Press Room

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.

Two years after Ocean City local Jeanmarie Mason’s breast cancer returned and spread to her bones, her daughter Julie Groob also experienced a recurrence of her cervical cancer, bringing the two closer together than ever and uniting them in the fight against cancer. As volunteers with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), Jeanmarie and Julie were among key voices in securing a medical debt relief victory in 2024. The pair are approaching the legislative session in 2025 eager to share their stories and advance critical proposals to limit the burden of disease across the cancer continuum.

This week, New Jersey lawmakers approved legislation to improve access to biomarker testing with a unanimous vote by the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Assembly Bill 4163 now awaits a vote on the Assembly floor. The Senate advanced identical legislation (Senate Bill 3098) in the Senate Commerce Committee last week, which now awaits further consideration by the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee. Advocates with the New Jersey Biomarker Testing Coalition are hopeful that the bills will receive the necessary support to secure swift passage in the new year.

Earlier today, Senate Bill 3098 was unanimously voted out of the Senate Commerce Committee. This legislation, which aims to ensure that biomarker testing is covered by Medicaid and all other state-regulated insurance plans when patients need it, now advances to the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee for further consideration. In October, the Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee approved identical legislation (Assembly Bill 4163), which now awaits a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Key public health, patient and provider groups have come out in support of improving access to biomarker testing in New Jersey, urging lawmakers to advance and pass Assembly Bill 4163 / Senate Bill 3098 this legislative session. This fall, a broad coalition of over 30 organizations, medical leaders and patient advocates wrote to members of the Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance (AFI) Committee to vote in favor of A4163, which they did—unanimously—several weeks ago. Now, the New Jersey Biomarker Coalition is looking to the Assembly Appropriations and Senate Commerce Committees to take up this bill and follow the lead of their AFI member colleagues.

Today, the Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee voted to improve New Jerseyans’ access to biomarker testing, advancing Assembly Bill 4163 out of committee. Championed by Assemblymembers Shavonda Sumter, Gary Schaer and Shama Haider, the proposal would ensure biomarker testing is covered by New Jersey-regulated insurance plans, including Medicaid, when medical and scientific evidence shows it would provide a benefit to patients. Advocates now look to the full Assembly to favorably advance Assembly Bill 4163 to the Senate.

This afternoon, Governor Murphy signed the Louisa Carmen Medical Debt Relief Act (A3861) into law, securing a major victory for patients and families across New Jersey.

Earlier today, the New Jersey State Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee voted to move the Louisa Carmen Medical Debt Relief Act forward. A3861, sponsored by Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo, Assemblyman Anthony Verrelli and Assemblyman Herb Conaway, will now head to the Assembly floor for further consideration.

The following is a statement from Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), on the passing of U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-N.J.).

Last week, legislation that seeks to improve New Jerseyans’ access to biomarker testing was introduced in the Legislature. Biomarker testing helps connect cancer patients to the right treatment at the right time, often resulting in improved outcomes and quality of life. In some cases, biomarker testing may provide information that enables patients to forgo ineffective treatments and eliminate the potentially harmful, life-altering side effects of those treatments, which could also result in reduced health care costs.