University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital

Health Systems UChicago Medicine

University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital

501(c)(3)

5721 S. Maryland Ave.
Chicago, IL

8

Total Sex Change Patients

info icon Total unique children who underwent gender-affirming procedures or hormone/puberty blocker therapy.
0

Total Surgery Patients

info icon Total unique children who underwent gender-affirming surgical procedures.
8

Total Hormone and Puberty Blocker Patients

info icon Total unique children who were prescribed puberty blockers or received gender-affirming hormone therapy.
21

Total Prescriptions Written

info icon Total number of scripts for puberty blockers or gender-affirming hormones.
$5,752

Total Submitted Charges

info icon Total amount submitted by providers or pharmacies to insurance for services, treatments, or prescriptions, before any reviews or adjustments. Includes medical procedures and prescription charges but may not reflect the final amount after negotiations.

The University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hospital under the University of Chicago Health System in Chicago, Illinois. The hospital provides puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and behavioral therapy to minors. Claims data shows the hospital has billed for hormone therapy, while the wider University of Chicago Health System has billed for gender surgeries for minors.

For more information on the specific procedure and diagnostic codes and other methodology used to make these determination, read our white paper here.

Key Findings

Sex change treatments at Comer Children’s includes puberty blockers, hormone therapy, STI treatment, and HIV prevention.

Comer Children’s also provides behavioral health support for transgender youth.

The hospital offers puberty blockers to children, saying, “the best time to start therapy is different for each child.”

No minimum age is provided on the child and teen gender-affirming care webpage.

Under frequently asked questions, the hospital says the effects of puberty blockers are only temporary.

Older teens with gender dysphoria may be able to get sex change treatments at Comer Children’s, though an evaluation must take place in order to meet conditions for treatment and to discern “mental maturity.” “For children who have not reached puberty, hormone therapy is not recommended. Treatment for gender dysphoria in children is a social process.”

In May 2024, the University of Chicago Medicine has earned the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader”  award from the Human Rights Campaign for the eighth consecutive year.

Sex Change Treatments Offer

“If your child identifies as transgender or gender non-binary or is exploring their gender identity or expression, you can find the answers and support you need at UChicago Medicine. Here, we strive to provide a safe, welcoming environment for your entire family. Comer Children’s Hospital also provides behavioral health support for transgender youth.”

Sex change treatments offered include:
  •  Puberty blockers
  • Hormone therapy
The hospital offers puberty blockers to children saying, “the best time to start therapy is different for each child.”

“Puberty blockers delay unwanted body changes and can give your child or teen more time to explore their gender identity. The best time to start therapy is different for each child, although we want to ensure that young people have the support they need before beginning treatment.”

No minimum age is provided on the child and teen gender-affirming care webpage.

“At UChicago Medicine, we follow guidelines from the Pediatric Endocrine Society, the Endocrine Society and the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) on using these medications safely and appropriately.”

The hospital says the effects of puberty blockers are only temporary.

“Are the effects of puberty blockers permanent? No, the medications used to block puberty only have temporary effects. In other words, they delay puberty so children and teens have more time to explore their identity. If they choose to stop taking medications, their puberty will resume following their assigned sex at birth.”

Older teens with gender dysphoria may be able to get sex change treatments at Comer Children’s Hospital, though an evaluation must take place in order to meet conditions for treatment and to discern “mental maturity.”

“Older teens with gender dysphoria may be able to get gender-affirming hormone therapy. To have treatment, teens must be evaluated by our medical team to make sure they meet conditions for treatment and have reached mental maturity. Before beginning this kind of treatment, it is important to understand a young person’s goals. A child psychologist can help with this process.”

The evaluation for puberty blockers is done by an “expert in child and adolescent psychology” who can decide whether a “young person may benefit from puberty blockers.”

“Young people with gender dysphoria who have started puberty must be evaluated by our team. The evaluation includes an expert in child and adolescent developmental psychology who can help decide if the young person may benefit from puberty blockers. Puberty blockers are medicines that prevent puberty from happening. These drugs delay unwanted body changes and can give your child or teen more time to explore their gender identity. If they choose to stop taking puberty blockers, their body will continue to develop following their sex assigned at birth.”

“For children who have not reached puberty, hormone therapy is not recommended. Treatment for gender dysphoria in children is a social process.”

 

Definitions

SEX CHANGE PATIENTS: Total unique children who underwent “gender-affirming” surgical procedures or hormone/puberty blocker therapy.

TOTAL SURGERY PATIENTS: Total unique children who underwent “gender-affirming” surgical procedures.

TOTAL HORMONE AND PUBERTY BLOCKERS PATIENTS: Total unique children who were prescribed puberty blockers or received gender-affirming hormone therapy.

TOTAL PRESCRIPTIONS WRITTEN: Total number of prescriptions written by a provider for puberty blockers or gender-affirming hormones for children.

TOTAL SUBMITTED CHARGES: This is the initial amount a healthcare provider or pharmacy submits to the insurance company for a specific service, treatment, or prescription before the insurance company reviews and adjusts the payment. This value includes both the pharmacy-submitted cost of prescription drug claims and the line-item charges associated with medical procedures. Please note that this amount does not necessarily reflect the full cost of the procedure or prescription, as it is subject to adjustments and negotiations by the insurance company.

Leadership

Executive Leadership

Name Title Compensation
Thomas E. Jackiewicz President of the University of Chicago Health System N/A
Jeff Murphy, DNP, RN, CEN, NEA-BC Vice President N/A
John M. Cunningham, MD Physician-in-Chief N/A
Grace Mak, MD Surgeon-in-Chief N/A
Allison Bartlett, MD, MS Chief Quality Officer N/A
James W. Mitchell, MD, FAAP Pediatrics Medical Director N/A

The current leadership/titles are based on the UChicago Medicine leadership website and Comer Children’s hospital leadership website, but the compensation information is from

The University Of Chicago Medical Center 2022-2023 financial Statements, filed 11/21/23.

Compensation reflects the tax year beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023.

Board of Trustees

Name Title Compensation
Barry E. Fields Chair N/A
Philip Alphonse Member N/A
Robert Behar, MD Member N/A
Kevin J. Brown Member N/A
Paul J. Carbone Member N/A
Cynthia Chereskin Member N/A
Douglas M. Cook Member N/A
Thomas Duckworth Member N/A
Larry Gilbert Member N/A
Nickol R. Hackett Member N/A
Stephanie Harris Member N/A
Jonathan Jones Member N/A
Patrick J. Kelly Member N/A
Cheryl Mayberry-McKissack Member N/A
Brian Miller Member N/A

The current leadership/titles are based on the UChicago Medicine leadership website and Comer Children’s hospital leadership website, but the compensation information is from

The University Of Chicago Medical Center 2022-2023 financial Statements, filed 11/21/23.

Compensation reflects the tax year beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023.

It is unclear how often elections are held for the Board of Trustees and how long terms may last (if any).

 

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