The Cancer Patient Care and Compassion Act aims to enhance protections and support for individuals diagnosed with Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer in New Jersey. The bill mandates that health insurance carriers, including those involved in the State Health Benefits Program and Medicaid, provide comprehensive coverage for parenteral treatment, survivorship care plans, and any additional services deemed necessary by regulatory authorities, without imposing any cost-sharing requirements. Furthermore, the bill prohibits residential mortgage lenders from initiating foreclosure actions or sending notices of intention to mortgage debtors undergoing cancer treatment until they receive confirmation from the debtor's physician that treatment has concluded.

Additionally, the bill protects individuals from debt collection proceedings and eviction actions related to nonpayment of rent while they are undergoing cancer treatment. Creditors are barred from initiating collection actions against these individuals if they provide a physician's certification of their treatment, and any such proceedings must be dismissed upon submission of this documentation. For eviction cases, the Superior Court is required to grant a stay of eviction for up to 45 days for tenants undergoing treatment, allowing them to renew their leases under reasonable terms. The bill also includes provisions to ensure employees on temporary disability or family leave are reinstated to equivalent positions and clarifies the rights of employees to choose between different types of leave without receiving more than one kind of paid leave simultaneously.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43:21-55.2