Trans Resource Navigator

Gender-affirming care in Rhode Island

Care for adults
Allowed
Care for people under 18
Allowed
Rhode Island Medicaid (including RIte Care) pays for hormones
Covered
Rhode Island Medicaid (including RIte Care) pays for surgery
Covered
Private plans must cover care
Yes, by law

Gender-affirming care is legal for adults and minors in Rhode Island. RI Medicaid and state-regulated private insurance cover it, and the 2024 Healthcare Provider Shield law protects patients and providers from other states' lawsuits and subpoenas. Open Door Health in Providence and Planned Parenthood offer hormone therapy with sliding-scale fees.

Draft from official sources, September 24, 2026. Not yet checked by a person. How we verify

On this page
  1. Health centers near you
  2. Hormones by telehealth
  3. Clinics, programs, and funds
  4. Paying for care
  5. Rules for adults
  6. Rules for under 18
  7. Laws and court cases
  8. Sources

Community health centers near you

These federally funded centers must see you whether or not you have insurance, and charge based on income. Many, but not all, prescribe hormone therapy. Call and ask for "gender-affirming care" or "hormone therapy."

Sorting by distance uses your location only on this device. It is never sent anywhere.

Hormones by telehealth

These services prescribe hormones through video visits for people in this state. Point of Pride pays for a year and a half of care with several of them each spring.

  • Plume

    PaidNo Medicaid18+

    Trans-led telehealth service providing informed-consent hormone therapy, lab orders, prescriptions, and letters for surgery and documents, by app and video visit. Self-pay only since January 2026. A Point of Pride HRT Access Fund partner.

    About $99 per month ($90 in NY and NJ), which includes visits, messaging, prescriptions, and document letters. Labs and medications are billed separately and are often cheap with GoodRx or at a community pharmacy. Free for 18 months if you win a Point of Pride HRT Access Fund grant.

  • FOLX Health

    InsuranceTakes insuranceNo Medicaid18+

    LGBTQ-focused telehealth offering hormone therapy, PrEP, primary care, and mental health visits. Accepts major commercial insurance (Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare) but not Medicaid or Medicare. A Point of Pride HRT Access Fund partner.

    In-network with many commercial plans; self-pay membership about $69 to $98 per month all-inclusive.

  • Planned Parenthood

    Sliding scaleTakes insurance

    Many Planned Parenthood affiliates provide informed-consent gender-affirming hormone therapy alongside sexual and reproductive health care, on a sliding scale and with Medicaid. Most affiliates see adults 18 and older; a few see 16- and 17-year-olds with parental consent and a readiness letter. Many start hormone care by telehealth. Self-pay initial consults typically run about $120 to $250 before sliding-scale discounts.

Clinics, programs, and funds

  • Open Door Health[9]

    Rhode Island's first LGBTQ+ community health clinic. Gender-affirming hormone therapy for adults, surgical referrals, help with letters for name and gender changes, PrEP/PEP, STI testing, HIV and hepatitis care, and Open Mind behavioral health.

    • Cost varies
    401-648-47007 Central St, Providence, RI 02907

  • Planned Parenthood of Southern New England[10]

    Gender-affirming hormone therapy, hormone lab work, and letters of support for adults, in person or by telehealth. Care regardless of insurance status, sliding fee scale, and a Medicaid enrollment navigator. Adults only (18+).

    • Sliding scale
    • Telehealth
    • Sees uninsured patients
    800-230-7526Languages: English, Español

  • Thundermist Health Center[11][12]

    Community health center serving Woonsocket, West Warwick, and South County, historically known for a trans health program. Its current website does not describe gender-affirming services; call to ask.

    • Sliding scale
    • Community reported
    401-767-4100

  • RIPIN Health Care Consumer Call Center[8]

    Free help with Medicaid, HealthSource RI, employer plans, and Medicare, including getting coverage and appealing denials.

    • Free
    401-270-0101

  • HealthSource RI[7]

    Rhode Island's health insurance marketplace, with income-based subsidies and a route into Medicaid.

    • Cost varies

  • A4TE Trans Health Project[13]

    Help appealing insurance denials for gender-affirming care.

    • Free

  • Point of Pride HRT Access Fund[15]

    National fund that helps pay for hormone therapy.

    • Free

  • TGI Network of Rhode Island[14]

    Peer support groups (including nonbinary and trans masculine groups), a health and social services resource list, and the annual RI Trans Health Conference.

    • Free

  • HRSA Find a Health Center[16]

    Federal locator for sliding-fee community health centers near you.

    • Free

Paying for care

Medicaid (Rhode Island Medicaid (including RIte Care))[5][6][8]

Rhode Island's Medicaid policy explicitly includes coverage of transgender-related care, according to the Movement Advancement Project. Expect prior authorization for surgery. Apply online at HealthyRhode or through HealthSource RI; RIPIN's call center (401-270-0101) helps with enrollment and denials.

Apply for coverage

Private insurance[4][8][13]

Rhode Island bans state-regulated health insurers from excluding coverage for transgender people (per MAP). Self-funded employer plans are regulated federally and may differ. If a claim is denied, appeal, and get free help from RIPIN's health insurance advocates or A4TE's Trans Health Project. Complaints about insurers go to the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC).

File an insurance complaint

The rules in detail

Rules for adultsNo state restriction. If you have no insurance and little money, in rough order: 1.

No state restriction. If you have no insurance and little money, in rough order:

  1. Apply for RI Medicaid through HealthyRhode or HealthSource RI; it covers gender-affirming care.
  2. Go to Open Door Health (Providence), Rhode Island's LGBTQ+ community health clinic, or a community health center with a sliding fee.
  3. Planned Parenthood of Southern New England offers hormone therapy and labs for adults, with a sliding fee scale and help enrolling in Medicaid.
  4. Telehealth (Plume, FOLX, Planned Parenthood) is available statewide.
  5. Point of Pride runs an HRT access fund.
[9][10][4][15]
Rules for under 18Legal; Rhode Island has no ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

Legal; Rhode Island has no ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The Healthcare Provider Shield (chapter 23-101, 2024) lets people sued elsewhere over legally protected gender-affirming or reproductive care sue back in Rhode Island, limits state cooperation with out-of-state subpoenas and judgments, and chapter 5-37.8 protects providers' licenses, malpractice insurance, and jobs. Care for minors normally requires a parent's or guardian's consent. Planned Parenthood of Southern New England's program is for adults; ask a pediatric provider for a referral.

[1][2][3][4][10]
Laws and court cases2 laws

Sources

16 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-101-3, Tortious interference with legally protected healthcare activityRhode Island General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “If a person, whether or not acting under color of law, engages or attempts to engage in hostile litigation, any aggrieved person may initiate a civil action against that person”
  2. R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-101-2, DefinitionsRhode Island General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “"Gender-affirming healthcare services" means all supplies, care, and services of a medical, behavioral health, mental health, surgical ... nature, including medication, relating to the treatment of gender dysphoria”
  3. R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 5-37.8, Protections for Healthcare Providers ActRhode Island General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “License protections for providers of legally protected healthcare activity.”
  4. Rhode Island equality profileMovement Advancement Project, Organization. accessed
    “Health Insurance Providers Banned from Excluding Coverage for Transgender People 1/1”
  5. Medicaid Coverage of Transgender-Related Health CareMovement Advancement Project, Organization. accessed
    “Rhode Island Medicaid policy explicitly includes coverage”
  6. HealthyRhodeState of Rhode Island, Official page. accessed
  7. HealthSource RIOfficial page. accessed
  8. RIPIN Health CareRhode Island Parent Information Network, Organization. accessed
  9. Gender Affirming CareOpen Door Health, Organization. accessed
    “At Open Door Health, we provide adult patients with gender-affirming care that's tailored to their unique needs.”
  10. Gender-Affirming CarePlanned Parenthood of Southern New England, Organization. accessed
    “Our health centers offer services for adults across the gender spectrum.”
  11. Thundermist Health CenterOrganization. accessed
  12. Rhode Island guides and directoryNamesake, Organization. accessed
    “Thundermist Health Center is a community health center that has been serving Woonsocket, West Warwick, and South County for more than 55 years.”
  13. Trans Health ProjectAdvocates for Trans Equality, Organization. accessed
  14. TGI Network of RIOrganization. accessed
  15. HRT Access FundPoint of Pride, Organization. accessed
  16. Find a Health CenterHRSA, Official page. accessed