Get Notice of CCHF Events!
CCHF sends email invitations and notices for events and educational forums to those who request them. Such forums and events follow different formats and take place at various time during the year.
To receive notice of an upcoming forum or event, send a request to CCHF.
A "newborn screening" amendment was attached to an unrelated bill (HF 2967 - Holberg) on Monday, May 7, 2012. Prior to the amendment being added, CCHF worked with Rep. Holberg and other legislators to make sure certain informed parent consent requirements and strongly-worded protections regarding newborn citizens and Baby DNA were added to the amendment.
Dear Senator Hann:
I am writing today on behalf of the Mayo Clinic in support of Minnesota's newborn screening program.
Issues
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February 03, 2012
Bearder v. State of Minnesota was brought by nine families who wanted the state to obrtain written informed consent to collect, store or use infants' blood samples. The lawsuit was spearheaded by the Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom in St Paul.
National Reports
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January 10, 2010
Health Care Sharing Ministries are exempt from the Obamacare individual insurance mandate. More than 100,000 Americans have found an alternative to health insurance in what used to be called medical sharing groups and is now called health care sharing ministries. They have been available for decades, but they are virtually unknown. If you haven’t heard of them before now, you are not alone.
Press Releases
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January 04, 2010
If the U.S. Senate version of health insurance reform passes and premium costs increase as predicted by the Congressional Budget Office, medical sharing may be one of the only ways for Americans to get affordable coverage," says Twila Brase, president of CCHC
National Reports
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January 01, 2010
Compare the three Healthcare Sharing Programs side-by-side: Samaritan Ministries, Medi-Share and Christian Healthcare Ministries.
Press Releases
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May 23, 2002
Although several citizen organizations testified multiple times against the provision, the MN Department of Health received authority to quarantine individuals and groups suspected of having a communicable or potentially communicable disease without a court order - 365 days a year.
Press Releases
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May 02, 2002
FIRST RIGHT: The first right to go was the right of the public to testify on the proposed legislation. Rep. Richard Mulder (R-Ivanhoe), chair of the committee and author of the bill (HF 3031), began the third hearing of the Conference Committee by saying public testimony would not be taken. It had not been allowed in the first hearing, but in the second hearing, thanks to the insistence of Rep. Lynda Boudreau (R-Faribault), the public was given permission to testify.
Press Releases
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February 11, 2002
The Minnesota Emergency Health Powers Act has faulty reasoning and constitutional concerns according to Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC), a health care policy group which provided testimony in the Senate Health and Family Security Committee today.
Public Comments
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September 01, 2011
The Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), established under Obamacare, asked the American public to comment on the Institute's definition of "patient-centered outcomes research." The deadline was Friday, September 2. Many CCHF supporters responded. In short, PCORI's definition is deceptive and leaves the public thinking that PCORI (pronounced "pea-CORE-ee") is going to do great work. However, the controversial "comparative effectiveness research" will be used by the federal government to make insurance coverage decisions for all citizens.
Links and Quotes
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December 01, 2008
Evidence is said to be the new bright star of health care. A growing chorus of voices is calling for physicians and other health care clinicians to follow “evidence-based medicine” (EBM) or so-called “best practices.” To practice EBM, proponents say doctors must follow evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.
Petitions
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July 31, 2005
Issues
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February 03, 2012
Bearder v. State of Minnesota was brought by nine families who wanted the state to obrtain written informed consent to collect, store or use infants' blood samples. The lawsuit was spearheaded by the Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom in St Paul.
Public Comments
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October 21, 2011
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to make sweeping changes to federal regulations on human subjects research. In this response to the administration's request for public comments on their Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CCHF says data and DNA ownership as well as patient consent for access to and use of medical records and biospecimens collected from patients in clinics, hospitals and elsewhere is necessary.
Announcement
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December 14, 2010
Testimonies
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March 27, 2012
First of all, to be clear, this is not a marketplace. It’s a government bureaucracy.
The government health insurance exchange is a key part of the federal strategy to takeover and nationalize health care. According to the Star Tribune, an executive at UnitedHealth Group called the exchange the “heart” of federal health care reform.
Press Releases
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March 26, 2012
St. Paul, Minn.— Today, the Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act—or Obamacare—the controversial federal health care overhaul that patient advocates say takes away individual freedoms and, therefore, goes against the tenets of the U.S. Constitution.
Some State legislators believe a federally-approved Exchange established by the State will be better than a federally- imposed Exchange established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). However, the federal law makes it clear that every Exchange must conform to federal requirements, including pending regulations. Thus, a “State Exchange” is actually an imposed Federal Exchange. Some might call it a "lobster trap" for States - once in, there's no getting out.
Press Releases
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July 15, 2010
(St. Paul/Minneapolis) - Today, in anticipation of tomorrow's first meeting of the task force, and after researching the members of the newly appointed Minnesota Health Care Reform Task Force, Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) releases a document containing statements and positions of members that may indicate support for ObamaCare or conflict with health freedom.
Press Releases
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July 07, 2010
In response to today's recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Twila Brase, RN, PHN, president of Citizens' Council on Health Care, provides the following statement
Obamacare requires States to set up federal command and control centers over health insurance and medical care. These centers are called "American Health Benefit Exchanges" or "Health Insurance Exchanges" for short. The data infrastructure will monitor citizen compliance with the unconstitutional mandate to purchase health insurance. The first set of federal exchange regulations include the word "require" 811 times. The Minnesota legislature said "no" to the Exchange, but Governor Dayton is using more than $5 million from the federal government to build it.
Twila Brase was on NewsTalk Radio with Emmer and Davis May 2, 2012. They talked about Governor Dayton trying to impose Obama's health care "takeover center" (exchange) without legislative authority.
Press Releases
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April 17, 2012
St. Paul, Minn.—As if Obamacare opponents didn’t have enough cause to fight to repeal the federal health care law, three new billion-dollar financial reasons emerged this week, further proving that the government health reform law will be detrimental for the country.
Public Comments
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April 09, 2009
No patient, no government official, no policymaker should be able to require a practitioner to do what is viewed as unethical, morally objectionable or a violation of the religious beliefs of that practitioner.
Let's not kid ourselves. Becoming a physician today requires more than altruism. It requires courage. Caring for patients is a day-to-day battle with managed care companies. Committing an error in billing is now a federal offense. And following burdensome tomes of government regulations is all but impossible.
Hospitals and nursing facilities across the nation are severely short-staffed. So heard legislators at the Minnesota Workforce Task Force in December. In fact, at one point in the previous two months, four Minnesota hospitals were closed for discretionary admissions at the same time because there was not enough staff to care for patients, according to the Minnesota Nurses Association.
"Many advocacy groups felt that accepting lower standards for racial and ethnic groups as compared to the total population was unjust."
Press Releases
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March 15, 2010
The U.S. Census has become an intrusive data collection tool for the federal government. The change from constitutional enumeration to federal intrusion has turned led to higher costs, public resistance, and lower compliance. The Census Bureau's plans to count everyone, not just citizens, may also deny American citizens their constitutional right to equal representation," says Twila Brase, president of CCHC.
Press Releases
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February 24, 2010
Texas began storing newborn DNA, collected for the newborn screening program, in 2002 without parent consent. A recent lawsuit against the State was settled, forcing Texas officials to destroy the 5.3 million infant blood spots in storage.
The government exchanges (state or federal) all follow the same regulatory structure. They are website portals through which data flows to the federal government for purposes of regulatory control and enforcement. Five federal agencies receive the data: IRS, Treasury, HHS, Homeland Security, and Social Security Administration.
Issues
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February 21, 2012
More than 6 of 10 physicians state that EHR use has not improved diagnosis accuracy or treatment planning. Meanwhile, despite much public discussion regarding liability, only 22% of physicians in groups of 10 or more feel that the use of EHRs is too risky, compared with 48% of solo practitioners who voice this concern.
Press Releases
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January 04, 2010
If the U.S. Senate version of health insurance reform passes and premium costs increase as predicted by the Congressional Budget Office, medical sharing may be one of the only ways for Americans to get affordable coverage," says Twila Brase, president of CCHC
Links and Quotes
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October 01, 2003
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of uninsured Americans increased last year by 5.7% to a total of 43.6 million Americans. The Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI) believes that the solution rests in legislation currently pending in Congress. October 1, 2003
Unless the Administrative Law Judge chooses otherwise, the Minnesota public will be at the mercy of the Health Department's warehousing, data-mining, tracking, research and health care rationing agendas. Their private data will be warehoused in the State of Maine and placed online. They won't have had a choice—or a voice.
Some State legislators believe a federally-approved Exchange established by the State will be better than a federally- imposed Exchange established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). However, the federal law makes it clear that every Exchange must conform to federal requirements, including pending regulations. Thus, a “State Exchange” is actually an imposed Federal Exchange. Some might call it a "lobster trap" for States - once in, there's no getting out.
The key to cost-containment is consumer control over health care dollars. Personal financial incentives, such as medical savings accounts and federal health care tax deductions, will drive health care costs down by encouraging individual cost-consciousness. Although HMOs want their enrollees to believe treatment guidelines will provide safer and better medical care, patients should be cautious about embracing an initiative that may use words on a page to limit health care services.
Only 27 years ago, congressional Republicans and Democrats agreed that American patients should gently but firmly be forced into managed care. That patients do not know this fact is evidenced by public outrage directed at health maintenance organizations (HMOs) instead of Congress.
Public Comments
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October 21, 2011
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to make sweeping changes to federal regulations on human subjects research. In this response to the administration's request for public comments on their Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CCHF says data and DNA ownership as well as patient consent for access to and use of medical records and biospecimens collected from patients in clinics, hospitals and elsewhere is necessary.
On March 1, 2011, the Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments on the nine-family lawsuit against the MN Dept of Health for the collection, storage, use, and dissemination of newborn DNA without the consent or knowledge of parents.
National Reports
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April 01, 2009
Increasingly, the specter of eugenics has emerged over State government newborn genetic screening programs. For example, The Changing Moral Focus of Newborn Screening, the December 2008 report issued by The President’s Council on Bioethics, states: “...At what point have we crossed the line from legitimate family planning to capricious and morally dubious eugenics?"
Announcement
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February 15, 2012
The Court should declare that ACA is unconstitutional in its entirety because severance, in the absence of a severability clause, wreaks havoc on the Constitution’s system of checks and balances and ignores the Separation of Powers doctrine. Such severance provides Congress with less than “ALL” legislative power, imposes a new “reconsideration” mechanism outside of the Presentment Clause, and is beyond the enumerated powers of Article III courts.
Issues
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February 08, 2012
Kavanaugh, Circuit Judge: "This is not your typical lawsuit against the Government. Plaintiffs here have sued because they don’t want government benefits. They seek to disclaim their legal entitlement to Medicare Part A benefits for hospitalization costs. Plaintiffs want to disclaim their legal entitlement to Medicare Part A benefits because their private insurers limit coverage for patients who are entitled to Medicare Part A benefits. And plaintiffs would prefer to receive coverage from their private insurers rather than from the Government."
Announcement
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January 19, 2012
Citizens' Council for Health Freedom has filed an Amicus ("Friend of the Court") Brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the 26 states in the Florida lawsuit against Obamacare. The Brief specifically addresses the minimum coverage provision issue and the even more specifically provides reasons for why the Wickard vs Filburn decision (1942) should not be considered by the U.S. Supreme Court in making a decision on the constitutionality of the individual mandate. Press Release
Press Releases
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April 10, 2012
St. Paul, Minn.—Which is more important? Standardizing care or ensuring a positive patient experience?
To patient advocate Twila Brase, president and co-founder of Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom, a patient-centered national health policy organization based in St. Paul, Minn., there shouldn’t be a trade-off. But new research shows that hospitals that adopt strategies to meet government requirements see a decline in the quality of individual patient experiences.
Public Comments
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April 09, 2009
No patient, no government official, no policymaker should be able to require a practitioner to do what is viewed as unethical, morally objectionable or a violation of the religious beliefs of that practitioner.
After our delivery in May 2004, citizen petitions continued to arrive at our office. We include these because we believe they were not part of the petitions you received last year. And like those delivered last year, we have placed them in a red binder.
Press Releases
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May 11, 2012
St. Paul, Minn.— It happens to all of us each time we go to the doctor. A piece of paper is pushed across the desk for us to sign, acknowledging our receipt of the “privacy practices” of the hospital, doctor’s office or clinic.
But did you know you are not required to sign that form? In fact, according to one patient advocate, signing the form could actually jeopardize your patient freedoms in the future.
Informational brochure on the impact of Obamacare on patient privacy.
Issues
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February 21, 2012
More than 6 of 10 physicians state that EHR use has not improved diagnosis accuracy or treatment planning. Meanwhile, despite much public discussion regarding liability, only 22% of physicians in groups of 10 or more feel that the use of EHRs is too risky, compared with 48% of solo practitioners who voice this concern.
Every year, the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees issue reports to Congress on the strength of these two indispensable programs, and earlier today, the trustees held a meeting to complete this year’s financial review and to transmit the final reports.
Issues
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February 08, 2012
Kavanaugh, Circuit Judge: "This is not your typical lawsuit against the Government. Plaintiffs here have sued because they don’t want government benefits. They seek to disclaim their legal entitlement to Medicare Part A benefits for hospitalization costs. Plaintiffs want to disclaim their legal entitlement to Medicare Part A benefits because their private insurers limit coverage for patients who are entitled to Medicare Part A benefits. And plaintiffs would prefer to receive coverage from their private insurers rather than from the Government."
Press Releases
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December 20, 2011
St. Paul, Minn.—The House of Representatives last night struck down an amended payroll tax cut bill passed by the Senate that would have delayed by two months drastic cuts in Medicare payments to physicians.
Obamacare requires States to set up federal command and control centers over health insurance and medical care. These centers are called "American Health Benefit Exchanges" or "Health Insurance Exchanges" for short. The data infrastructure will monitor citizen compliance with the unconstitutional mandate to purchase health insurance. The first set of federal exchange regulations include the word "require" 811 times. The Minnesota legislature said "no" to the Exchange, but Governor Dayton is using more than $5 million from the federal government to build it.
Unfortunately, there are some, who would rather play politics with this Exchange in an election year, than work sincerely and cooperatively to advance it in Minnesota. If the Legislature passes on enacting such legislation, which must be bi-partisan, non-ideological, and constructive, we will have to utilize the legal executive actions necessary to satisfy the federal law, as has already been done in other states.
Testimonies
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March 27, 2012
First of all, to be clear, this is not a marketplace. It’s a government bureaucracy.
The government health insurance exchange is a key part of the federal strategy to takeover and nationalize health care. According to the Star Tribune, an executive at UnitedHealth Group called the exchange the “heart” of federal health care reform.
Issues
•
February 21, 2012
More than 6 of 10 physicians state that EHR use has not improved diagnosis accuracy or treatment planning. Meanwhile, despite much public discussion regarding liability, only 22% of physicians in groups of 10 or more feel that the use of EHRs is too risky, compared with 48% of solo practitioners who voice this concern.
Minnesota Reports
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November 01, 2011
The Record Locator Service is part of a Health Information Exchange. When a patient's medical records are requested, the RLS moves out onto the network to find all medical records of that individual. Some states have patient consent requirements. Other states have none.
Issues
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November 01, 2011
A diagram from South Dakota's administration showing one idea of how the exchange works, including data sharing with the federal government.
Obamacare requires States to set up federal command and control centers over health insurance and medical care. These centers are called "American Health Benefit Exchanges" or "Health Insurance Exchanges" for short. The data infrastructure will monitor citizen compliance with the unconstitutional mandate to purchase health insurance. The first set of federal exchange regulations include the word "require" 811 times. The Minnesota legislature said "no" to the Exchange, but Governor Dayton is using more than $5 million from the federal government to build it.
Informational brochure on the impact of Obamacare on patient privacy.
Issues
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November 01, 2011
A diagram from South Dakota's administration showing one idea of how the exchange works, including data sharing with the federal government.
Press Releases
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April 10, 2012
St. Paul, Minn.—Which is more important? Standardizing care or ensuring a positive patient experience?
To patient advocate Twila Brase, president and co-founder of Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom, a patient-centered national health policy organization based in St. Paul, Minn., there shouldn’t be a trade-off. But new research shows that hospitals that adopt strategies to meet government requirements see a decline in the quality of individual patient experiences.
Press Releases
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February 21, 2012
St. Paul, Minn.— A week after the Obama Administration seemingly “compromised” on the birth control mandate that created a nationwide religious liberty debate, Americans around the country are sending the message loud and clear that the issue is not one of contraception—but of conscience.
Public Comments
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September 01, 2011
The Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), established under Obamacare, asked the American public to comment on the Institute's definition of "patient-centered outcomes research." The deadline was Friday, September 2. Many CCHF supporters responded. In short, PCORI's definition is deceptive and leaves the public thinking that PCORI (pronounced "pea-CORE-ee") is going to do great work. However, the controversial "comparative effectiveness research" will be used by the federal government to make insurance coverage decisions for all citizens.
Medical Privacy
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April 14, 2003
The federal medical privacy rule is commonly known as the "HIPAA privacy rule." However, it actually holds the title, "Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information."
Press Releases
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May 11, 2012
St. Paul, Minn.— It happens to all of us each time we go to the doctor. A piece of paper is pushed across the desk for us to sign, acknowledging our receipt of the “privacy practices” of the hospital, doctor’s office or clinic.
But did you know you are not required to sign that form? In fact, according to one patient advocate, signing the form could actually jeopardize your patient freedoms in the future.
Informational brochure on the impact of Obamacare on patient privacy.
Minnesota Reports
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December 15, 2008
Specifically, a Tennessen Warning requirement [to tell individual how their data would be used by the Dept., whether they have to provide it, etc.] would not be workable for the reporting of communicable diseases or related specimens or for the collection of many other types of public health data or specimens. There may be other privacy protections or some sort of modified Tennessen Warning, but they would have to be tailored to balance MDH's responsibility to protect public health with the individual's privacy. The goal would be to maximize public health protections while minimizing any intrusion on personal privacy.
Minnesota Reports
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December 13, 2008
In response to the “2009 Genetic Information Report – DRAFT Version Two,” this report was submitted to Commissioner Dana Badgerow, Minnesota Department of Administration by Twila Brase, RN, PHN, Member of the Minnesota Genetic Information Work Group and President of Citizens’ Council on Health Care, January 2009
National Reports
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September 01, 2008
Newborn screening advocates often refer to the newborn PKU (phenylketonuria) test as evidence of the benefit of screening—and as a rationale for compulsory testing of newborns nationwide. However, a brief look into the history of PKU testing challenges these assertions. Inaccurate test results, harmed children, untested treatments, and an increase in mental retardation mark the untold PKU story.
$1,600,000,000
and Rising
Links and Quotes
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January 01, 2010
Info Cards/Brochures
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December 12, 2003
This document, explaining the impact of the provider tax on cost of health care services, can be hung on the back of exam room doors, inserted as a double-sided poster in billing statements, framed at the front desk of the clinic, and provided as a handout in the waiting room. Phone numbers for contacting state officials are included on the second page. This document may be copied unaltered for noncommercial distribution and information purposes only.
Minnesota Reports
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October 29, 2003
Provider Taxes Collected To Date - received October 29, 2003
Informational brochure on the impact of Obamacare on patient privacy.
Press Releases
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December 05, 2011
St. Paul, Minn.— Hospitals and health care organizations around the country are in job-creation mode. But it’s not what you think. Unfortunately, they’re in firing mode, too.
Public Comments
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September 01, 2011
The Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), established under Obamacare, asked the American public to comment on the Institute's definition of "patient-centered outcomes research." The deadline was Friday, September 2. Many CCHF supporters responded. In short, PCORI's definition is deceptive and leaves the public thinking that PCORI (pronounced "pea-CORE-ee") is going to do great work. However, the controversial "comparative effectiveness research" will be used by the federal government to make insurance coverage decisions for all citizens.
Medical Privacy
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January 18, 2009
Medical Privacy
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December 12, 1998
The 1998 Minnesota K-12 Omnibus Education bill mandated that all schools bill third-party payers (HMOs, insurers, and Medicaid) for health care services given under Special Education. M.S. 125A now mandates that funds ($50,000) be provided for training school staff in coding and other necessary skills and information for submitting Medicaid and insurance claims.
Referring to a 1986 newspaper expose': "It took four years, an audit of Pennsylvania's federal funding links to the EQA [Educational Quality Assessment], and a series of threats and counterthreats between federal and Pennsylvania education officials over the particulars of the funding, before state testing authorities finally admitted to the public that the EQA was, in fact, a psychological testing instrument and that it violated several of the seven protected areas under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, passed in 1978, sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch." (page 11)
Twila Brase was on NewsTalk Radio with Emmer and Davis May 2, 2012. They talked about Governor Dayton trying to impose Obama's health care "takeover center" (exchange) without legislative authority.
I, the undersigned citizen, oppose Governor Dayton’s executive order to design and develop a Minnesota health insurance exchange because:
• Executive Order Bypasses the People’s Elected Representatives
• Exchange is a “Federal Takeover Center”
• Exchange will Enforce the Unconstitutional Mandate
This diagram displays the number of states that have enacted state exchange (portal) laws under Obamacare, the number of states with operating exchanges (Mass/Utah), the number that have enacted bare bone laws that may be insufficient to establish an exchange, and the number of states that do not have any law (and often no plans) to establish a state exchange.
Links and Quotes
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June 12, 2002
(Disclaimer: CCHC does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of this report).
Medical Privacy
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July 17, 1998
Total of 122 medical clinics currently participating (about 16% of the state's total clinics that provide childhood immunization) according to the Minnesota Health Department on June 1, 1998.
Testimonies
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July 16, 1998
No one who is under mandatory government surveillance is free. Privacy is quintessential to freedom. If we wish to preserve the freedom that has made our nation great and has beckoned people from every nation who have been persecuted and pursued by their own governments, then we must not strive to emulate the countries which they, and many of our forefathers, left.
Bill with Consent Protections for Baby DNA Heads to Minnesota Governor
