How Much is Gender Reassignment Surgery?

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Richman on October 09, 2024.

Gender reassignment surgery (GRS) is now a less commonly used term in the field of gender-affirming care that refers to surgeries that help transgender patients experience greater gender congruence with their bodies. In this article, we discuss the costs of what some patients call “male to female (MTF)” and “female to male (MTF)” procedures like breast augmentation, chest reconstruction top surgery, facial surgery, body contouring and bottom surgery. We also go over insurance coverage, medical credit and financial assistance resources that help patients reduce the financial burdens of medically necessary gender reassignment surgery.

We recognize that terms like MTF and FTM do not resonate with the majority of the trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming communities we serve. After all, we believe that surgeries do not “reassign” anyone’s gender. Still, many patients that we serve identify with these terms or use them to search for resources and information to help them through transition.

Understanding the Cost of Gender Reassignment Surgery

Below you will find general cost estimates for different gender-affirming surgeries. Generally speaking, these price ranges do not include anesthesia fees, facility fees (staying overnight in the hospital) and/or pathology fees (sending removed organs or tissue for pathology testing). Prices vary depending on a number of factors we discuss below.

Please note that patients who are able to secure insurance coverage for their medically necessary, gender-affirming procedures will not have to pay the full price listed below.

Factors Affecting the Cost

The following factors can determine the price of the gender reassignment surgery or gender-affirming procedure in question.

For instance, surgeons with lots of experience may charge more than a surgeon who is just starting out.

• Type of Procedure:
  • The surgical technique(s) used are a major determinant in the final cost of surgery. For example, metoidioplasty is a common GRS or masculinizing bottom surgery procedure that we perform. The cost of the metoidioplasty procedure will vary greatly depending on if a patient chooses to undergo a simultaneous primary urethral lengthening procedure, which facilitates urinating standing up.
  • At the Gender Confirmation Center (GCC), sometimes chest liposuction is performed as a part of a chest reconstruction top surgery procedure to prevent dog ears and/or help flatten the chest contour. Cash pay patients are never charged extra for chest liposuction.
• Geographic Location:
  • Prices for surgery vary depending on the city and country you choose to undergo your operation.
• Surgeon’s Experience and Reputation:
  • It is important to ensure that your surgeon is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or a similarly reputable organization. This standard is indicative of their extensive training and expertise in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
  • Some surgeons will charge a higher surgeon fee depending on their credentials, years of experience, and reputation.
• Hospital or Surgical Center Fees:
  • Facility-related costs include operating room fees, anesthesia fees, and hospital stay, which can vary by location and procedure. Generally speaking, most bottom surgery and facial surgery procedures involve a patient staying one or more nights in a hospital after surgery. Likewise, patients with certain medical conditions may need to stay the night in the hospital after their procedure.
• Post-Surgery Expenses:
  • Prior to surgery, patients will be charged for all postoperative supplies that the surgeon will provide for recovery. This includes bandages, gauze, compression garments and any other materials such as medical-grade dilators for vaginoplasty patients.
• Additional Treatments:
  • At the GCC, patients are not charged out-of-pocket for follow-up consultations or revision surgeries if they are scheduled within a year after your initial procedure. Not all gender-affirming surgical practices have this policy, so be sure to check with your surgeon.
  • Many patients who undergo facial surgery and body contouring elect to undergo lymphatic massages to help facilitate their healing and recovery processes. We recommend that our patients go to licensed, experienced professionals for postoperative lymphatic massages. Since this is an outside service we do not offer, it will be an extra cost to the patient.

Additional Costs and Considerations

• Revision Surgeries:
  • Some patients will undergo revision procedures after their initial gender reassignment surgery or gender-affirming procedure. Occasionally, this is to treat medical complications. In other cases, patients request a revision surgery to correct aesthetic issues. Regardless, GCC patients who undergo a revision procedure one year after their initial surgery will not be charged.
  • Most reputable, board-certified surgeons with extensive experience in gender care have a very low revision rate. This means that there is a low percentage of their patients that seek out revision surgeries. It is a good idea to ask your surgeon what percentage of their patients have requested a revision. That said, please note that certain procedures like a phalloplasty or metoidioplasty with primary urethral lengthening have a higher risk of complication than others.
• Travel and Accommodation:
  • Individuals traveling to a different city or country for surgery, will incur additional expenses related to travel and accommodation. Many of our patients in the United States and internationally come to the GCC because they do not have access to high-quality gender-affirming surgical care near them. In the case of top surgery, we are one of the few providers in the US that will operate on patients with a body mass index (BMI) between 30-60. We have compiled a free travel guide with tips on how to save money traveling to the San Francisco Bay Area for surgery.
• Time Off Work:
  • Recovery from surgery may result in lost wages for those that are not able to get paid time off for the initial stages of healing. While procedures like top surgery and body contouring may only require that a patient take two weeks off work, more intensive surgeries may require more rest time. Likewise, if your job involves heavy lifting, you will not be able to take up that or other vigorous physical activities for at least six weeks post-op. Be sure to check with your surgeon’s office about how much time you will need off work.
• Long-Term Healthcare Costs:
  • Most gender-affirming procedures do not involve long-term healthcare costs after the initial recovery. Patients who follow recovery instructions closely––for example, the top surgery arm mobility protocol––are unlikely to experience future complications that could result in greater costs.

Insurance Coverage and Financial Assistance

• Insurance Coverage

• • • Navigating insurance coverage for gender reassignment surgery can be complex, but many insurance providers now recognize these forms of healthcare for transgender individuals as medically necessary and thereby deserving of coverage. We encourage you to look into what your insurance plan covers––i.e., if they have gender benefits––by calling your insurance company and ask what medical policies on gender dysphoria treatment are applicable to your plan. You may also find this information in the Member Handbook provided by your insurance.

• Medical Credit or Financing Options

• • • The GCC and many other gender-affirming surgical practices do not offer payment plans for after surgery. For example, our patients must pay their full financial responsibility six weeks prior to surgery in order to keep their operation date. For patients that are not able to meet this requirement, we are pleased to partner with Care Credit to help our patients with or without insurance to finance the costs of their surgical procedure. The CareCredit card is North America’s leading patient payment program. The CareCredit card is easy to use, includes no hidden costs, and can be applied towards both surgical costs and follow-up appointments.

• Grants and Financial Assistance

• • Through philanthropic partnerships the GCC collaborates with organizations such as Point of Pride, the Jim Collins Foundation and Genderbands because of their developed expertise in assessing need and selecting applicants with high levels of need. Patients still pass through the regular surgical consultation process after they are first selected by the organization. Our clinical team confirms their candidacy for surgery as a second step. Grants from these foundations and others can significantly reduce the costs of surgery for patients.
• Crowdfunding:
  • Outside of the previously mentioned resource, many trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming communities use crowdfunding and other creative fundraising techniques to help them pay for gender-affirming surgery.

International Surgery Options

Many individuals in the United States choose to travel to other countries for gender-affirming surgery to save on costs. While medical tourism has been a popular option for gender reassignment surgery for decades, it is important to do your research on the credentials, experience and reputation of your provider. Some of the most popular destinations for surgeries abroad include Thailand, Mexico and Turkey. Especially because many countries do not have board-certification for surgeons, patients may need to do extra research to ensure the integrity of their provider. Not to mention, getting surgery outside of the US may involve less legal protections and greater difficulty with post-operative care like revision surgeries. For more information on comparing costs abroad, you can consult this guide.