PATIENT SAFETY BILLS: More surveillance; less care (Correction)

The legislation being considered in a congressional committee tomorrow is aimed less at medical errors and more at building a national health surveillance system, according to the Citizens' Council on Health Care.

PATIENT SAFETY BILLS: More surveillance; less care

"This is less about safety and more about surveillance. This initiative is just one unfortunate consequence of the so-called medical privacy rule. Now that the rule is in effect, some members of Congress feel free to let medical records be shared without patient consent," says Twila Brase, president of the Citizens' Council on Health Care.

Patients are Answer to Medicare's Overspending Problems

With Medicare consistently losing tens of millions of dollars each month through improper payments, senior citizens need to be fully engaged in treatment and financial decisions, says Twila Brase, president of the Citizens' Council on Health Care.

Senate's Medicare Drug Plan will Limit Senior's Choice of Medication

This is drug coverage by committee. A bureaucratic process will determine which drugs are available and who gets them. Not every medication will be covered, covered medications can be denied, and private drug coverage may no longer be available," says Twila Brase, president of the Citizens' Council on Health Care.

CCHC Highlights Impact of Efforts at 2003 Legislative Session

We are very pleased that our efforts put the state's plan to collect health data on hold. However, because the health department can still obtain private medical records by law, this battle is not over.

MN Business Leaders Support State-Imposed Health Care Rationing

The public policy group representing 100 CEOs in Minnesota testified today in support of state-imposed rationing of health care services. The rationing-driven Oregon Health Plan is a DFL Senate initiative that is under discussion for inclusion in the final Health and Human Services Omnibus bill.

Minnesota Conference Committee Considers Oregon's Health Plan for Medicaid Patients

The conference committee of the Minnesota Health and Human Services Omnibus bill will soon consider explicit rationing of health care for recipients of Medicaid, MinnesotaCare and General Assistance Medical Care.

MN House Adds Informed Opt-Out Requirement to Newborn Genetic Screening

Parents should should be able to refuse state genetic testing of their children, says a Minnesota House Committee. The House Ways and Means committee voted yesterday to attach an amendment by Rep. Fran Bradley (R-Rochester) to the House Health and Human Services omnibus bill (HF 437).

MN House Author Drops Attempt to Repeal MN Health Data Collection Law

While we are pleased that our efforts have stalled the health department's data collection plan, it appears the public must wait at least another year to secure the right to keep the government out of their medical records," said Twila Brase, president of the Citizens' Council on Health Care.

APRIL 14: Official End of Medical Privacy Rights for America's Patients

The so-called federal medical privacy rule will add confusion, cost, and complications to health care access, but it will not protect the privacy of patients. In essence, the rule is a federal license to intrude," says Twila Brase, president of the Citizens' Council on Health Care, a St. Paul-based health care policy organization.