CBO Says: Free Market Can Negotiate Better Drug Prices than Government

The CBO was responding to a request from U.S. Rep. John Dingell, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, to review H.R. 4, the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007 which was introduced last week.

Publishing Physician Death Statistics Threatens Patient Access to Innovative Care

Due to the efforts of Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC), the Minnesota Department of Health will hold a public hearing on the department's proposed revision of the newborn screening rule. The hearing is scheduled to take place in two weeks, on Tuesday, January 23, 2007.

Publishing Physician Death Statistics Threatens Patient Access to Innovative Care

Physician report cards threaten patient access to medical treatment. Doctors who fear that the death of a patient will be a black mark against them have been found to avoid the patients that need them the most. Increasingly, patients may find doctors unwilling to try a risky procedure that could actually save them.

CCHC Responds to Today's Speech by Governor Tim Pawlenty

Twila Brase, president of Citizens’ Council on Health Care, provides the following comments-pro and con-to points made by Governor Tim Pawlenty in his speech at the Midwest States Health Reform Summit in Minneapolis. The forum focused on bringing the 2006 Massachusetts universal coverage law and in particular, its controversial health insurance mandate, to Minnesota.

Stolen Allina Medical Records: Just the Tip of the Privacy Breach Iceberg

Electronic medical records are insecure by their very nature. Very private data on hundreds of thousands of individuals can sit in a tiny computer and be carried anywhere by car, train, plane, boat or on foot. And with one click of a mouse, that data can be sent to China or Africa or Timbuktu. And once it's gone, it's gone. There's no retrieving it.

Candidates for MN Governor have been Advised to Respond to Speaking Invitation by Sat., October 7

Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC), announces that it has advised all Minnesota candidates for governor that CCHC needs to hear back from them by no later than 12:00 noon on Saturday, October 7 regarding their participation in next week's health care forum.

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. is coming to Minnesota for CCHC event

CCHC is excited to announce that U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. has committed to be here - in Minneapolis, Minnesota - on Tuesday, October 10th to attend and actively participate in CCHC's annual Health Care Event.

Minnesota Hospital Price Check: Comparing Apples and Oranges

Citizens' Council on Health Care questions the usefulness of the new hospital pricing website, Minnesota Hospital Price Check, being released online today.

Federal Judge Says Parents Must Submit Children to State-Sponsored Genetic Testing at Birth

Citizens' Council on Health Care opposes yesterday's federal ruling that upholds the Nebraska state law requiring parents to submit their newborn children for state disease testing at birth.

CCHC Asks Federal Group for Recommendations that Better Protect RIGHTS of Citizens & Better Reflect EXCELLENCE of American Medicine

While we understand that many hours went into the work of the CHCWG, we are unfortunately disappointed with the group's interim recommendations. These recommendations will not solve Medicare's unfunded liability of at least $30 trillion (GAO, 2005). Furthermore, the recommendations support expanding entitlements, increasing federal liabilities, reduced patient access to care, and new taxes. To be frank, we don't believe this is "what the doctor ordered."