State Emergency Health Powers

On October 23, 2001, less than two months after the 9/11 terrorist attack, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued the proposed Model State Emergency Health Powers Act (MEHPA). The proposal was finalized in December 2001. It authorized state health officials and their designees to take control of people, property, health care, communications and more in a public health emergency. State legislatures debated it in 2002. Nearly 40 introduced it and 20 states passed some version of it. Most of the public is not aware of these police powers..  For more information go to www.governmenthealthpowers.us

HIPAA Action Alert - Refuse to Sign

HIPAA - The Grand Deception

HIPAA does not protect health privacy - use this one-page CCHF document at your clinic and hospital to REFUSE TO SIGN the HIPAA "privacy" form. Contact CCHF for business-card-sized "refuse to sign" forms you can carry in your wallet. For more information, read the CCHF Alert.

MN "Bureaucrats at Bedside" Plan - Q&A

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will designate certain treatment protocols as the MN standard of care. At their own discretion, they will decide which protocols will be called “evidence-based” and approved for use. MDH will collect data on physician adherence to these government-issued protocols and publicly report compliance rates on their website. Physi- cians with low compliance rates may be financially penalized.

Conformance with HIPAA "Privacy" Rule Will Undo MN Medical Privacy Laws and Consent Requirements

The so-called “Federal Medical Privacy Rule” (45 CFR Parts 160/164) —from the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)—permits broad use and disclosure of individually-identifiable “protected health information” without patient consent. It is often referred to as the “HIPAA Privacy Rule” or just “HIPAA.” Minnesota’s medical privacy law (M.S. 144.335) more often requires patient consent before use and disclosure (see also M.S. 62J.55).

HIPAA Definitions: Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations

The federal HIPAA "Privacy" Rule allows broad use and disclosure of private medical records without patient consent. Specifically, no consent is required for 12 National Priority Purposes, including law enforcement and public health, or for Payment, Treatment and Health Care Operations. The definition of "Health Care Operations" is ~400 words long.

Questions to Ask - Mayo/Univ. of Minn. Genetic Research Plan

People may not understand…that tissue samples they provide may be used for genetic research…They may believe that samples will be discarded after testing, although the law often requires that samples be retained. When samples are obtained as part of medical care, patients may not be told about the possibility that these samples will be stored and used for research.

What Consent? - MN's Medical & Genetic Research Law

Minnesota state law denies most consent rights for patients regarding use of their individually-identifiable medical records for medical research. UPDATE: Until the Minnesota Genetic Privacy Act passed in 2006, Minnesota law was silent on collection, storage use and dissemination of genetic information for genetic research. States are not preempted by federal law from passing stronger, more privacy-protecting laws.

Provider Tax Poster for Clinics to Display

This document, explaining the impact of the provider tax on cost of health care services, can be hung on the back of exam room doors, inserted as a double-sided poster in billing statements, framed at the front desk of the clinic, and provided as a handout in the waiting room. Phone numbers for contacting state officials are included on the second page. This document may be copied unaltered for noncommercial distribution and information purposes only.