New Brunswick has made significant progress in gender-affirming care since first offering coverage for surgeries in 2016.
To access gender-affirming hormone therapy, a hormone readiness assessment must be completed. A primary health care provider can complete this assessment but, as many folks in New Brunswick do not have a primary care provider, the readiness assessment can also be completed by an endocrinologist, nurse practitioner (NP) or a Doctor at a community clinic or sexual health centre. Providers completing the assessment may require a referral letter from a WPATH trained therapist. For gender-affirming surgeries however, 1-2 letters of support from WPATH trained providers are necessary. Once the surgical readiness assessment is complete, your healthcare provider needs to submit a Prior Approval Request Form to gain funding approval from New Brunswick Medicare. Many gender-affirming surgeries are now done within the province, but most bottom surgeries are still referred out of province to the Centre de Chirurgie in Montreal, Quebec. Voice surgery is also referred out of province but is not covered by New Brunswick medicare. It should also be noted that travel expenses out of province are not covered by Medicare.
See this resource by TransCare+ for all details regarding accessing care, including a contact list for gender-inclusive care providers, detailed coverage information, and required government forms.
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