At FOLX, we are committed to serving the needs of our members and getting folks the care they need despite additional challenges. Due to Florida Senate Bill 254 (SB254), which became law in 2023, there are new requirements for prescribing gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) in Florida. We know these requirements present extra barriers to care, but, despite these restrictions, we are happy to say that we can still support our members with all our services in Florida, including both testosterone and estrogen GAHT (sometimes known as HRT).
The TL;DR of SB254 is that in order to access GAHT, you need to sign an informed consent form in person with a physician. To see the full details of SB254, please check out our FAQ.
Because of this, we’ve set up 8 in-person clinics in Florida that will allow you to meet this requirement. Here’s what you can expect if you want to access GAHT from FOLX in Florida. We’ve streamlined the process as much as possible and want to make sure you have all the details and understand how to get care.
Steps to Getting GAHT in Florida
1. Sign up for membership
The first step is to sign up for your FOLX membership or reactivate your membership if you were a member previously.
2. Schedule a virtual visit
Once you are a member, you can schedule a virtual visit with a Florida clinician. During this visit, you and your clinician will review your medical history and discuss your care plan. Please note: you must have a virtual visit prior to your in-person visit.
3. Schedule an in-person visit
If you and your clinician have decided on GAHT as part of your care plan, you will then schedule an in-person visit. You will receive an email after your virtual visit with the link to schedule this visit. In-person visits are $40 and insurance cannot be used. You will meet at one of our 8 locations for a brief visit with a FOLX physician to sign your informed consent form.
We recommend you review the informed consent form for estrogen or testosterone prior to your visit. For more information about in-person visits, please check out our FAQ.
4. Get your medications
Once both of your visits are complete, your medications will be sent to the pharmacy. You can get meds delivered directly from our FOLX partner pharmacy or use a local or online pharmacy of your choice.
5. Continue your care virtually
Once you have signed your in-person informed consent form, you can continue your care virtually. In rare cases, you may need to sign another informed consent if you get a new gender-affirming medication that was not previously discussed with your clinician. You do not need to sign a new informed consent if you change your dosage or medication route.
Please note that you only need to sign an in-person informed consent form for GAHT medications. You can still access primary care, sexual & reproductive health care, and mental health medications, along with talk therapy, without an in-person visit.
While we do not agree with these extra barriers to care, we will always try to find ways to make things as easy and accessible for you as possible. We are proud to say we can still provide gender-affirming hormone therapy in Florida and will continue to work to make sure folks can access this life-saving care.
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FOLX Health is the first digital healthcare company designed by and for the LGBTQIA+ community. Our services include virtual primary care, gender-affirming hormone therapy including estrogen and testosterone (HRT), mental health care, sexual and reproductive health care, preventive care, and fertility consultations. FOLX memberships give you access to LGBTQIA+ expert clinicians, peer support, thousands of LGBTQIA+ resources, and more. Whether you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, gender non-conforming, or nonbinary, you can find LGBTQIA+-specialized health care that helps you meet your wellness goals. FOLX Health is health care that's queer all year. Get all the benefits of becoming a FOLX member and sign up today!
