Dan's Top Surgery Fund

Hey there Folx!

I'll do my best to keep this as concise as I can-- After about a decade, ya boy (Doggett to some, Daniel to many) is on the final stretch of road before finally having my long-awaited top surgery!

Since beginning my gender-affirming transition over ten years ago, top surgery was always a long-term goal I had in mind. There were a lot of factors that played into it continually being pushed further and further, the main being a long period in which I didn't have insurance coverage.

Finally, after years of waiting and a year and a half of continued coordination and hoop-jumping, I have my surgery date set on Nov. 7th, 2019, with pre and post-consult dates set for Nov. 6th and Nov. 13th respectively. My procedure is going to be a double-incision with free nipple grafts and will be performed by Dr. Scott Mosser in San Francisco. 

I know I've only made it this far towards my goal with the help from a core group of people in my support network, and I'm so thankful for that. That said, I'm in a place where I know I need a little more help to get all those final pieces in place. 

Part of my push to make sure I have surgery this year is because after finally getting back on insurance, I now have a limited window until I turn 26 next year and age out of my eligibility to be included under my parent's policy.  I have been continually trying to work between my insurance and my surgeon's office to ensure I'm receiving the maximum amount of coverage I can, but of course, navigating those spaces doesn't come without plenty of complications and back and forth conflicting information. 

Currently, the conflicting information I have been receiving from both my insurance company and the surgeon's office list my out of pocket payment before my procedure as ranging from $3250-$8000.

The majority of these fees will be billed *before* my surgery date and were broken down in the following way the last time I spoke to my surgeon's office:

• Due: Oct 14th ~ $4000 to Dr. Mosser's office for the procedure.
• Due: Nov. 3-5th ~ $4000 to St. Francis Memorial Hospital as a facility fee.

There are also additional costs that I have to consider, such as:

• Additional medical or recovery related billing charges from my surgeon's office or the hospital
• Travel expenses from San Diego to San Francisco and back
• Lodging for the duration my stay in the city with my partner, who will be coming up to provide emotional support and physical assistance as I heal from my procedure.

All those combined, if I'm stuck with as much of the expense that my surgeon's office is insisting, I'm looking at over $8000 for the procedure, travel, lodging, etc., with about half of that due a month before my surgery date in mid-October and another $4000 due a couple days before my surgery. Despite that, I'm currently keeping the gofundme at $4000 because I'm fairly confident from the information I've received from the insurance company that I should not be receiving a quote of $4000 for the hospital's facility fee. I'm looking to make more calls this week so affirm and set this in stone so it's one less huge expense to worry about. Me and my amazing partner, who has been helping me navigate the choppy waters of medical coverage, are fairly confident we'll be able to do this if we're understanding all the information we've previously received correctly. 

I'm setting aside whatever I can to prepare for these expenses, as well as continually work with my surgeon's office and insurance company to maximize my coverage and assistance for this procedure. That said, I'm not someone who has the means or immediate access to thousands of dollars to pay out of pocket for this procedure. That's why I'm reaching out. There is a very unique sense of discomfort that comes with creating a gofundme for yourself, but I'm here because, in all honesty, I could use whatever help I can get!

For those even still reading along with this page, thank you. To those who would like to offer support but aren't in a place financially where that's possible, I feel you, appreciate you and ask that you instead please consider sharing the link to my fundraiser on your social media. To anyone able and willing to show support via donating to this fundraiser, I am so grateful. It's really hard to equate what it feels like to be working to such a meaningful milestone in my life, let alone with the conscious thought of attaining that with the support of family, friends, and strangers alike who want to see me get there... It's beyond words. No matter what, whether you're reading, sharing, or donating, it means so much to me. Thank you. 

I'll be updating this periodically with significant updates and news, just so I can keep everyone informed with where I'm at and where the assistance from this fundraiser is going. Until then, thank you again.

Sincerely, 

Doggett

FAQ those unfamiliar with me, my transition, or the surgery in itself:

Who's this joker?

It's hard to write about yourself, but essentially I'm a 25-year-old Trans and Chicanx artist studying full-time towards a bachelor's in LGBTQ+ studies with a minor in English.  I work part-time and try to take art commissions and odd jobs when they come up. Outside of work, school, and scheduling life-changing medical procedures for myself I enjoy art, classic monster movies, and spending time with people I love. 

What is Top Surgery?

FTM Top Surgery is a gender-affirming procedure for transgender men and non-binary individuals that creates a masculine chest. Top Surgery involves breast removal (Subcutaneous Mastectomy) and male chest contouring, and may also include free nipple grafts, or nipple/areola resizing and repositioning.

Why is the date span so long for this trip?

I am scheduled for an in-person pre-consultation on Nov. 6th, the day before my surgery. I am aiming to travel up the day beforehand to eliminate the potential for any mishaps in traveling to prevent me from making it to my consultation appointment. After that, my actual surgery is scheduled for Nov. 7th at St. Francis Memorial Hospital.  After my surgery, I need to stay in town until Nov. 13th, the date of my post-surgery consultation. This is spaced out in order to allow my surgeon to properly see how my chest is healing up after the procedure, and if necessary, remove any drains, etc. before I travel back home.

What is the current timeline for the upcoming fees?

• Due: Oct 14th ~ $4000 to Dr. Mosser's office for the procedure.
• Due: Nov. 3-5th ~ $4000 to St. Francis Memorial Hospital as a facility fee.

-This section will be updated with any relevant information-