Transgender and struggling to pay medical costs

Convicted WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning says he wants to undergo hormone therapy while in prison.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But even outside of prison walls, getting this kind of medical help is often a struggle.

In the corporate world, only 42% of employers have insurance plans that cover short-term leave, mental health counseling, hormone therapy and surgical procedures for transgender employees, according to a survey by the Human Rights Campaign.

That's up from 19% in 2008, but it still means the majority of employers don't offer this coverage.

And paying out of pocket can be a heavy burden.

Related: Transgender job seekers face uphill battle

The cost to transition from one gender to another varies greatly.

Hormone replacement therapy can cost around $30 per month and therapist visits can cost more than $100 each. Undergoing surgery is less common but typically rings up at anywhere between $5,000 and $30,000 depending on the kind of operation, estimates Masen Davis, executive director of the Transgender Law Center.

"It can be difficult for transgender individuals -- especially the lower income and unemployed -- to pay for the medical care they need to be themselves," said Davis.

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Transgender and struggling to pay medical costs