Texas Governor Greg Abbott has threatened a children’s hospital with “consequences” after a doctor posted a viral TikTok telling patients they’re not legally obligated to tell a hospital their citizenship status. Via the Independent:
On November 1, a new executive order went into effect requiring Texas hospitals that accept Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Plan to ask patients if they’re US citizens. The question now appears on intake forms at hospitals across the state, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Dr. Tony Pastor, a cardiologist at Texas Children’s Hospital and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, went on to post a TikTok on November 11 telling patients they’re not obligated to answer the question. The video went viral, garnering more than one million views.
“Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine this doctor is putting your Medicaid & Medicare funding at risk,” Abbott wrote on X, sharing a link to an Express-News article that reports on Pastor’s video.
