CCHC Statement on Today's HHS Report on National Health Data System

We are pleased to see that the issue of patient privacy was considered to be 'pervasive' in the comments received by the department. Indeed, as we wrote in our own response to the November 15th RFI, "Current law in the form of the federal 'medical privacy' rule does not provide stringent privacy and security protections for patients as asserted in the November 15 notice. In fact, there is less protection now for patients than before the rule was written.

MN House Dismisses Consideration of Ethics in Genetic Research

Minnesota legislators today displayed a glaring lack of concern for the myriad ethical issues swirling around genetic research, says Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC).

House Bill will Eviscerate Medical Privacy of Minnesotans

The strongest medical privacy law in the nation is in danger of being dismantled, according to Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC).

UnitedHealthCare Cuts Access to 73% of Doctors

Using a metric rating system to rate quality and cost control, UnitedHealthCare ousted from its preferred list of providers nearly 75 percent of the physicians in its Missouri network, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This means UHC policy holders in Missouri-900,000 in St. Louis alone-have 75% fewer doctors to choose from, unless they are willing to pay more for their care.

"Super Size Me" is a Super-Sized Distortion of Reality, Not a Documentary

The following statement was issued today by the Citizens' Council on Health Care. CCHC is an independent, non-profit, free-market health care policy organization located in St. Paul, Minnesota. This statement should be attributed to Twila Brase, R.N., president of CCHC.

Governor Pawlenty and Mayo Clinic Decline to Participate: Only Public Forum on Governor's Genetic Research Initiative is Cancelled

Today, because the Office of Governor Pawlenty withdrew its commitment, and the Mayo Clinic declined to participate, the Citizens' Council on Health Care announces the cancellation of the only scheduled public forum on the Governor's genetic research and biotechnology initiative.

Citizens' Council on Health Care calls on the Food and Restaurant Industry to have SUBWAY Cease their Attack Ads

Today the Citizens' Council on Health Care issued a warning to the U.S. public on what it considers to be a misleading and detrimental advertising campaign currently being run by SUBWAY restaurants.

Citizens' Council on Health Care Raises Medical and Genetic Privacy Concerns at Hearings Today and Monday

To sound the alarm on two proposals set to intrude on citizen privacy, the Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) will testify today at the legislature...and on Monday before an administrative law judge.

Minnesota Department of Health Required to Hold Public Hearing on Health Surveillance Rules

In response to proposed expansion of health surveillance by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) initiated an email campaign. Still two days away from the deadline for meeting the required quota of requests for a public hearing, the email campaign has succeeded in requiring MDH to hold a hearing on proposed amendments to the Communicable Disease Reporting rules.

Minnesota Medical Association Report Disappoints

Patients and front-line physicians are apt to have their hopes dashed by the Minnesota Medical Association's new report on health care reform, according to Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC).