The following is a statement from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) New Jersey Government Relations Director Quinton Law:
“As anybody touched by the disease can tell you, cancer demands a high price. Physically, emotionally and financially, it is a draining disease where the costs can—very quickly—feel insurmountable. This is the case for patients across the cancer continuum. New Jerseyans are looking for state leaders to intervene and prevent the costs of care from trending upward and potentially trapping them in a lifetime of medical debt. Cancer patients and survivors throughout the state were heartened to hear Governor Murphy isolate affordability as a priority in his State of the State address. In the coming year, ACS CAN urges lawmakers to focus their efforts on three areas to alleviate the financial burden of disease, starting with preventing illness for a group of New Jerseyans at heightened risk of cancer: Atlantic City casino workers.
Mitigating workers’ exposure to cancer-causing smoke by closing the casino loophole in the New Jersey Smoke-free Air Act:
“When the Smoke-free Air Act was signed into law nearly 20 years ago, New Jersey did not become 100% smoke-free. It left casino workers behind, putting them at an increased risk of many diseases, including cancer, and stripping them of a right that has been granted to every other employee in New Jersey: a smoke-free workplace.
“Putting in jeopardy the health and wellbeing of a key group of New Jersey’s workforce not only exposes the workers to preventable illness and the accompanying cost burden, but it also costs casinos and the state through increased health, life and fire insurance premiums, workers compensation payments, higher worker absenteeism and lower productivity. We can prevent disease and dollars lost by ending the exemption for casinos. Governor Murphy has committed to signing legislation that does as much. We hope lawmakers will give him the opportunity to do so.
Limiting barriers to early detection of prostate cancer:
Early detection of prostate cancer changes the game for patients. Nearly 100% of people diagnosed with prostate cancer will survive the disease for five years or longer if caught early. However, the likelihood of survival drops to 34% when caught in its advanced stages. Prostate cancer impacts many thousands of New Jerseyans every year; we saw nearly 10,000 residents diagnosed with the disease in 2024. It’s likely that many of them were forced to pay out-of-pocket to secure their diagnosis.
We can save the lives of tomorrow’s patients if we prioritize early detection today and connect patients to care when treatment is more effective and less expensive. In order to make that possible for more patients, we need to limit the financial barriers that inhibit people from completing the screening process.
Helping patients avoid ineffective treatment through increased access to biomarker testing:
“Biomarker testing provides doctors with information about what treatment their patients will best respond to, helping patients more effectively and efficiently treat their disease. By matching patients with personalized treatment plans, biomarker testing enables patients to avoid ineffective or unnecessary treatments, leading to more efficient care delivery and, for many patients, cost savings. It is a game changer for patients’ physical health and can serve as a difference marker for their financial health, as well.
“The proposal to improve access to biomarker testing for more New Jerseyans battling disease has received sweeping, bipartisan support. We urge lawmakers, when Senate Bill 3098 / Assembly Bill 4163 comes up for a vote, to lend their support to this legislation, which aims to make disease less daunting for patients and families.
“Addressing the costs of care will take a comprehensive approach with attention paid and action taken for patients at every stage of their treatment. This will not only save lives but save patients and the state on health care costs. By ensuring a smoke-free work environment, we can prevent disease and save New Jerseyans the physical, emotional and financial turmoil that accompanies cancer diagnoses. Where we can’t prevent cancer, we can detect it early and improve access to the best, most effective care, ensuring patients can avoid unnecessary, expensive regimens. In 2025, ACS CAN hopes that lawmakers will take important steps toward ensuring that a cancer diagnosis neither defines anyone in New Jersey nor strips them of their opportunities in this state.”
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.
