A blistering report by Consumers’ Research has accused five U.S. hospitals of leveraging federal funding to advance politically motivated initiatives—such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, gender ideology, and climate activism—rather than focusing on patient care. The report highlights Cleveland Clinic, Vanderbilt University Medical, Henry Ford Health, Memorial Hermann, and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital as the primary offenders, accusing them of misusing taxpayer dollars to advance what the report describes as ‘woke’ agendas. The nonprofit, which has long criticized ‘woke’ hospitals, has called for an investigation led by President Donald Trump and U.S. lawmakers, alleging the hospitals are violating anti-DEI laws and diverting resources away from core healthcare missions.
The report, titled ‘Woke Hospitals: Embracing Political Priorities Ahead of Patient Care,’ states that these nonprofit hospitals receive millions from federal funding streams, including Medicare and Medicaid payments, as well as tax exemptions, enabling them to support initiatives that critics argue are not aligned with their primary responsibility of providing affordable, high-quality care. Consumers’ Research claims the hospitals have used their financial privileges to fund ‘frivolous projects’ outside patient care, such as promoting DEI initiatives, climate activism, and gender-affirming care to minors, while failing to pass on tax savings to patients. The group argues that taxpayers are being unfairly burdened by these hospitals’ financial practices, which it suggests are prioritizing ideological goals over medical needs.
The report singles out several specific examples of hospitals engaging in what it describes as ‘radical’ agendas. Cleveland Clinic, for instance, is accused of promoting DEI initiatives, such as embedding diversity in all healthcare services, as well as investing in ‘climate activism’ through green initiatives and providing transgender care to children. The report also highlights that the hospital’s CEO, Tom Mihaljevic, once stated that healthcare is ‘only part of our mission,’ a statement the group suggests implies a broader ideological stance.
Vanderbilt University Medical, according to the report, is accused of violating state anti-DEI laws by allegedly promoting child sex-change procedures and using federal funding to support what it describes as ‘woke’ agendas. Henry Ford Health faces similar allegations, with the report pointing to its support for DEI initiatives and its use of federal funds to finance ideological projects. Memorial Hermann is accused of engaging in ‘insult to injury’ practices by leveraging taxpayer support for its ‘woke’ initiatives, while Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital is cited as the first U.S. hospital to offer transgender surgeries, with the report suggesting it has long supported the concept of children accessing gender-affirming care.
In response, hospitals have denied the allegations, asserting that they comply with all legal mandates and that their missions remain focused on patient care. A spokesperson for Cleveland Clinic stated that the hospital is fully compliant with all state and federal laws and that the report’s claims are ‘false and misleading.’ Similarly, spokespersons for Henry Ford Health, Vanderbilt University Medical, and Memorial Hermann have refuted the report’s accusations, calling it ‘factually inaccurate and intentionally misleading.’
The report also calls for an investigation into the federal funding streams that support these hospitals, arguing that their tax-exempt status and financial privileges are being misused to fund ‘woke’ initiatives rather than serving the public interest. Consumers’ Research has written letters to President Trump, Senate and House leadership, and governors of the hospitals’ states, urging an inquiry into the hospitals’ operations. The group has also launched a mobile billboard in Washington, D.C., and a website, BadMedicine.Org, to raise awareness of its findings.
Consumers’ Research Executive Director Will Hild emphasized the need for accountability, stating that hospitals should refocus on their core mission of providing high-quality, affordable care and that the public should be informed about how taxpayer funds are being used. The report concludes with a call for a review of the hospitals’ tax exemptions and funding streams, urging policymakers to ensure that federal support is not being used to subsidize what the group calls ‘reckless ideological activism.’