Help Elly C. pay for her Gender Surgery in April22

Hi Folks, 

I'm finally at the top of the waiting list for my gender affirming surgery, specifically Vaginalplasty. Having been scheduled on April 22nd, I was surprised to receive a letter on March 24th from my insurance provider saying my surgeon was no longer in network as of Janurary 2021. While this is not an outright denial, I have been told it is common for the insurance provider to deny coverage close to or the day of the surgery making it difficult to appeal the decision. 



While this was a devestating blow, I am committed to being able to go through with vaginalplasty after being on the waitlist for over 3 years. Secondly, I have a great degree of flexibility after being unemployed due to COV-19 as well as I only have a semester left for my remaining graduate studies. This flexibility coupled with active communication with my academic Professors is greatly welcomed as opposed to negotiating with an employer over how long I am able to recover prior to returning to work.

The requested 48,000 dollars is an obscene amount of money, and it only covers half the cash price estimated should insurance be unable to reach a memorandum of agreement between the hospital network and health insurance provider. Thankfully, I have reviewed the ability to make cash payments in installments as well as other options of reducing medical debt.

That said, any donation I can put towards the base payment of 48,000 dollars would be greatly appreciated, and I believe it is a worthwhile donation not just for myself, but also the communities I work with. 

From the Community Fridge project that I work with in Mutual Aid Network in Los Angeles , to providing medical supplies to disenfranchised communities via Ground Game Los Angeles, or the Transgender Advocacy Network  I help hosted at University of Southern California, I remain dedicated to improving the lives of others around me. 


For myself, your donations would help alleviate the anxieties and fears of what happens next after the surgery. I would prefer not to fixate on the financial realities, but I cannot imagine being able to return to my community aid work as well as academic studies with this undue stress. Additionally, I anticipate a number of unexpected expenses might crop up after the surgery as I am navigating the end of my academic career, a move across the United States, and the inability to job hunt in person during the recovery period. 

The 48,000 I am requesting in donations would be applied first to the surgery, andthese bills would come within 2-3 month of the surgery on April 22nd. In the event, there are donations remaining after the co-pay & hospital expenses, I would like to donate the remainder towards the Trans Lifeline , a peer support and crisis hotline serving transgender people by offering phone support and microgrants.