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ACR 144

Urges Congress to enact "Find It Early Act."

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Shanique Speight

NJ ACR 144 urges Congress to pass the Find It Early Act, ensuring no-cost mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs for high-risk women to enable early detection and improve survival.

Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Health Committee
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Bill Summary · ACR 144

Summary of Assembly Concurrent Resolution ACR 144

What the bill is

  • Bill number: ACR 144
  • Title: Urges Congress to enact the “Find It Early Act.”
  • Type: Concurrent resolution (memorialization) in New Jersey
  • Status: Introduced in the Assembly on September 23, 2024; referred to the Assembly Health Committee

  • Sponsor: Shanique Speight (primary)

  • Companion/Related: SCR 114 (companion in the Senate)

Purpose and intent

  • ACR 144 is a memorialization urging Congress to enact the federal Find It Early Act (H.R. 3086, introduced May 5, 2023). The resolution asks federal action to ensure access to breast cancer screenings and diagnostic imaging for women at greater risk, without cost-sharing.

Key provisions and content

  • The resolution cites breast cancer as a leading cause of cancer deaths in women (nationally) and specifically in New Jersey.
  • It emphasizes the importance of early detection for survival:
    • Five-year survival is about 99% when diagnosed before spread outside the breast.
    • Survival drops to about 30% when the cancer has spread to distant sites.
  • It notes that dense breast tissue (present in roughly half of women over 40) can obscure mammograms, delaying detection.
  • It highlights that while additional screenings (breast ultrasounds, MRIs) can improve detection in high-risk individuals, insurance coverage may be inadequate and lead to high out-of-pocket costs or avoidance of screening.
  • The resolution references the federal Find It Early Act (H.R. 3086) as legislation that would require health insurance plans to cover breast cancer screenings and diagnostic imaging—mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs—for women with dense breasts or other risk factors, at no cost to the insured.
  • As a memorialization, the bill itself does not create New Jersey law or funding obligations; rather, it urges federal action and aligns the State’s stance with supporting increased access to no-cost screenings.

Who/what would be affected

  • Primary beneficiaries (if enacted at the federal level): Women at greater risk for breast cancer, including those with dense breast tissue or positive personal/family history.
  • Indirect effects: Health insurers (federal level) would be required to cover screenings without cost-sharing; healthcare providers may see increased utilization of screenings and diagnostic imaging.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: September 23, 2024
  • Next steps: If approved by the Assembly and the Senate, the resolution would be transmitted to federal leaders:
    • Majority and Minority Leaders of the U.S. Senate
    • Speaker and Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives
    • Every member of Congress elected from New Jersey
  • Nature of action: Non-binding, expressing the Legislature’s support for federal legislation and urging action.

Context and background

  • The bill builds on public health data about breast cancer mortality and the benefits of early detection.
  • It underscores costs and access barriers to additional screenings beyond routine mammography.
  • It cites the Find It Early Act’s aim of eliminating cost-sharing for screenings and diagnostic imaging for high-risk women.

Bottom-line takeaway

ACR 144 is a non-binding NJ Assembly resolution urging Congress to pass the Find It Early Act to ensure no-cost access to mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs for women at increased risk of breast cancer, with the goal of improving early detection and survival. It reflects New Jersey’s support for federal action to reduce financial barriers to essential breast cancer screenings.

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

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