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Bill

A 2448

Requires health care professionals to order bi-lateral ultrasounds concurrently when ordering mammograms; requires insurers to cover concurrent mammograms and bi-lateral ultrasounds.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Reginald Atkins and 1 co-sponsor

Requires concurrent bilateral ultrasounds with all mammograms and mandates insurance coverage, potentially improving breast cancer detection but substantially increasing screening costs statewide.

Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
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Bill Summary · A 2448

Legislative bill overview

Bill A 2448 mandates that healthcare providers order bilateral ultrasounds simultaneously with mammograms and requires insurance companies to cover both procedures as concurrent treatments. The bill applies to New Jersey and was introduced by Assembly members Reginald Atkins and Annette Quijano.

Why is this important

Concurrent ultrasounds with mammograms could improve breast cancer detection, particularly in patients with dense breast tissue where mammograms alone may miss tumors. However, this creates significant cost implications for insurers and healthcare systems, potentially affecting insurance premiums and healthcare budgets while raising questions about whether universal concurrent screening is medically necessary for all patients.

Potential points of contention

  • Medical necessity debate: Professional standards (American Cancer Society, ACR) recommend ultrasounds selectively based on breast density and risk factors, not universally with every mammogram, making a blanket mandate potentially medically inefficient
  • Cost and coverage expansion: Mandatory concurrent screening doubles imaging costs per patient; unclear how this impacts insurance premiums, out-of-pocket costs, and whether the benefits justify universal implementation versus risk-stratified approaches
  • Insurance market effects: Insurers may resist mandates that increase claims significantly; this could lead to higher premiums, narrower networks, or reduced imaging access in other areas to offset costs

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

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