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Gov. Christie Signs Oral Chemo Bill
January 17, 2012
Coverage of Chemotherapy Pills Means More Choice for Cancer Patients
Statement from Blair Horner,Vice President for Advocacy, American Cancer Society of NY & NJ, regarding signing of bill to guarantee price parity for orally administered chemotherapy treatments
“Many new chemotherapy drugs come in pill form that patients can take at home, rather than intravenous injections administered at a medical facility. In New Jersey, there can be a big difference in the coverage insurance companies provide for orally administered medications versus coverage for intravenous treatments. That means out of pockets costs can be high. A full quarter of the nearly 500 cancer drugs in the pipeline today are being developed in pill form. This law will ensure cancer patients that the cost of orally administered chemotherapies is not more expensive than traditional intravenous chemotherapy (S.1834A /A.2666).
Oral chemotherapies are often the most effective, and many times the only, treatment option available. Advancements in cancer treatments are useless if patients don’t have access to or can’t afford them. Requiring health insurers to cover chemotherapy in pill form, in the same way they cover intravenous therapy, will allow patients to take advantage of whichever treatment is deemed most beneficial for them.
The American Cancer Society thanks Gov. Christie for signing this legislation and Senators Weinberg, Gill, Buono and Cardinale and Assemblymembers Vainieri, Greenstein, Muñoz, Ramos and Angelini for their efforts. "
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About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.