Texas Governor Threatens Children's Hospital Funding Over Doctor's Viral TikTok

Gov. Greg Abbott warns Texas Children's Hospital of funding cuts after a doctor advised patients they could skip a citizenship question mandated by a new state law.

Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order effective Nov. 1 requiring hospitals accepting Medicaid or CHIP to ask patients about their citizenship status on intake forms.
Dr. Tony Pastor of Texas Children's Hospital posted a TikTok video advising patients they were not obligated to answer the citizenship question, which garnered over 1 million views before being deleted.
Abbott responded on social media, warning the hospital and Baylor College of Medicine that their Medicaid and Medicare funding could be at risk if the law is not followed.
Texas Children's Hospital stated it fully supports and complies with Abbott's executive order, distancing itself from Dr. Pastor's personal views.
Advocacy groups, including the ACLU, argue that patients are not legally required to answer the citizenship question and emphasize that care cannot be denied based on immigration status.