ST. PAUL, Minn. — Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF) is actively engaging with legislators in Iowa and Minnesota to oppose legislative initiatives that threaten health freedom and privacy rights.
CCHF Letter Asks Iowa Governor to Oppose State Health Database – March 8
Iowa state legislators contacted CCHF about H.F. 2623. This bill aims to establish a state government database for collecting, sharing, and using comprehensive medical, medication, and insurance information, thereby violating patients’ privacy rights. In a letter to Iowa’s Governor Kim Reynolds, CCHF said this proposed centralization of medical data infringes upon constitutional privacy and the data ownership rights of Iowans. Additionally, the lack of genuine consent requirements and the inadequacy of the proposed “opt out” provision fail to provide safeguards against personal security risks. Beyond the additional national security risks of a central database of digitized personal data, CCHF also told Governor Reynolds that the legislation would grant excessive power to an unelected board that includes private sector interests. Furthermore, patients would have no effective recourse in case of data misuse or breaches.
In addition to sending a letter of opposition to Governor Reynolds, CCHF has launched a grassroots campaign to mobilize public opposition to the bill and the proposed Health Data Utility (HDU) database.
CCHF Submits Testimony Against Public Option in Minnesota – March 13
Today, the Minnesota Senate is hearing a bill that will advance single-payer health care in Minnesota. As a patient-centered, free-market organization, CCHF opposes S.F. 4778, also known as the Public Option. CCHF’s testimony, submitted to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee in advance of today’s hearing, underscores the organization’s commitment to affordable, patient-centered health care solutions. The testimony highlights CCHF’s concerns about the high costs, limited choices, and sweeping government overreach that will burden Minnesotans if the bill passes.
Instead of a Public Option, CCHF urges the Minnesota legislature to restore affordable real insurance, the kind that pays cash for insurable events and does not interfere with private medical decisions.
Twila Brase, President and Co-founder of CCHF, emphasizes the importance of preserving patient privacy and health care freedom: “We envision a future where health care is affordable, confidential, personalized, and transparently priced. The legislative initiatives we are opposing in Iowa and Minnesota threaten these principles and undermine patient rights.”
CCHF remains engaged on health freedom issues in several other states including Idaho, New Hampshire, and Montana, and urges concerned citizens and policymakers to work together to ensure that elected officials do not violate the constitutional rights of patients by compromising their privacy rights or ending health freedom in their state.
April is “Truth About HIPAA” Month!