Nurse fired from her job after exposing alleged Medicaid fraud at Texas Children's Hospital gender clinic

Nurse Vanessa Sivadge, who in June revealed the alleged Medicaid fraud at Texas Children’s Hospital that is currently being investigated by Attorney General Ken Paxton, has been fired from her job.

In a message to Christopher Rufo of the City Journal, Sivadge said that she had submitted a religious accommodation on May 31 to be transferred out of the endocrinology clinic and into the cardiac clinic. She said the request came as she had "regretted my indirect participation in the care of children on cross sex hormones in the past, and reaffirmed my religious beliefs upholding men and women as image bearers of God with intrinsic, biological differences that cannot be erased or reassigned medically."

"As you know," Sivadge wrote to Rufo, "SB14 was signed into law in September of 2023, and yet endocrinologists at the hospital have not only continued to treat adults over 18 with gender dysphoria, but I uncovered evidence suggesting that the hospital was using Texas Medicaid to cover cross sex hormones and puberty blockers for minors, an allegation the hospital denied in a press release of 7/22/24."

In June, Texas Children’s Hospital temporarily closed its pediatric sex change clinic, which came after Paxton stated that the hospital is "currently being investigated by the Texas Attorney General."

"Because my role as clinic nurse primarily involved providing medication refills and working with physicians to answer questions from parents about treatment plans, I explained to TCH that this expectation as part of my current role in the endocrinology clinic was devastating to me and requested an internal transfer to a different department," she wrote.

She noted that two weeks after the transfer request, Rufo’s story exposing the Texas Children’s Hospital was published. She said that the hospital contacted her the day after she went public in his story and put her on leave "citing 2 reasons: (1) your story ('things shared publicly') and (2) my request to transfer, which was my email seeking religious accommodation."

Sivadge said she was fired on Friday, August 16, "effective immediately."

"This is unlawful for two reasons: it is retaliation for my coming forward with information on TCH’s egregious pattern of deception and Medicaid fraud, and this action also illegally disregarded my request to transfer due to my belief that these procedures bring irreversible harm and lifelong regret to children confused about their sex."

Sivadge has launched a GiveSendGo fundraiser to challenge the decision in court. As of Monday evening, the fund has received over $28,000. 

Sivadge noted on the fundraiser page that she spoke out to corroborate Dr. Eithan Haim's testimony on cross-sex procedures on minors at the hospital. She said that soon after coming forward, she was visited by two FBI agents at her home, who asked for her assistance in exposing Haim. "They said they could make my life difficult, and said I was not safe unless I helped them. I felt scared, intimidated, and overwhelmed."

"My excellent team of attorneys are committed to defending me, and I am more committed to this fight than ever before. The risks have never been higher for whistleblowers who come forward to expose wrongdoing, but when the lives and wellbeing of children are at stake, it is always worth it. Thank you for your support and especially for your prayers."