NEW: Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago is pausing gender-care surgeries for patients younger than 19 as Republican President Donald Trump threatens to cut federal funding from providers who offer this type of care: @WBEZ

Fear of deportation is already effecting people's health in #Chicago: * Hundreds of missed doctor's appointments * Prescriptions left at the pharmacy * Families not renewing or disenrolling in public benefits @icirr @Healthy_ILL @MAMFRC_ @MigrationPolicy

Inside a Chicago health clinic amid deportation fears: hundreds of patients skip appointments, leave prescriptions w/crucial meds like insulin at the pharmacy. It’s like COVID days, folks at the clinic say. @WBEZ

During the height of the pandemic, Chicago safety net hospitals treating the most vulnerable patients had a really hard time transferring patients. Several state lawmakers vowed to change this, but nothing happened. More context: @AnneMStey

There's a secret 'gift room' at Chicago City Hall. Hugo Boss cufflinks, a personalized Mount Blanc pen & Carucci size-14 burgundy men’s shoes left for the mayor. But even the city's inspector general had a hard time getting in, via @fspielman:

RT @TinaSfon: White House rescinds Trump's funding freeze after massive backlash

Confirmation hearings are underway for whether RFK Jr. should become the nation's health chief, running the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services. Here's what experts fear could happen in Illinois if he gets the job: @WBEZ

Another Medicaid blow: GOP targets health insurance for nearly 1 million low-income people in Illinois, via @TinaSfon:

It's been a day, eh? Here's what it was like at community health centers in Chicago as they fear losing millions of dollars in federal $$ (a federal judge has since blocked Trump's attempt to do this): @WBEZ

Immigration raids in Chicago, starring Dr. Phil. Why having a talk show host tag along raises questions about turning raids into entertainment, via @PetrellaReports @nellbsalzman @JakeSheridan_:

More than 600,000 low-income & uninsured kids in Illinois were vaccinated through a federal program last year. Shots are free to families, removing a big barrier. Some docs worry about cuts heading into the next Trump presidency. @WBEZ @AmerAcadPeds

A beautiful story about an immigrant family in Chicago planning to stay together. So many logistics. So many stresses, via @ChipMitchell1 @WBEZ:

NEW: 4 things to know about what could happen to vaccines in Illinois as Donald Trump takes office. Dive into: ✅vaccination rates ✅misinformation ✅$$ cuts ✅silver linings @WBEZ @KFF

'It is very much being pushed off of a cliff, without any resources.' There's not much for kids w/development disabilities when they finish high school. There's a 5-year wait list for services like help finding a job. Great read by @estheryjkang @WBEZ:

RT @beckyvevea: When I was 24, I wrote this story about parents pushing to get an elected school board in Chicago…

RT @mina_bloom_: This huge news comes after many months of dogged reporting from @_ManuelRamos_ @mack_liederman about Carter's poor leaders…

RT @msanchezMIA: Read this absolutely damning account of how insurers, including United, rely on the same doctors to deny mental health car…

‘Some women describe the loss of their breasts as … the loss of their identity, the loss of their femininity. And it is an existential loss. It calls into question, for some people, their humanity.’ Beautiful story via @angie_leventis:

'... Where is Sheriff Dart? Is he supposed to be here?' @ballesteros_312's reporting on deaths at the Cook County Jail spurred a public hearing this week. Families who lost loved ones testified. The sheriff didn't come, sent reps instead: