About the Institute for Health Freedom (IHF)

Freedom is the foundation of American society and is viewed as a constitutional right. But when it comes to choosing health care and maintaining health privacy, the individual's freedom has been restricted by burdensome regulations.

For example, have you ever wondered why you are not free to choose your own health-care providers and treatments, without needing to get pre-approval from an insurance company or running up against some burdensome regulation? And have you ever wondered why you can't visit a physician, dentist, or other health care provider without having your personal health information become accessible to more than 600,000 insurers, doctors, data processing companies, and others—without your consent?

The Institute for Health Freedom was established in 1996 to bring the issues of personal health freedom to the forefront of America's health policy debate. Our mission is to present the ethical and economic case for strengthening personal "health freedom," defined as:

The freedom to choose one's health care providers and treatments, and to maintain confidential relationships with one's providers, without interference from government or private third parties.

The Institute does not endorse any health care treatment, product, provider, or organization. Rather, the Institute for Health Freedom is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research center—a Washington-based "think tank."

The Institute for Health Freedom publishes Health Freedom Watch, a monthly e-mail newsletter, to alert the public to regulations and policies that affect individuals' right to make free choices about health care.

The Institute works with scholars and policy experts in the areas of economics, health care, law, philosophy, privacy, and the sciences to foster public debate. Through its research, publications, and public policy debates, the Institute provides a forum for exchanging ideas about health freedom issues.

The Institute's research and analyses are published in policy briefings and disseminated through newspaper editorials, television appearances, radio interviews, professional conferences, public meetings and the IHF Web site.

Visit the IHF Web site for news, research papers, and quick links to research resources. We provide you with information about health freedom, and you decide what to do with it!

About IHF's Founder and President

Sue A. Blevins is founder and president of the Institute for Health Freedom, a nonpartisan, nonprofit Washington-based think tank. She is a leading advocate and spokesperson for consumers' freedom to choose their health care and maintain their health privacy—including genetic privacy. Her perspectives defending health freedom and privacy rights have been cited in newspapers across the country, including the Boston Globe, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. She is author of the book Medicare's Midlife Crisis.

Before founding the Institute, Ms. Blevins was a Nonresidential Fellow at the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. During her fellowship, she conducted original research to identify anti-competitive barriers in health care. That research was published by the Cato Institute in a Policy Analysis titled "The Medical Monopoly: Protecting Consumers or Limiting Competition?" In 1995, Ms. Blevins served as a consultant and primary author of a report for Governor Weld's (Rep.-MA) Task Force on the Health Care Industry. She has also served as a legislative analyst for the National Institutes of Health and as a Congressional Fellow for Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (Dem.-WV). A former Registered Nurse, Ms. Blevins developed her insights into the American and Canadian health care systems through years of hands-on experience in both of those countries.

She received a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University, and Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees from Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Blevins was awarded the Emma Jones Cullen Beckwith Award (a monetary award) for highest standards of nursing practice and executive ability from Johns Hopkins University.

(Page updated October 23, 2009 )