Texas Governor Greg Abbott has warned Texas Children’s Hospital that it could lose its Medicaid and Medicare funding after a TikTok video by Dr. Tony Pastor, a hospital cardiologist, surfaced. In the video, Dr. Pastor shared his concerns about a recent executive order, which has become a point of contention in the ongoing immigration policy debate.
Last week, a video by Dr. Tony Pastor, a cardiologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, went viral with over a million views. In the video, he advised patients that they were not required to disclose their citizenship status on hospital forms, despite a newly enacted executive order from Gov. Abbott. The order, which took effect on November 1, mandates that hospitals receiving Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding ask patients about their U.S. citizenship status. The policy has raised concerns among healthcare professionals and immigrant communities, as reported by KENS5.
Governor Abbott issued a stern warning on an unnamed social media platform last Sunday, directly admonishing both Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. He emphasized that failure to comply with the new executive order could result in significant financial consequences, "Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine this doctor is putting your Medicaid & Medicare funding at risk. You better think twice & have crystal clear records. There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Order," as reported by KENS5.
In response to the governor’s threats, Texas Children’s Hospital promptly issued a rebuttal expressing commitment to abiding by state laws and a disclaimer distancing itself from individual viewpoints, stating, "Texas Children’s fully supports Governor Abbott’s new Executive Order and is in full compliance," a position that was firsthand conveyed by KENS5. The hospital emphasized that the opinions of their employees such as Dr. Pastor do not reflect the official stance of the institution and reassured their alignment with the governor's directive.
Nevertheless, Dr. Pastor and various health and advocacy groups across Texas have continued to disseminate guidance concerning patients' rights related to the citizenship question, advice that aligns with Pastor's initial video message according to AOL News, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, for example, has been advising patients that they need not answer the citizenship question and that their level of care won't be impacted—a stance supported by organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union that agrees patients are not legally obligated to reveal their immigration status, despite the executive order.
This isn't the first time Texas Children’s Hospital has had to navigate difficult decisions amid state political influences. In 2022, the hospital halted hormone-related prescriptions for transitioning youth in response to a directive from Gov. Abbott, which also led to investigations by Child Protective Services into parents and doctors providing gender-affirming care to transgender minors.
