is for children and adolescents.
Rainbow Health Center (Website – Gender Affirming Care, FB – RainbowHealthCenter, IG – @rhcoly)
Rainbow Health Center describes itself a collaboration of independent professional businesses. The building’s mission is to provide a healing space for professionals with marginalized identities and their guests. The professionals provide high-quality, informed care for gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, questioning, transgender, cisgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary individuals regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, immigration status, religion, or socio-economic status.
Dr Jill Corey, ND: Dr. Corey offers a wide range of health support and gender-affirming HRT. Dr. Corey accepts Regence, Premera, Lifewise and Firstchoice insurance and they also offer sliding scale cash pay rates to those that qualify. Call or text 206.971.6708 for more information.
Dr Chelesa Unruh, MD: Dr Unruh manages hormone therapy for all ages (including children/teens) and puberty blockers (for children/teens), referrals for gender confirmationsurgery and can write letters for state an federal gender marker change requests. Dr Unruh accepts United, Premera, FirstChoice, Cigna, Regence, Amerigroup, and has a discounted cash rate.
Payment Options: Rainbow Health Center Providers Dr. Corey and Dr. Unruh specify accepted insurance plans above and both have sliding or discounted pay rates, check with the providers to see if you are eligible.
Rainbow Health Center is in Olympia and Drs. Corey and Unruh also do telehealth appointments.
Check with Dr. Jill Corey for age limitations on services. Dr. Chelesa Unruh offers hormone therapy to all ages; check with Dr. Unruh on age limits for puberty blockers and other services.
Hall Health Center, University of Washington (Website – Gender Affirming Care, FB – UWHall-Health, IG – @uofwa)
Hall Health Center offers primary care, prescriptions for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), referrals for surgery within the UW Medicine system and elsewhere, prostate, pelvic and chest/breast exams and many other specialty care services.
On their website UW describes Gender-affirming care as the ideal medical, surgical and mental health services sought by transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people. Gender-affirming medical care can range from gender-affirming HRT to routine preventive health care, surgery or other interventions
Payment Options: Check the UW’s website on insurance & costs to understand what services are covered by student fees.
Hall Health Center is on the University of Washington campus in Seattle.
Hall Health Center serves students, staff and the general public. Call Hall Health to determine age limitations on specific services.
Planned Parenthood of Washington is part of (3) organizations the Great Northwest, Haiwi’i, Alasaka, Indiana and Kentucky (PPGNHAIK), Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho (PPGWNI), Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood (Websites – PPGNHAIK, PPGWNI, and Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood, FB – PPGNHI, ppgwni and MtBakerPlannedParenthood, IG – @ppgnhi, ppgnhaik and @mtbakerpp)
PPGNHAIK now has (40) health centers across (6) states, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, Haiwi’i, Indiana and Kentucky and offers an expanded set of services to all transgender and non-binary patients including Gender Affirming Hormone Care at all of the Western Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Haiwi’i health centers as well as sexual health – HIV/STD testing and counseling including PEP and PrEP, birth control, men’s health, women’s health and many other services at all of the health centers.
Payment Options: PPGNHAIK has a variety of payment options check the link and/or contact the clinic to learn more.
PPGNHAIK has (15) locations in Washington in Bellevue, Bremerton, Centralia, Everett, Federal Way, Lynnwood, Marysville, Olympia, Port Angeles, Puyallup, Tacoma and (4) in Seattle – Central District, Northgate, University District and White Center.
Payment Options: Many PP Health Centers accept insurance and offer financial help, check on the websites and with the center for details.
Planned Parenthood serves teens and adults. HRT is provided to adults 18+, but the many PP Health Centers offer service to patients 16 to 17 andyou may be able to get HRT with parental consent and additional paperwork, check with the Health Center about HRT and with any quesitons on age limitations for services.
VA Health Care for LGBTQ Veterans in Washington has (3) organizations, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Jonathan M. Wainwright Mem
orial VAMC and Mann-Grandstaff VAMC (Websites – VA Puget Sound Health Care System, J
onathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Cente, Mann-Grandstaff VAMC, and LGBT Services for Veterans – Wainright Memorial, FB – U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs, IG – @deptvetaffairs)
According to the U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs, Patient Care Services for LGBT veterans includes the following (and other) services – hormone treatment, treatment and prevention of STIs/PrEP, cancer screening, prevention and treatment. If there are questions reach out to the LGBT Veteran Care Coordinator (VCC) at the site.
VA healthcare is offered free of charge to veterans. Veterans may have some copays.
The VA Pugest Sound Health Care system has (2) Medical Centers located in Seattle and Tacoma and (5) associated clinics in Mount Vernon, Port Angeles, Tacoma Silverdale and Chehalis.
The Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VAMC is in Walla Walla and (6) associated clinics (1) in Idaho in Lewiston, (3) in Oregon in LaGrande, Boardman and Enterprise and (2) in Washington in Richland and Yakima.
The Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center is in Spokane and has (4) associated clinics (2) in idaho in Coeur D’Alene and Ponderay, (1) in Montana in Libby and (1) in Washington in Wenatchee.
LGBT Veteran Care is for U.S. veterans.
There is One Online Guides from the Ingersoll Gender Center
Ingersoll Gender Center in Seattle, guide to provide across Washington (Website – Online Guide to Healthcare Providers a FB – IngersollGenderCenter and IG – @ingersollgendercenter)
Check with individual providers in the resources guides for payment options, locations and age limitations for services.
About the author, Gayle M. Frankenbach, Ph.D. is the mother of a Daughter, Lise and a transgender son Elliott. Elliott and Gayle both passionately desire to care about and care for the trans community. Elliott and Gayle also both love the unbound creativity of the cosplay community. When we realized there is a big overlap between the two communities B.UR.SLF, LLC was born at the interface of these two great communities to serve them individually and together. Elliott and Gayle also enjoy running a trans son & parent business to be visible for parents on a journey to visibly support their own trans kids and be a great allies.