Gender Affirming Care

University Health Service and the University Counseling Center provide gender-affirming care, including starting or continuing hormone therapy, providing referrals for specialists and/or surgery, and helping students navigate the transition. Gender-affirming care is a fairly broad umbrella; there are several services under the umbrella, and some people will want all of them, some people will want some, and some people will not want or need any. Services may include counseling, hormone therapy, hair removal, surgeries, speech therapy, and connection with other campus resources. UHS recognizes that there is no one right way to be trans (or any gender, for that matter), and we work with students on their personal goals for embodiment and presentation.

Outside of UHS, there are several other resources for gender-affirming medical care – locally, Trillium Health offers trans care, as does Planned Parenthood. There are some online/app-based telemedicine services, including Plume and Folx, that also provide access to some forms of gender-affirming medical care.

The UR Student Health Plan (Aetna) covers most gender-affirming services and medications. Some services, such as hair removal and specialist referrals, may require prior authorization, letters of support from mental health professionals or medical providers, and/or copayments under this plan. If you are not on the UR student health plan, costs, coverage, and requirements vary.