How is it Fair (Transgeder surgery)

[1ofdakoolkidz]

I am a 41 year old that has dealt with gyno,  all of my life and to this day I am still embarrassed and still reluctant to do anything that would show my chest. Thank God for Underworks, they have changed my life. 
Iam trying to start the process of getting an operation done, in hopes that my insurance will cover it.  I called and was told that they do however, it has to be medically neccessary, so I am going to go through the steps and see.  What really is irritating is that I have to go through all of this, however if I was transgender it would be covered. How hypocritical is this?  I mean the basis of them wanting the surgery is that they don't feel as though they belong in that body. I have felt that way for a long time, I just don't want to be a woman. How is this fair or legal. We as men on this site have to endure embarrassment, persecution, depression, etc and just because we don't want to change or sex our surgery is mostly considered COSMETIC!! 
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/25/obamacare-now-pays-for-gender-reassignment.html

[hammer]

Then on the other hand, if you were a female with very large breast and needed a reduction to reduce back and shoulder strain it most likely would be covered as well!
Life is far, is it. Not!

[Adrian97c]

Wow that hurts. It's a further insult to our condition.

[Paa_Paw]

The challenge is to apply a diagnosis to the condition other than just Gynecomastia.
Breast reduction surgery to relieve embarrassment does not make it.
Breast reduction to relieve muscle strain caused by Gynecomastia Might.
---------------------to treat his severe emotional problems brought on by Gyne----Might.
Sometimes the question of whether or not cosmetic surgery might be approved Depends on the secondary diagnosis and the psychological effects.
The girl with large breasts that cause strain on her shoulders and upper back is not getting surgery for a cosmetic reason, but to treat a legitimate problem.
The transgender person has a psychiatric Diagnosis.  And statistical proof that failure to provide surgery for this purpose often results in suicide.  Yep! they use their own weirdness as a reason.  
I knew of a case several years ago where a mother who's son had been turned down several times changed course and took her son to a psychiatrist. He diagnosed the lad with a list of  problems  secondary to the Gynecomastia and the surgery was approved.

[chifer]

Breast reduction surgery to relieve embarrassment does not make it.
Breast reduction to relieve muscle strain caused by Gynecomastia Might.

---------------------to treat his severe emotional problems brought on by Gyne----Might

Yes, with "might" depending on the generosity of your health insurance, I would say. My GP explained that when impairment of the quality of life can be proven (e.g., missing out on a lot of "normal" activities), there is a chance the health insurance will pay up. However, he said it was important to phrase things in such a way that you don't come across as mentally ill or unstable, as this might negatively influence future decisions from the health insurance (i.e., having to prove you are in your right mind for any other future treatment).

In my case, my GP and a plastic surgeon confirmed gynecomastia based on feeling. They also confirmed that there was gland tissue there. However, my health insurance insisted on me having a mammography or mammasonography, and the radiologist diagnosed "pseudo-gynecomastia". Both my GP and the radiologist felt that this diagnosis is irrelevant, as it is, in essence, fatty tissue deposited in the wrong place, and in my case weight loss was not reducing the size of my breasts. In my view, my health insurance interpreted "pseudo-gynecomastia" as "not really gynecomastia" and thus "not really a problem".

So I hear ya; it is not fair. I once saw a boy on Dr Phil who suffered from gynecomastia, and Dr Phil offered to pay for his surgery, as he could see the boy was suffering from it. I would have wanted to be that boy, because basically, I was that boy in terms of what he described he was going through. And just to be clear: in no way do I feel that transgenders and women suffering from too large breasts deserve their surgery less; But I do believe men like me, who have breasts and cannot come to terms with it (I tried...) deserve it just as much.