Trans Resource Navigator

Gender-affirming care in Illinois

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  • Page changed: File a complaint (2026-10-12) · #237
  • Page changed: File a complaint (2026-09-28) · #39
  • Page changed: Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) (2026-09-28) · #37
Care for adults
Allowed
Care for people under 18
Allowed
Illinois Medicaid (HealthChoice Illinois managed care; All Kids for children) pays for hormones
Covered
Illinois Medicaid (HealthChoice Illinois managed care; All Kids for children) pays for surgery
Covered
Private plans must cover care
Yes, by law

Gender-affirming care is legal for adults and minors in Illinois, and a 2023 shield law protects patients and providers from other states' bans. Illinois Medicaid covers hormone therapy and surgery, and state-regulated private insurance may not exclude transition-related care. A new federal Medicaid rule targeting care for patients under 18 is set to start October 13, 2026 and is being challenged in court.

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

  • Howard Brown Health[8][9]

    Federally qualified LGBTQ health center with seven Chicago locations (North, West, and South Sides) offering trans and gender diverse health services including hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery navigation, plus primary care, PrEP, a sexual health walk-in clinic, behavioral health, and all-in-one care for ages 12 to 24. Appointments 773-388-1600.

    • Sliding scale
    • Accepts Medicaid
    • Sees uninsured patients

    Serves: Chicago and surrounding area

    773-388-16004025 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60613Languages: English, Español

  • Chicago House TransLife Care[11]

    Free health and social services for trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people at TranSafe drop-in centers across Chicago: on-site health providers, sexual health screening, legal clinic, case management, housing navigation, and employment services.

    • Free
    • Sees uninsured patients
    773-248-5200

  • Planned Parenthood of Illinois, gender-affirming care[12]

    Gender-affirming hormone therapy and sexual health services at health centers in Chicago and across Illinois; Medicaid and sliding scale. Call your nearest center to confirm availability, telehealth options, and minimum age.

    • Sliding scale
    • Telehealth
    • Accepts Medicaid
    • Sees uninsured patients
    • Unverified

  • IL Pride Connect Legal Hotline[3]

    Free, confidential legal information for LGBTQIA+ Illinoisans on insurance and Medicaid denials, access to gender-affirming care, and discrimination. Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 4 pm; English and Spanish.

    • Free
    855-805-9200Languages: English, Español

  • Find a community health center (HRSA)[13]

    Official locator for federally qualified health centers, which must see you regardless of insurance or ability to pay and charge on a sliding scale. Outside Chicago, call and ask whether they offer hormone therapy or "gender-affirming care".

    • Sliding scale
    • Accepts Medicaid
    • Sees uninsured patients

  • Point of Pride funds[14]

    National funds for people who cannot afford care, including the HRT Access Fund (free telehealth hormone therapy), a surgery fund, and free binders and shapewear.

    • Free

  • Genderbands grants[15]

    Small grants for surgery and transition costs including hormones and name change fees; 18 and older.

    • Free

  • Trans Health Project (Advocates for Trans Equality)[16]

    Free templates and guides for appealing insurance denials of gender-affirming care, including employer self-funded plans.

    • Free

Paying for care

Medicaid (Illinois Medicaid (HealthChoice Illinois managed care; All Kids for children))[2][4]

Illinois Medicaid covers gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy and surgery, for adults and youth. Most enrollees are in a HealthChoice Illinois managed care plan, which may require prior authorization for surgery. If a plan denies care, you can appeal; the IL Pride Connect Legal Hotline (855-805-9200) and Illinois Legal Aid Online explain how.

Who qualifies: adults with income up to about 138% of the federal poverty level, with higher limits for children (All Kids) and pregnant people. Apply online through ABE (Application for Benefits Eligibility), by phone, or at a Department of Human Services Family Community Resource Center.

Federal change for youth: a CMS rule effective October 13, 2026 bars federal Medicaid/CHIP funding for gender-affirming care for enrollees under 18 (CHIP under 19). States may still pay with state funds; Illinois's response is not yet final and the rule is being challenged in court.

Apply for coverage

Private insurance[5][6][2][7]

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on gender-related identity, and the Illinois Department of Insurance (Company Bulletin 2014-10) told state-regulated insurers they may not exclude coverage for gender-transition-related care or deny medically necessary services because of gender identity. Insurers may not refuse to enroll you, cancel you, charge more, or deny a service because the gender on your plan does not match the service. Self-funded employer plans are federally regulated and may not be covered; the Trans Health Project has appeal templates for those.

If a state-regulated plan denies care, file an appeal with the plan and then a complaint with the Illinois Department of Insurance (online), and call the IL Pride Connect Legal Hotline for help.

File an insurance complaint

The rules in detail

Rules for adultsNo state restriction. Several Chicago community health centers, including Howard Brown Health, provide hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery…

No state restriction. Several Chicago community health centers, including Howard Brown Health, provide hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery navigation, and telehealth prescribing is legal statewide.

If you have no insurance and little money, in rough order of what to try:

  1. Apply for Illinois Medicaid through ABE (free for adults with income up to about 138% of the federal poverty level). It covers hormones and surgery.
  2. Go to a community health center (federally qualified health center). They must see you regardless of ability to pay and charge on a sliding scale. Find one at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
  3. Planned Parenthood of Illinois health centers offer gender-affirming hormone care on a sliding scale (call to confirm your nearest center and age minimum).
  4. Point of Pride's HRT Access Fund pays for telehealth hormone care for people who cannot afford it.
  5. For the medications themselves, generic spironolactone and estradiol are inexpensive with a GoodRx-type coupon; ask the pharmacy for the cash price.
[8][13][14][2]
Rules for under 18Legal. Illinois has no ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and the Lawful Health Care Activity Act (2023) defines treatment of gender dysphoria…

Legal. Illinois has no ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and the Lawful Health Care Activity Act (2023) defines treatment of gender dysphoria and affirmation of gender identity as "lawful health care" and protects patients, families, and providers from other states' attempts to punish it. Care for minors requires parental consent and follows clinical guidelines.

Two cautions as of September 2026:

  • Some hospitals have stopped providing this care to patients under 19 out of fear of lawsuits or loss of federal funding, even though it remains legal in Illinois. Community health centers such as Howard Brown (all-in-one care for ages 12 to 24) continue to see youth; call to confirm.
  • A federal CMS rule issued in August 2026 bars federal Medicaid and CHIP funds from paying for puberty blockers, hormones, or surgery for enrollees under 18 (CHIP under 19), effective October 13, 2026, with up to six months of continued hormone coverage for people already on treatment. Illinois says Medicaid covers youth care, and the Illinois Attorney General co-leads a lawsuit against the rule. Call the IL Pride Connect Legal Hotline (855-805-9200) if coverage is affected.
[1][2][10]
Laws and court cases1 court case, 2 laws

Multistate challenge to the CMS rule on Medicaid/CHIP funding for youth gender-affirming care (co-led by Illinois)

The rule is scheduled to take effect October 13, 2026. Until then nothing changes. Adults are not affected. People already on hormones may keep federally funded coverage for up to six months after that date.[2]

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-leads a coalition of states suing to stop an August 2026 CMS final rule that bars federal Medicaid and CHIP funds for gender-affirming care for enrollees under 18 (CHIP under 19). Last update 2026-09-24.

Sources

16 sources. Numbers in the text, like [1], point here.Show all
  1. Public Act 102-1117 (HB 4664), including Article 28, Lawful Health Care Activity ActIllinois General Assembly, Law. accessed
    “"Lawful health care" means ... the treatment of gender dysphoria or the affirmation of an individual's gender identity or gender expression ... that is not unlawful under the laws of this State”
  2. Healthcare (know your rights, Medicaid, CMS rule, shield law)Illinois Pride Connect, Organization. accessed
    “In Illinois, Medicaid covers gender-affirming care, including youth gender-affirming care. ... Some hospitals have chosen to stop providing this care to youth under 19, even though there is no legal ban on providing this care in Illinois. ... The rule is set to take effect on October 13, 2026.”
  3. IL Pride Connect Legal HotlineIllinois Pride Connect, Organization. accessed
  4. Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE)State of Illinois, Official page. accessed
  5. Company Bulletin 2014-10, gender identity nondiscrimination in health insuranceIllinois Department of Insurance, Regulation. accessed
  6. File a complaintIllinois Department of Insurance, Official page. accessed
  7. Healthcare laws and policiesMovement Advancement Project, Organization. accessed
    “Illinois bans insurance exclusions of transgender health care.”
  8. Trans and gender diverse healthHoward Brown Health, Organization. accessed
    “Trans and gender diverse health services, including hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery navigation”
  9. LocationsHoward Brown Health, Organization. accessed
  10. Howard Brown Health (services including All-in-One Care for Ages 12 to 24)Howard Brown Health, Organization. accessed
  11. TransLife CareChicago House and Social Service Agency, Organization. accessed
    “TransLife Care (TLC) provides free healthcare and social services to trans, non-binary, or gender expansive individuals.”
  12. Gender-affirming carePlanned Parenthood of Illinois, Organization. accessed
  13. Find a Health CenterHealth Resources and Services Administration, Official page. accessed
  14. HRT Access FundPoint of Pride, Organization. accessed
  15. GenderbandsOrganization. accessed
  16. Trans Health ProjectAdvocates for Trans Equality, Organization. accessed