A new report by Consumers’ Research has highlighted alleged misuses of taxpayer dollars by five U.S. hospitals that critics claim are prioritizing political agendas over patient care. The report, titled *Woke Hospitals: Embracing Political Priorities Ahead of Patient Care*, accuses Cleveland Clinic, Vanderbilt University Medical, Henry Ford Health, Memorial Hermann, and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital of leveraging federal funding to advance initiatives such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), climate activism, and gender ideology—a move that the group argues detracts from their primary responsibility as healthcare providers.
The report underscores that these hospitals, which are all tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, have access to substantial government support, including Medicare and Medicaid funds, which could be redirected to cover critical patient needs. Consumers’ Research argues that the hospitals’ political activism, such as promoting DEI initiatives and administering transgender care to minors, has shifted resources away from essential patient services. The group calls for an investigation into how these hospitals are allocating taxpayer resources and whether their activities violate existing anti-DEI laws.
Consumers’ Research criticizes the hospitals for allegedly using federal funding to support causes that critics claim contradict their core mission. The group highlights specific cases where these hospitals have engaged in practices such as administering gender-affirming care to minors, promoting climate activism, and conducting extensive DEI programs, which the report argues have diverted resources intended for patient care and cost reductions.
The report also urges federal authorities, including President Donald Trump and Congress, to review how these hospitals are using taxpayer funds and whether their current eligibility for tax exemptions should be reassessed. Consumers’ Research argues that the hospitals have taken advantage of their tax-exempt status and federal funding to fund projects that do not align with their main purpose of providing high-quality, affordable healthcare. The group emphasizes that patients and taxpayers are being deprived of resources that should be allocated to patient care, and it is calling for a formal review of these hospitals’ financial practices and governmental support.