New Jersey has the tenth-highest rate of cancer incidence rate in the United States. The second leading cause of death in New Jersey, thousands of residents die from preventable cancers each year. NJ FamilyCare, the state’s Medicaid program insuring more than 1.8 million residents, provides coverage for cancer prevention services and screenings to thousands of beneficiaries throughout the state. However, the New Jersey Department of Human Services estimates nearly 1 in 5 Medicaid recipients could lose coverage under President Donald Trump’s tax cut and spending bill.
Ann Nguyen, an associate research professor and implementation scientist at the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, led the most up-to-date analysis of Medicaid cancer screening trends in New Jersey as well as companion studies of best practices and key factors for facilitating cancer screenings.
Overall trends point to an increase in screening rates for certain types of cancer, though disparities owing to geography, cancer type, race and ethnicity remain. New Jersey is making progress, however, partly because of the increased availability of culturally competent care that bridges accessibility gaps between certain communities and their health systems. To read the full story.