Houston doctor butts heads with governor

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Express-News reports that after a Houston doctor went viral on TikTok for advising patients to skip a U.S. citizenship question on certain patient intake forms, Gov. Greg Abbott appeared to threaten to rescind government funding for hospitals that fail to “follow the law.” Abbott issued an executive order on Aug. 8 requiring hospitals that accept Medicaid, or Children’s Health Insurance Plan, to ask patients: “Are you a U.S. citizen?” On Nov. 11, Tony Pastor, a cardiologist at Texas Children’s Hospital and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, posted a video on TikTok telling viewers, “We were told today that people do not actually have to answer the question.” The governor lashed out at Pastor’s employers in a Nov. 24 post on X, though his comments seemed to apply to all Texas hospitals that receive Medicaid funding.

“Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine this doctor is putting your Medicaid & Medicare funding at risk,” Abbott said in the post. “(You) better think twice & have crystal clear records. There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Order.” Pastor’s original post had been removed from his account as of Nov. 30. But he posted a video on TikTok on Nov. 26 in response to Abbott’s X post. “When the gov of Texas threatens you on twitter because he is mad you exercised freedom of speech,” Pastor captioned within the video clip. Several advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have said hospitals are legally required to ask the question — but patients are not legally obligated to answer it. The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District also released a flyer mirroring Pastor’s Nov. 11 statement. “You do not have to answer the citizenship question if you don’t want to. Your answer will not affect your care — you will not be turned away,” the flyer said. “You have a right to life-saving care, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.” Abbott did not immediately respond to Express-News’ request for comment.