Gender Affirmation Care

Gender Affirmation - When the mirror doesn’t reflect your mind

Gender isn’t always as it appears. Gender dysphoria – the feeling that your actual gender doesn’t match the body you were born with – is far more widely understood now than in the past. At birth, a baby’s physical appearance dictates which gender it’s given. With so many social expectations around how males and females look, act and think, any mismatch between what someone sees in the mirror and their feelings inside can cause profound anxiety.

Supporting you at every step

Gender dysphoria is a recognised medical diagnosis. It is certainly not a mental illness. If someone has a deep need to live according to their gender identity, rather than their biological sex, intervention can be appropriate. If this happens, Irish Life Health can offer support along the transition process.

As it is such a life-changing decision, the gender affirmation process may involve a number of very important steps:

Initial consultation
 

Expert Assessment
 

Treatment
 

Gender Affirmation Surgery & Follow Up
 

Initial consultation

Expert consultation and advice about your gender identity is the essential first step. Your GP can refer you to a Gender Identity Psychiatrist or Psychologist for an initial assessment and diagnosis

Initial consultation

Benefits

GP Consultation Benefit *

See a GP if you think you may have gender dysphoria. If the GP agrees, they can refer you to a specialist team. You can claim a contribution towards the cost of attending a GP.

Expert Assessment

An expert (or team of experts) can fully assess the many social, psychological and physical issues that can contribute to gender dysphoria.

Expert Assessment

Benefits

Consultant Visit Benefit*

You can claim a contribution towards the gender dysphoria consultation following your GP’s referral.

Healthy Minds Benefit - Mental Health Support

Talking about your feelings can help you stay in good mental health and deal with times when you experience change. No matter how small or challenging the problem, the Healthy Minds benefit delivers all-round support with professionally trained counsellors on hand 24/7 to listen and give you considered and practical advice. Call 01 562 5150 or download the LifeWorks App and use ‘ILH-’ followed by your member number as your invitation code e.g. ILH-1234567

Treatment

If your expert care team confirms gender dysphoria, they will put a personalised treatment plan into action. This can include:

  • Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy: During this process, you are prescribed the hormones of your preferred gender. By taking these, you will alter certain physical characteristics. As this happens, your multi-disciplinary care team will monitor your progress via regular check-ups.​

  • Real Life Experience: Before any surgery can take place, you must live full time as your preferred gender identity for a significant period. Doing so is known as Real Life Experience (RLE) and helps confirm that irreversible surgery is the right decision.

Treatment

Benefits

GP Consultation Benefit*

You can claim a contribution towards the cost of attending a GP.

Healthy Minds Benefit - Mental Health Support

Treatment for gender dysphoria aims to help people live the way they want to, in their preferred gender identity. What this means will vary from person to person. Treatment can take a long time and you can experience frustration. If you need to talk to someone call 01 562 5150 or download the LifeWorks App and use ‘ILH-’ followed by your member number as your invitation code e.g. ILH-1234567


For some people this is a sufficient intervention for them to enjoy life in their chosen gender. Others may choose to progress with gender affirmation surgeries.

Gender Affirmation Surgery and Follow Up

For some people, Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy and RLE are a sufficient intervention for them to enjoy life in their chosen gender. Others may choose to progress with gender affirmation surgeries. This will only happen if you have completed your RLE and your care team believe that you are ready.

Post surgery, a full follow-up plan is put in place under the supervision of your GP or a qualified healthcare professional.

Gender Affirmation Surgery and Follow Up

Benefits

Gender Affirmation Benefit*

You can claim a contribution towards your medical costs for gender affirmation surgical procedures as set out in the List of Gender Affirmation Surgical Procedures where you have been diagnosed with the condition Gender Dysphoria and where the procedures are carried out in a medical facility in the EEA.

Healthy Minds Benefit - Mental Health Support

The aim of the surgery is that you no longer have gender dysphoria and feel at ease with your identity. After surgery, most trans women and men are happy with their new sex and feel comfortable with their gender identity. However if you need help to validate emotions, increase social support and reconcile changes to your identity you can always contact our Healthy Minds service and speak to a counsellor 24/7. Call 01 562 5150 or download the LifeWorks App and use ‘ILH-’ followed by your member number as your invitation code e.g. ILH-1234567

GP Consultation Benefit*

You can claim a contribution towards the cost of attending a GP.

Consultant Visit Benefit*

You can claim a contribution towards the cost of attending a consultant.

*Benefits available on selected Irish Life Health plans. Please check your table of cover.

Terms and conditions do apply so please check your Member Handbook.

List of approved gender affirmation procedures is available on https://www.irishlifehealth.ie/IrishLifeHealth/media/Irish-life-Health/pdfs/schedule-of-benefits/ 

1 https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/az/g/gender-dysphoria/