Patient Privacy

2019 Newborn Retention by State

2019 Newborn Retention

The U.S. CENSUS­: From Enumeration to Intrusion

By April 1, Americans in every household will have received the 2020 U.S. Census form in their mailbox. While enumeration continues to be one portion of the Census, the overall purpose of the Census has shifted as the nation has developed and grown. The U.S. Census and in particular, the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, now collect additional private data on Americans, including information on health status and medical conditions. 

Trump Admin’s Interoperability Rules Fail to Give Patients Full Control

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF) expresses concern about the lack of privacy protections in the Trump administration’s newly released health information interoperability rules on patient medical records by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Health and Human Services Department’s Office of the Nation Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).

California Abuses Patient Trust By Evaluating Children for “Toxic Stress”

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF) is warning parents about California’s newest push to screen children for “toxic stress.” Starting this year, well-child visits for millions of California children could include questions about highly sensitive and delicate topics, such as divorce, family income, and unstable household environments.

7 Big Data Contracts

Minnesota Restricts Long-term Storage of Patient Prescription Data

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A major change to Minnesota’s Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) took place on January 1, 2020. The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy will no longer have access to four years of identifiable patient prescription data, which it had been using for research without patient consent. Going forward, the board will have diminishing amounts of data available for analysis and research. By 2022, only the past 12 months of patient prescription data will be stored, on a rolling basis.

Letter to HHS Opposing a Proposed Rule that Supports "Value-Based Care"

CCHF President Twila Brase writes to the Inspector General, HHS: "The proposed rule fully supports a move away from the American way of paying for services (fee-for-service) to a centralized decision-making process called “value-based care” and “value-based payment.” As the proposal notes: “The Secretary of [HHS] has identified transforming our healthcare system to one that pays for value as one of the top priorities of the Department of [HHS].”"

Letter to OCR on Ascension-Google Sharing 50M Medical Records

CCHF's letter begins: "As president of CCHF, I am writing with a request that you also protect patient rights, specifically related to the data-sharing agreement between Ascension and Google. According to recent news reports, your office has opened up an investigation...." ACTION ALERT: Contact OCR Director Roger Severino with your concerns about Google getting the medical records of 50M people without patient consent. Use the OCR address on page one of CCHF letter.

CCHF Praises Continued Ban on Federal Unique Patient ID

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF) is pleased that the federal unique patient identifier (UPI) will continue to be prohibited. The bipartisan appropriations bill, which passed today, retains the ban that has been in effect for over 20 years. As industry clamored to lift the ban, CCHF built a nationwide coalition of organizations to keep the ban in place. 

CCHF Calls on U.S. Senate to Maintain Ban on Unique Patient Identifier

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF)sent a coalition letter to U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Cosigned by more than 22 organizations nationwide, the letter urges the committee to refuse to fund the development of a Unique Patient Identifier (UPI) in the upcoming appropriations bill. CCHF writes: