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AB

Bill

A 4976

Mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for volunteer firefighters.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Al Barlas and 3 co-sponsors

Requires New Jersey to reimburse volunteer firefighters fully for periodic cancer screenings every three years after five years of service, with a CPI-adjusted cap per firefighter.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee
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Bill Summary · A 4976

Overview

Bill A 4976 (Session 222, New Jersey) mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for volunteer firefighters and sets up state reimbursement for the costs of those screenings. The measure aims to ensure no out-of-pocket expenses for eligible volunteers and ties reimbursement amounts to a CPI-adjusted cap.

Main purpose and intent

  • Ensure voluntary firefighters in New Jersey have access to periodic cancer screening examinations.
  • Remove financial barriers by requiring the state to reimburse the full cost of eligible screenings with no copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance for the firefighter.
  • Establish periodic (triannual) screening beginning after five years of service, with ongoing exams every three years.

Key provisions and changes

  • Eligibility and timing:
    • Applies to volunteer firefighters serving in New Jersey.
    • Examinations must begin no earlier than five years after the start of service and recur every three years during continued volunteer service.
  • Covered screenings:
    • Examinations must screen for a minimum set of cancers when applicable: colon, lung, bladder, oral, thyroid, skin, blood, breast, cervical, testicular, and prostate.
  • Reimbursement and costs:
    • The state must reimburse the cost of these cancer screening examinations that would not otherwise be covered by the firefighter’s health insurance.
    • No copayment, deductible, coinsurance, or out-of-pocket expense for the screenings.
    • The total reimbursement per volunteer firefighter in a three-year period may not exceed $1,250 (subject to annual CPI-based adjustments).
    • The $1,250 cap is adjusted for changes in the Consumer Price Index for Medical Care.
  • Administration and documentation:
    • Firefighters must provide adequate records as guided by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services (within the Department of Community Affairs) to facilitate reimbursement.
  • Fiscal and statutory framework:
    • There is an ongoing State General Fund appropriation to support these reimbursements, with the Director annually requesting sufficient funds.
    • The subsection treats serving as a volunteer firefighter as a pre-existing condition for the purposes of eligibility.

Who is affected

  • Primary: Volunteer firefighters in New Jersey.
  • Secondary: State agencies (Division of Local Government Services; Department of Community Affairs) responsible for administration, reimbursement tracking, and guidance on record-keeping.
  • Financial impact: State funds will be required annually to reimburse eligible screenings, up to the $1,250 per three-year period per firefighter (inflation-adjusted).

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Effective date: Immediate upon enactment.
  • Reimbursement program begins January 1, 2023, and continues each year thereafter, with ongoing annual appropriations.
  • The bill has been introduced and referred to the Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (as of the latest action history).

Potential impact

  • Improves preventive health access for volunteer firefighters.
  • Reduces financial barriers to comprehensive cancer screening for volunteers.
  • Establishes a scalable, CPI-adjusted reimbursement mechanism subject to annual state appropriations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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