summary
Introduced
09/23/2024
09/23/2024
In Committee
09/23/2024
09/23/2024
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026
01/12/2026
Introduced Session
2024-2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This resolution urges Congress to enact the "Find It Early Act" to ensure women who are at greater risk for breast cancer have access to breast cancer screenings without cost-sharing. Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in New Jersey. Screenings for breast cancer aim to reduce the mortality and morbidity of breast cancer by detecting cancer in its early stage. Early detection of breast cancer is critical. The five-year survival rate is 99 percent when breast cancer is diagnosed before it has spread outside of the breast compared to approximately 30 percent when found at a later stage. Approximately half of women over age 40 have dense breast tissue, which can obscure imaging performed by mammograms and delay the detection of breast cancer. To ensure that the cancer is not missed by mammograms, individuals with dense breasts or other risk factors may seek additional screenings, including breast ultrasounds and MRIs, which may be better able to detect cancer. Such services, however, may not be covered by insurance, leaving women to choose between paying exorbitant out of pocket costs or forgoing the screenings. Recognizing that the high costs of additional breast cancer screenings may result in delayed diagnoses, Congress introduced H.R.3086, known as the "Find It Early Act," which would ensure all health insurance plans cover breast cancer screenings and diagnostic imaging, including breast ultrasounds and MRIs, for women at increased risk of breast cancer at no additional cost to the insured. The Legislature of New Jersey urges Congress to enact the Find It Early Act to improve the affordability of and increase access to screenings needed to detect breast cancer early to improve the survival rates of individuals with breast cancer.
AI Summary
This concurrent resolution urges Congress to pass the "Find It Early Act," a bill aimed at improving breast cancer screening access and affordability for women. The resolution highlights the critical importance of early breast cancer detection, noting that the five-year survival rate is 99 percent when cancer is caught early, compared to only 30 percent when detected at later stages. It emphasizes that approximately half of women over 40 have dense breast tissue, which can make mammograms less effective at detecting cancer. The proposed legislation would require health insurance plans to cover additional screening methods like breast ultrasounds and MRIs for women at higher risk, without imposing cost-sharing requirements. The resolution cites alarming statistics from the American Cancer Society, which predicts over 300,000 new breast cancer cases and about 42,000 deaths in 2024, and argues that removing financial barriers to comprehensive screening could significantly improve women's health outcomes. By urging Congress to enact this legislation, the New Jersey Legislature aims to help women access potentially life-saving diagnostic tools without facing prohibitive out-of-pocket expenses.
Committee Categories
Health and Social Services
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee (on 09/23/2024)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/ACR144 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/ACR/144_I1.HTM |
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