Texas Governor Scolds Hospital After Doctor Goes Viral on TikTok

After a TikTok video in which a Texas physician informed the public of their right to not respond to a citizenship question on hospital intake forms went viral, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) fired back on social media.

In a post on X on Monday, Abbott wrote, “Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine, this doctor is putting your Medicaid and Medicare funding at risk. You better think twice & have crystal clear records. There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Executive Order.”

The law — which took effect Nov. 1 — requires hospitals that receive Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program funding to ask patients whether they are in the U.S. legally, and to track the cost of treating patients who are not. Patients can decline to provide this information, and hospital employees must tell them that their response will not affect their care.

The new law has raised concerns about creating further distrust in healthcare providers, doctors previously told MedPage Today.

Texas Children’s Hospital issued a statement noting that it “fully supports Governor Abbott’s new executive order and is in full compliance. We have worked closely with the Texas Hospital Association and our industry partners across the state to ensure compliance in advance of the effective date.”

“While we recognize that individuals working at Texas Children’s hold their own personal views on many topics, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Texas Children’s Hospital,” the statement continued. “We will continue to prioritize patient care while ensuring we are in full compliance with all laws and legal directives.”

In the video, which is no longer available, Tony Pastor, MD, said he sometimes goes viral for “cute videos of my boyfriend and our dog” and “fun stories about residency,” but “this video is a little different.”

“I’m hoping the algorithm will do its thing because it’s very important,” he added.

He goes on to explain that “any patient who comes to a hospital has to click a box, basically, that is on the intake form. It says, ‘Are you a U.S. citizen?’ ‘Are you not a U.S. citizen?’ There’s no third option that says, ‘Rather not disclose.’ It’s either or.”

“It has made all of us physicians and providers super uncomfortable,” Pastor said. “No one has told us what people are going to do with this information.”

He noted that “we were told today that people do not actually have to answer the question … but no one is telling these people this, right?”

Maybe the law is “just a deterrent” for people who are not documented to go to a hospital, he said. “But even if that’s the motive, it’s really messed up. You should come to a hospital if you’re sick. You should get healthcare if you’re sick.”

“So, my proposal to everyone … is just know that you do not have to answer this question,” he continued. “And my second sort of proposal is, wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone who comes in doesn’t answer it, and it really messes with whatever data that they’re looking for?”

“Anyways, I hope the universe helps this video go off and people get this message,” Pastor concluded. “We’re gonna still keep advocating for our patients, because that’s why we went to medical school.”

Pastor and Abbott’s offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment.