Overview

• On July 1, Rush University Medical Center paused puberty blockers and hormone therapy for all new patients under 18 across its Chicago network.
• Existing minor patients may continue treatment only if stopping it would pose potential harm, according to internal policy documents.
• The health system will maintain mental health, behavioral health and social services for gender care patients of any age and refer minors to outside providers for unavailable treatments.
• Lurie Children’s Hospital and UI Health have enacted comparable rollbacks of gender-affirming services for minors under the same federal grant threats.
• Federal enforcement intensified when the Department of Justice subpoenaed over 20 providers of gender-affirming care to minors even as state attorneys general and major medical associations mount legal challenges defending access.