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Minnesota Bill Would End Coercive Consent Forms and Further Protect Patient Privacy

Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom Applauds House Measure HF 1560 Requiring Patient Initials on Each Item of Consent; Provides Greater Step to Patient Privacy

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Minnesota lawmakers yesterday advanced a bill that would ensure greater patient privacy protection by requiring patients to initial each item to which they are consenting on their health records at the doctor’s office, hospital or clinic—thus allowing patients to pick and choose exactly what information they would like to be shared between medical professionals and for what purposes, says Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF, http://HamiltonStrategiesLLC.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL=?.8/?&JDG<939397?&SDG<90:.&RE=MC&RI=3634351&Preview=False&DistributionActionID=28054&Action=Follow+Link), which testified yesterday in support of the bill.

The measure, HF 1560, was passed by members of the Minnesota House Health and Human Services Reform Committee; it is now headed to the House Civil Law and Data Practices Committee, likely next week.

Twila Brase, president and co-founder of CCHF, a patient-centered national health freedom organization based in St. Paul, Minn., existing to protect health care choices, individualized patient care, and medical and genetic privacy rights, released the following statement today about the bill.

“We are pleased with yesterday’s vote to pass HF 1560, which would prohibit coercive consent forms in Minnesota,” Brase said. “The practice hospitals and clinics are using to circumvent state laws on privacy and patient rights should be ended. Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom thanks the five citizens testifying in support of the bill and the Minnesota House Health and Human Services Reform Committee for their vote to pass the bill.

“As we testified, Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom often receives copies of consent forms from concerned patients,” she continued. “These ‘consent to treat’ forms often include a roster of other items to which patients are essentially required to consent if they want access to care because there’s only one line for the patient’s signature and nothing that gives them a right to say no to the other items in the list, such as medical and genetic research, blood testing and sharing with unaffiliated third parties.

“These consolidated consent forms circumvent the various consent requirements in Minnesota law,” Brase concluded. “The right of consent means you have a choice. If you don’t have a choice, it’s not actually consent. If you can’t access care without giving away your consent rights, your signature on the consent form is not consent. The letter from the Minnesota Medical Association and the Minnesota Hospital Association, which opposed the bill, declares their dislike of Minnesota’s strong privacy laws. But dislike of laws is not a license for non-compliance with them. We applaud the committee’s support for the bill.”

Brase discusses patient privacy issues frequently on CCHF’s daily one-minute radio feature “Health Freedom Minute.” Heard on approximately 400 stations nationwide, including nearly 200 on the American Family Radio Network and 100 on the Bott Radio Network, “Health Freedom Minute” helps listeners learn more about the agenda behind health care initiatives, as well as steps they can take to protect their health care choices, rights and privacy. The 60-second program is free for stations to run; for details, contact Michael Hamilton at mhamilton@hamiltonstrategies.com or (610) 584-1096 or (215) 519-4838.

For more information about CCHF, visit its web site at http://HamiltonStrategiesLLC.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL=?.8/?&JDG<939397?&SDG<90:.&RE=MC&RI=3634351&Preview=False&DistributionActionID=28054&Action=Follow+Link, its Facebook page at http://HamiltonStrategiesLLC.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL=?.8/?&JDG<939397?&SDG<90:.&RE=MC&RI=3634351&Preview=False&DistributionActionID=28053&Action=Follow+Link or its Twitter feed, @CCHFreedom.

Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom, a patient-centered national health freedom organization based in St. Paul, Minn., exists to protect health care choices, individualized patient care, and medical and genetic privacy rights. CCHF sponsors the daily, 60-second radio feature, Health Freedom Minute, which airs on approximately 400 stations nationwide, including nearly 200 on the American Family Radio Network and 100 on the Bott Radio Network. Listeners can learn more about the agenda behind health care initiatives and steps they can take to protect their health care choices, rights and privacy.

CCHF president and co-founder Twila Brase, R.N., has been called one of the “100 Most Powerful People in Health Care” and one of “Minnesota’s 100 Most Influential Health Care Leaders.” A public health nurse, Brase has been interviewed by CNN, Fox News, Minnesota Public Radio, NBC Nightly News, NBC’s Today Show, NPR, New York Public Radio, the Associated Press, Modern Healthcare, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The Washington Times, among others. She is at the forefront of informing the public of crucial health issues, such as intrusive wellness and prevention initiatives in Obamacare, patient privacy, informed consent, the dangers of “evidence-based medicine” and the implications of state and federal health care reform.

 

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