In January 2025, the Trump administration issued an\u00a0executive order<\/a> that falsely characterized gender-affirming care as \u201cchemical and surgical mutilation\u201d and threatened to cut federal grants to providers that offer such medical services to people 18 and younger.<\/p>\n In December, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, who oversees the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, announced new measures that would block federal funding for hospitals<\/a> that provide gender-affirming care \u2014 although they are not yet in effect, according to NPR<\/a>.<\/p>\n In a statement, a Lurie Children\u2019s spokesperson confirmed any new patient younger than 18 who has not been previously treated with gender-affirming medications at the hospital will not be prescribed them \u201cat this time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs we\u00a0await federal\u00a0court rulings and assess the rapidly evolving legal landscape, at this time,\u00a0Lurie Children\u2019s\u00a0will not initiate gender-affirming medications for patients\u00a0under age 18 who have not previously been treated with these therapies by our team,\u201d a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. <\/p>\n \u201cActions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including their announcement on January 15th of a referral for an investigation of Lurie Children\u2019s, have resulted in this decision.\u201d<\/p>\n In his post, Stuart cited hospitals in New York, Delaware, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Oregon that he was also referring for an investigation.<\/p>\n Lurie Children\u2019s announcement this week is the latest major change the hospital has made to its gender-affirming care program for trans youth over the past year. <\/p>\n In February, the hospital\u2019s decision to pause gender-affirming surgeries for people younger than 19 sparked protests and backlash<\/a> from advocacy groups and activists.<\/p>\n Other Chicago and Illinois health care systems and hospitals have also rolled back gender-affirming care for minors over the past year, Crain\u2019s has reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/bcc-lurie-trans-healthcare-protest-20250215-14-1024x683.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
Protesters wave flags and listen to speakers during a protest for transgender healthcare in Seneca Park in Chicago\u2019s Streeterville neighborhood on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. Credit: Talia Sprague for Block Club Chicago<\/p>\n