Thinking about the gender affirming process? Want to know more about this procedure in Montenegro? We provide you text which will explain what are your rights in the health care system of Montenegro, what is the procedure, and what steps are necessary for you to undertake the process of transition.

Based on the Law on Health Insurance (Article 16b), Montenegro covers 80% of the cost of „changing sex for medical reasons“. It is also in Art. 16b, para. 5 stipulates that „the criteria for determining medical reasons for changing sex shall be prescribed by the state administration body competent for health matters (hereinafter: the Ministry).“ The Ministry adopted the Rulebook on the Establishment of Medical Reasons for Sex Change (Official Gazette of Montenegro, number 47/2014 ) which defines 7 opinions of experts (psychiatrist, psychologist, endocrinologist, internist, gynecologist, urologist, social worker) on the basis of which a positive opinion is made to cover the costs of transition from health insurance.

If you want to access hormone replacement therapy, a few steps are necessary before your doctor prescribes the necessary therapy:

• Psychological assessment from psychiatrists and report
  (Center for Mental Health in Block 5. Contact phone for scheduling 020 / 481-928)
• Blood tests: Complete blood count, biochemical findings (glucose, urea, creatinine, bilirubin, cholesterol, triglycerides, sodium, potassium, chlorides)
  (These can be taken at the Health Center from 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning)
• Hormone findings: TSH, free T4, prolactin, estradiol, progesterone, free, total and biodegradable testosterone, DHEAS, FSH, LH, korizol.
  (Ovi is trained at the KBC Laboratory from 7:00 to 8:30 in the morning)
  Scheduling of endocrinologist examinations in KBC
• Scheduling appointment for endocrinologist
  
• For the collecting of the findings, you should first take a referral from your chosen general practitioner in the Health Center.
  
  (Instructions for hormonal findings, blood finds and instructions for endocrinologists)

Once your endocrinologist prescribes hormone therapy, you should bring his report with your doctor to open an injection order for you at the Health Center.

If you want to access surgery, you need to collect the recommendations prescribed by the Protocol (psychiatrist, psychologist, endocrinologist, internist, gynecologist, urologist, social worker). Then with all those recommendations, the invoice receipt from St. Medica Clinic from Belgrade, as well as the instructions for the Console for Urology, you go to the Consilium, which will give you a recommendation for referral to Belgrade. Recommendation of the Consilium, together with the documentation, you bring to the Health Insurance Fund of Montenegro in order to get a decision on sending to Belgrade for the purpose of conducting surgical procedures.

Tips:

* It would be good to refer to the doctor of general practice about your identity. Your chosen general practitioner will be your contact point through the whole process, give you instructions, schedule reviews, and therefore it is useful to be informed about your situation in order to adequately provide you with health services.

* If you have problems with a general practitioner, or you experience discrimination within a healthcare facility, you can contact the patient rights protector
(more information can be found at http://www.dzpg.me/page-right-patients/).

You can also contact us. If you need advice on any of the above steps or help with accessing health facilities, we encourage you to contact us.