To complement this proposal, the Governor also highlighted his support for comprehensive testing and treatment options for low-income women using federal Medicaid funds now available for state use. I strongly support increased access for mammograms. Research shows that female breast cancer incidence rates have gone up in recent years.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women.
Women between the ages of 35 and 39 years old should have at least one mammogram performed, and women 40 years and older should have a mammogram every year. Under the program, grants would be provided to licensed health care facilities to help meet the capital and operating costs associated with breast cancer screening. DiFrancesco sponsored four of the bills in the package including the Senior Gold initiative which provides prescription drug care to as many as 100,000 middle-income seniors and the Right To Sue legislation which enables New Jerseyans to sue their HMOs for malpractice related to denial or delay of care. Making sure New Jerseyans have access to quality healthcare has been a priority of mine for some time. I want to thank New Jersey's healthcare professionals, hospital administrators, and medical organizations and my colleagues in the Legislature for everything they have done to improve the healthcare system in New Jersey.