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Cascadia Douglas Fir flag with trans stripes. WA Trans Resource and Relocation Guide

Medical Care

Quick note about Apple Health coverage

Section titled “Quick note about Apple Health coverage”

Apple Health / Medicaid is operated through five different “managed care providers” in WA: Molina, Community Health Plan, Coordinated Care, UHC, and Wellpoint. These have largely the same benefits and enrollment, but different provider networks + details. Make sure to check your provider before finding a doctor, as different clinics take different plans.
If enrolling, I’d recommend Molina, or CC or CHP. You can also change anytime. More info

Getting Care through health systems

Section titled “Getting Care through health systems”

In Seattle and much of the state, many providers in town are part of one of the big networks, and you can just schedule a new patient appointment at UW Medicine, Swedish/Providence, Virginia Mason, or Kaiser. Most of these will take most private insurances as well as some Medicaid plans (other than Kaiser, which is somewhat self-contained), though it’s good to double-check when making an appointment. However, some may have long wait times, especially UW.

People also love Seattle Roots, which mostly helps Apple Health recipients but also provides services to the uninsured. This is especially your best option for a PCP if you’re on Community Health Plan. They also do dental care!
They have two clinics, though folks have had mixed experience about trans acceptance at Carolyn Downs, so I might stick to their Country Doctor location.

These networks have Primary Care Providers as well as specialists – and generally in Seattle, you can easily get Hormones / HRT and other Gender Affirming Care managed by a PCP, including hormones and surgery referrals, and this will also allow you to easily access other care (often, network specialists are hard to get appointments with without a referral from inside their network). Availability of specific doctors fluctuates often, but you can:

  1. call a scheduling line for one of these
  2. say you are a new patient wishing to get scheduled with a PCP and/or established with Gender Affirming Care, and
  3. ask who has availability soon, and if they have anyone who sees a lot of trans patients (booking online might be faster, but you might get worse odds with a provider).

Apple Health Network coverage:

Section titled “Apple Health Network coverage:”

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Green: In-network for primary care + specialty care. Yellow: Specialty only. Red: out-of-network.

Section titled “Green: In-network for primary care + specialty care. Yellow: Specialty only. Red: out-of-network.”

*: As of 12/5/25, Swedish is still in-network, but is not taking new patients on Apple Health.

Private insurance coverage, even through the same insurers, differs from that of Apple Health plans. This guide for reference only, data as of 2/2025. ALWAYS call and verify insurance compatibility before making an appointment, your situation may differ.

Glasses/Contacts on Apple Health:

Additional gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare providers by location:

Section titled “Additional gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare providers by location:”

For a list of surgeons covered by Apple Health for GAC, please click here!

See https://linktr.ee/seattlequeerzine1312 for an in-depth dive on Seattle local trans care providers and HRT access.

Puget Sound area:

Section titled “Puget Sound area:”

  • Seattle Roots takes Apple Health and does general care as well as GAC. They have two locations: Country Doctor in Capitol Hill and Carolyn Downs in the Central District. Anecdotally, a few folks have had mixed experiences being trans at Carolyn Downs, so I’d consider defaulting to Country Doctor.

  • Seattle LGBTQ+ Center in Capitol Hill prescribes HRT, PrEP, and does STI testing, via Kelley-Ross Pharmacy. Insurance is required, but Apple Health is accepted and they can help you get on it if you don’t have it.

  • Cedar River Clinics - locations in Tacoma, Renton, Yakima, and others. In-person and telemedicine options. STI screening and care, reproductive care and birth control, and HRT. Accepts private insurance and Medicaid, and has a sliding fee scale + assistance in finding funding for those paying out of pocket. Call 800-572-4223 to schedule an appointment. Intake calls take about ten minutes, and you are likely to get an appointment within a few days.

  • Planned Parenthood (various locations throughout the state; often long waits, quicker if you walk in and ask to schedule)

  • UTOPIA / Mapu Maia Clinic : located in Kent, free medical services and GAC. Run by Pacific Islander queer and trans folks, but open to all!! New patients can call 206-774-9746 to schedule.

Centralia (mid way between Portland and Seattle):

Section titled “Centralia (mid way between Portland and Seattle):”
  • Schine Health LLC - Gender Affirming Medical Care in Centralia; accepts medicaid and most insurance

Spokane and Eastern Washington:

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If you are NOT eligible for medicaid/Apple Health…

Section titled “If you are NOT eligible for medicaid/Apple Health…”

If you have private insurance, contact your insurance provider for the best information and limitations about gender affirming care options that are covered by your insurance.

If uninsured, Seattle Roots is a good option for medical care.
For prescriptions when uninsured, GoodRX may be of help! HRT specifically can also be found cheaper online in other places.

Dentists / Dental Care

Section titled “Dentists / Dental Care”

If you have insurance, it’s usually easiest to use your insurance’s provider network to find a provider, as coverage varies by network, even among Apple Health recipients.
Country Doctor (Seattle Roots) is a common Dental Provider for Apple Health plans, but you have to have established medical care at Seattle Roots to see the dentists. There are others as well if you look through your network or via DentistLink. In Olympia, Access Dental is a great option.

If you are uninsured or under-insured, there are some free and sliding-scale medical and dental clinics available.

Additionally, if you are homeless in King County, there may be more services available via https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dph/health-safety/health-centers-programs-services/health-services-for-the-homeless/healthcare-for-the-homeless.

Insurance Coverage for surgeries

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Washington requires that all insurance providers cover surgical GAC. However, the requirements that need to be met before treatment vary by provider.

On Medicaid (also called Apple Health)

Section titled “On Medicaid (also called Apple Health)”

If you do not have insurance, please see the guide to getting on Apple Health.

GAC for Youth

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GAC access for those 18 and under is rapidly shifting. Please reach out to us for the most up-to-date information.

Hair Removal

Section titled “Hair Removal”
  • Swedish First Hill (Seattle) has started doing laser for trans patients on Apple Health; call 206-386-6111 to schedule. Bringing letter(s) of support from a doctor to the consult can speed up approval.
  • Real You Electrolysis also takes Medicaid. Location in Lakewood (south of Tacoma) and Vancouver WA (north of Portland).
  • Zap Masters Electrology - electrolysis in Centralia; can bill medicaid & some other insurance with a referral
  • Electrolysis from UTOPIA: located in King county; financial assistance available; focused on Pacific Islander queer and trans folks
  • For additional gender-affirming hair removal options that are free with Medicaid, contact applehealth.transhealth@hca.wa.gov

Free STI Testing + PrEP Navigation

Section titled “Free STI Testing + PrEP Navigation”

Letters for GAC

Section titled “Letters for GAC”

Check out https://dosomethingidentities.org/providers/ and https://www.lapis-wa.com/ ! Can’t personally vouch for either as they are new but appear to be helpful. Otherwise, depending on the letter needed, your primary care provider may be able to do it or you can make an appointment with a therapist (see Mental Healthcare Resources).

ADHD

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For folks needing ADHD treatment / stimulants, Mindful Therapy Group is a large prescriber in the city, and accepts all Apple Health other than CHP. Please be careful with medications like Adderall if you don’t have experience with them.

Massages, Chiropractic, Accupuncture

Section titled “Massages, Chiropractic, Accupuncture”

If you like massages and have Community Health Plan of WA, they offer free alternative health treatments. Up to 20 40-minute sessions a year, no pre-auth needed. More info here. These aren’t covered by most other Apple Health or other plans, and are the trade-off for CHPW having a smaller medical network than the other Apple Health plans. You can rotate your Apple Health plan provider (called a Managed Care Plan/Organization) for free.

Other Support

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Discount on paying for prescriptions without insurance

Section titled “Discount on paying for prescriptions without insurance”

Free program available to anyone in Washington or Oregon, regardless of income.
https://www.hca.wa.gov/free-or-low-cost-health-care/get-help-paying-prescriptions

Patients at Swedish

Section titled “Patients at Swedish”

If you are a patient at Swedish, you have access to free trans-affirming healthcare navigation support and referral to other needed resources (like housing).
This service includes:

  • Referral to gender-affirming primary care clinicians, surgeons, mental health professionals and specialty care clinicians – both within Swedish and outside
  • Referral to social services and resources like food, housing, financial assistance, ID document support, legal referrals, support groups and community events.

Contact by phone at: 253-231-0888 or by email at transhealthnav@swedish.org.
Response time can be up to 14 business days. https://www.swedish.org/about/dei/lgbtqia-care

Support for Veterans

Section titled “Support for Veterans”

If you’re a veteran who lives in King County, the organization Minority Vets runs the Unmet Care Needs Fund. If you’re eligible for VA healthcare but denied access to HRT, they will subsidize your HRT (up to $500/year). Apply here