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Insurance
Frequently Asked Questions

Increasingly, insurance companies are recognizing the medical necessity of permanent hair removal as part of gender-affirming care.

We encourage clients to call their insurance companies to learn if their plans might reimburse their cost of electrolysis.

Can you bill my insurance?
Goddess Electrolysis is only contracted to bill Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and Health Partners of Minnesota insurance plans, and this includes commercial and medical assistance plans. If you have other insurance, we cannot bill your policy directly.


Please note, if you have not reached your deductible, you will be responsible for the cost of service. This amount will count toward your annual deductible. If you have reached your deductible, but not reached your Out of Pocket Maximum, you will likely have a co-insurance cost that you will pay at the time of service.

If you have Blue Plus (Medical Assistance through Blue Cross), or have reached your annual Out of Pocket Maximum, your full cost of electrolysis will be covered by your insurance company.

What is "insurance reimbursement" and how is it different from just billing my insurance directly?
Insurance reimbursement is a client-driven payment process, meaning it is the responsibility of the client to navigate being reimbursed by their insurance provider. The client will pay the full rate ($200.00) at the time-of service to their provider. After payment has been completed, the client can expect to have an invoice sent to their email within 48 hours. This invoice will show that the service was paid in full by the client- this is what the client needs to submit to their insurance company to be reimbursed.

Receiving reimbursement from insurance can take several weeks or months depending on the company. We strongly recommend beginning the process of insurance reimbursement before beginning treatment, as there can be additional steps before getting approved to be reimbursed for claims (such as needing a prior authorization from your doctor/surgeon).

 

What's a Prior Authorization (PA)?

A Prior Authorization (PA) is a common letter that doctors/nurses send to insurance companies on behalf of their clients explaining the medical necessity of a procedure. Getting a PA approved is usually the key to getting reimbursed!​


If you are interested in working with us, we strongly recommend beginning the process of getting a PA approved now.
To do this you will need a medical professional (it could be your primary care provider, a nurse in their office, your endocrinologist, your surgery center, etc.) to send a PA request off to your insurance company. You'll want to include the diagnostic and business codes located in the next section of this page.
We have found that even when a client's policy clearly states that gender-affirming hair removal is covered, claims submitted by the client may get denied if they are processed without a prior authorization on file. Should a claim be denied once a prior authorization is already approved, the appeal process is generally much simpler and more efficient.

What information needs to be on my prior authorization letter?
Your medical provider will likely need the following info to complete a Prior Authorization on your behalf:


CPT 17380 (Hair Removal / Electrolysis)
DX F64.9 (Gender Identity Disorder, unspecified)


Goddess Electrolysis LLC
2920 Bryant Ave S Ste 116
Minneapolis, MN 55409


Tax ID: 86-3834822
NPI: 1871167502


We recommend asking them to write the P.A. for 300 hours of electrolysis. 
This helps to ensure you are approved for more hours than you will actually need for the entire duration of treatment.

 


I sent in my prior authorization, but my insurance rejected it. What can I do?
Locate the member services number on your insurance card and call the number. When you call, explain that you are planning to begin medically necessary hair removal as part of gender transition. Tell them you are medically diagnosed with "Gender Identity Order, unspecified" (F64.9 in the ICD-10) and you need hair removal as part of preparation for sex-reassignment surgery." *


You may be told hair removal isn't covered by your plan. For many insurance companies, covering electrolysis is a very new thing, and employees often don't understand the policies around it. If you reach this juncture with insurance, do not give up!
Some insurance companies have specific gender-care reps that help their members navigate prior authorizations and other more nuanced processes related to gender-affirming insurance claims. Keep calling, keep asking questions, and keep a log of everything that is said between you and the insurance reps you speak with. In the world of insurance claims, persistence is key!

**We know this language is outdated and untrue for many folks in our community. Regrettably, using this terminology is often a necessary step in getting clear information from an insurance company that is not designed with trans folks in mind.
While we might not be able to change this (yet), once you are a client at Goddess Electrolysis, we will always use language that feels best for you during your work with us.

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