Gender Affirmation Surgery
Important Update to Gender-Affirming Pediatric Care Services
Updated: July 18, 2025
UChicago Medicine has reached the difficult decision that in response to continued federal actions, it will discontinue all gender-affirming pediatric care effective immediately. We understand that this news will have a significant impact on our patients.
We reached this conclusion in light of emerging federal actions which would place at risk our ability to care for all Medicare or Medicaid patients. These patients make up the majority of those we serve. As the largest Medicaid provider in Illinois, this step is necessary to ensure UChicago Medicine can continue serving our broader community and delivering on our mission.
Our focus right now is working with affected patients to discuss options going forward.
Gender Affirmation Surgery
At UChicago Medicine, we are committed to providing comprehensive, affirming care to transgender and gender-diverse people. We are here to support you by offering a full range of gender affirmation surgeries in a welcoming, inclusive environment.
Our highly skilled surgical team includes plastic surgeons, urologists, gynecologists and otolaryngologists who have extensive experience working with LGBTQ+ patients.
Our aim is simple: to respect you and improve your quality of life through a reconstructive process in which we support you before, during and after your operation.
Appointments
To make an appointment, call 1-888-824-0200 and ask for the Trans CARE clinic.
Individualized Care and a Full Range of Gender-Affirming Procedures
Our surgeons can perform a wide array of masculinizing and feminizing procedures to affirm your identity and enhance your appearance. We also recognize that voice is an important part of your gender expression and offer surgery to feminize the voice.
When you come to UChicago Medicine, we take time to listen to your concerns and develop a customized treatment plan based on your specific needs. We also make sure that you have the answers you need so you know what to expect at every stage of your journey.
A Multidisciplinary Team Committed to You
At UChicago Medicine, we have assembled one of the most comprehensive teams in transgender health. If you choose us for your gender affirmation surgery, you will have access to a wide range of specialists and subspecialists that you can only find at an academic medical center. From gender-affirming hormone therapy to primary and preventive care specifically for transgender and gender-diverse patients, our team can connect you with any medical or surgical care you need.
We deliver treatments based on research and expert consensus and adhere to the standards of care set forth by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). By doing so, we aim to optimize your well-being and your overall health.
Recognized for Our Dedication to LGBTQ+ Care
UChicago Medicine has been named a LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) because of our inclusive policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees. We are especially dedicated to improving access to gender affirmation surgery for underserved transgender and gender-diverse people on Chicago’s South Side. We also collaborate with public and private institutions to improve care for transgender and gender-diverse people at the local, national and global levels.
Our highly respected surgical staff is also specially trained in LGBTQ+ patient-centered care, and we have implemented policies to create a welcoming experience for transgender and gender-diverse patients across the medical center. We are also actively engaged in transgender health research and in training the next generation of healthcare professionals to deliver gender-affirming care.