LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 330

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: SEPTEMBER 10, 2024

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Requires DOH to operate mobile cancer screening program; appropriates $100,000.

Type of Impact:

Two-year State expenditure increase.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Health.

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Year 1 

Year 2 

Year 3 

 

State Expenditure Increase

$100,000

Minimum of $825,000

$0

 

 

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that State costs will increase by $100,000, the amount appropriated under the bill, in the first year for the Department of Health and its community partners to operate a mobile cancer screening program that will deploy vehicles to the northern, central, and southern regions of the State.

·         Based on annual operating cost data reported by a network of mobile health clinics, Mobile Health Map, the OLS determines that State costs could potentially increase to $825,000 or more in the second year of the program’s operation. 

·         Because the provisions of the bill expire two years after the bill’s effective date, upon the submission of the department’s report on the program to the Governor and the Legislature, the State will not incur any costs in subsequent years.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      The bill directs the Department of Health to partner with community organizations to operate a mobile cancer screening program that will deploy mobile vehicles to the northern, central, and southern regions of the State.  Each vehicle will be staffed by at least one health professional who is qualified to perform cancer screenings.  The types of cancer screenings conducted under the program will be determined by the medical expertise of the health professional assigned to the mobile vehicle and the medical devices and supplies available to the health professional.  Within two years of the bill’s effective date, the department will submit a written report to the Governor and to the Legislature, summarizing program outcomes and recommending any necessary legislative action.  Upon the submission of the department’s report, the provisions of the bill will expire.  The bill appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to the department to implement the requirements under the bill.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS concludes that State costs will increase by $100,000, the amount appropriated under the bill, in the first year following the bill’s effective date in order for the department to partner with community organizations to operate a mobile cancer screening program that will deploy mobile vehicles to the northern, central, and southern regions of the State.  Since the bill’s provisions will expire two years after their effective date, upon the submission of the department’s report to the Governor and the Legislature, the State will not incur any costs in subsequent years.

      Based on annual operating cost data reported by a network of mobile health clinics, Mobile Health Map, the OLS determines that State costs could potentially increase to $825,000 in the second year of the program’s operation.  According to Mobile Health Map, the average annual operating cost of the mobile health clinics that have registered with the organization is approximately $275,000.  Mobile clinics’ annual operating costs are largely driven by vehicle staffing levels, and the types and amounts of services provided.  Therefore, the department’s costs to operate three mobile screening vehicles could potentially be higher than $825,000 in the program’s second year of operations, depending upon the terms of the department’s agreement with its community partners, the number of staff assigned to each vehicle, and the specific equipment required to perform the types of cancer screenings that will be available through each vehicle.

      The bill, moreover, does not provide funding for the department to acquire and, as needed, retrofit three vehicles for mobile cancer screenings.  As such, the OLS concludes that the department’s community partners would provide the funding necessary for the purchase of these vehicles.  By way of context, an April 2023 press release from Virtua Health reported that the health system spent $1 million for a customized mobile health and cancer screening vehicle. 

 

Section:

Human Services

Analyst:

Anne Cappabianca

Senior Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).