CCHC Says: "The public should protest Govenor Pawlenty's QCare initiative

Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) says Governor Pawlenty's new QCare initiative for all state-purchased health care services should be challenged. As the Governor is flying around the state of Minnesota today to promote the program and explain his executive order, Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) has a very different message for the public.

CCHC Invited to Washington D.C. to Address Citizen Concerns Regarding Pending Medical Privacy Legislation

On Thursday, June 8, 2006, Twila Brase, president of Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) will be speaking in Washington, D.C.

CCHC Resolution on Parent Consent for Newborn Genetic Testing Added to 2006 MN Republican Platform

Minnesota Republicans today said parent consent should be required for newborn genetic testing, and for government collection of infant DNA.

CCHC Hails Defeat of MN Senate's Prescription Electronic Reporting System

The following is a statement by Twila Brase, president of Citizens' Council on Health Care, regarding this evening's defeat of Senator Berglin's amendment to Senate File 3132, the data practices bill. The amendment would have established a state prescription tracking program. Data collected by state government would have included detailed data on patients who receive and physicians who prescribe legal pain medications.

Minnesota House Says Yes to Government Medical Decision-Making and Tracking Bureaucracy

Patients are in serious trouble as a result of today's vote in the Minnesota House, says Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC), who helped draft an amendment to House File 1862 to put patients and doctors in control of medical decisions.

More Patients Refuse to Sign Release of
Medical Information Forms

Three years after implementation of the federal HIPAA privacy rule, the public remains very concerned about the privacy of medical record information, says Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC).

Will Governor Romney sign a Massachusetts version of "HillaryCare" into law?

Although Massachusetts GOP Governor Mitt Romney is expected to sign the Massachusetts "universal coverage" bill into law on Wednesday, April 12, Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) is hoping that he'll change his mind.

Governor Pawlenty Needs a Better Health Care Agenda

We are disappointed in the Governor's health care agenda. The Governor's legislative initiatives focus on health care cost containment through financial penalties, intrusive monitoring of patients and their doctors, and plans to computerize medical records and make them available online.

Excellence of Care Comes Through

Brase points out that there is insufficient evidence in the 80-page report to prove that the 12 reported deaths were fully the fault of the hospital, or that they were actually preventable. In addition, it's unclear how serious the "serious disabilities" really are. The disability must be present more than 7 days and/or at the time of discharge, to be classified "serious."

Congress To Gut State Medical Privacy Laws?

Congress has latched onto legislation to create a national health information system: the Health Information Technology Promotion Act of 2005 (HR 4157). However, Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) says the legislation-and the plan-is not the good idea it's portrayed to be.