September 18, 2024

New Jersey’s legislative session has officially resumed as of last week, with several committees already having met. This general cadence of meetings and votes is expected to continue to the end of the year with some elbow room for the national election on November 5 that will be sure to result in multiple new members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation.

Last Thursday, several Assembly Committees met throughout the day — including the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee (AFI). A few posted bills of interest to the life sciences include:

• A3858 (Conaway/Speight/Stanley) - Requires collection of data by health insurers regarding health insurance claims and decisions made using automated utilization management systems.
• A4163 (Sumter/Schaer/Haider) - Requires health insurers to provide coverage for biomarker testing.

While the biomarker coverage bill was posted, it ended up being held from consideration due to some last-minute requested amendments from the insurers. We anticipate that the bill will be posted again in AFI in October following deliberations among advocates and implicated entities.

A3858, among other provisions, would essentially require insurers to report when claims are denied using algorithmic systems on an annual basis — including the number of claims originally denied that were appeals, the number of appeals sustained and overturned, and the procedures of each medical specialty for which claims that are most frequently denied. The bill was posted for discussion only and received both supportive testimony and opposition from the implicated industry.

On Thursday, Sept. 19, several committees are slated to meet, including the Assembly Judiciary and Labor Committees in the morning and the Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee in the afternoon. The Assembly Judiciary Committee will be considering the following bill that may be of interest:

• A2353 (Tully/Carter/Wimberly) - Establishes "Scientific Conference Grant Program"; appropriates $250,000.
• A3004 (Hutchison/Inganamort) - Restricts genetic testing of newborn and crime victim DNA; permits DNA information to be obtained pursuant to warrant or court order.

Please contact Ian McLaughlin, VP of Government Affairs, with any thoughts or concerns regarding these or any other bills that are posted: IMcLaughlin@BioNJ.org

Last week, the U.S. House voted in favor of the latest iteration of the BIOSECURE Act. The bill had bipartisan support with a vote of 306-81, including over 100 Democrats in the House which has a narrow Republican majority. The bill had initially been introduced at the beginning of 2024, and the bill now includes 5 specific companies that would be subject to the bill’s provisions. The latest iteration of the bill has a grandfather clause to enable companies with existing contracts to sustain them until 2032. 

To read a statement from the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) on the BIOSECURE Act, click here.

Last week, BioNJ, BIOQuébec, and Choose New Jersey announced a new Memorandum of Understanding intended to foster cooperation and collaboration between the life sciences sectors in both New Jersey and Québec.

“New Jersey is the home of innovation with a thriving life sciences sector reaching new heights through collaboration with industry partners abroad,” said Governor Murphy. “The partnership between BIOQuébec and BioNJ is a step forward in delivering crucial results to advance research and development, education, and overall growth by fighting for patients’ interests in New Jersey and beyond.”

"Across Québec, the United States, and especially here in New Jersey, numerous companies have forged longstanding and well-established strategic partnerships," remarked Debbie Hart, President & CEO of BioNJ. "Alliances, like the one between BioNJ and BIOQuébec, serve as catalysts for innovation, sparking new business ventures and fostering cutting-edge research collaborations. We are eager to bring our members together in a shared mission to elevate the life sciences sector, with the ultimate aim of accelerating the delivery of transformative medical breakthroughs to patients across the globe."

To read a press release from Governor Murphy’s office, click here.

The signing ceremony with Gov. Phil Murphy, center, and Debbie Hart of BioNJ and Benoit Larose of BIOQuébec.

Sen. George Helmy, former Chief of Staff to Phil Murphy and former staffer to New Jersey Senior Senator Cory Booker, was sworn in on September 9 to fill the seat formerly occupied by Sen. Bob Menendez. Sen. Helmy will occupy the office until the election in November between Rep. Andy Kim (D, NJ3) and Republican Curtis Bashaw — after which, the winner of the election will immediately replace him. Sen. Helmy will sit on the three committees on which Sen. Menendez had served: Foreign Relations Committee, Finance Committee, and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

BioNJ has appreciated Sen. Helmy’s receptivity to the thoughts of the life sciences sector and looks forward to supporting him in this capacity.

Senator-designee George Helmy, D-NJ, left, meets with Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, prior to taking the oath of office in the Old Senate Chamber at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Last week, the Council (CSBA) sent a letter to congressional leadership in support of S.4583/H.R.7384, the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act. The bipartisan bill would reauthorize the Priority Review Voucher (PRV) program, which will expire on September 30 of this year.

Given how productive and effective this program has been for Patients, BioNJ was glad to support this effort to reauthorize this critical program and hopes that federal policymakers will act to ensure it continues to facilitate the creation of new therapeutics for some of the most vulnerable among us.

To read the letter, click here.

Last Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust held a hearing focused on the roles that Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) play across the healthcare landscape. Witnesses included professors of economics and pharmacy, as well as the Executive Director of the Value of Life Sciences Innovation.

BioNJ is glad to see this continued scrutiny of the effects that PBM business practices have in driving up the costs that Patients face and looks forward to the implementation of policies that will curtail these cost increases and increase access.

To watch the hearing, click here.

The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing focused on the Inflation Reduction Act healthcare provisions yesterday. Several witnesses testified, including Rena Conti, who is a Professor on Markets, Public Policy and Law at the Questrom School of Business at Boston University.

To watch the hearing, click here.

Last week, four members of the U.S. House of Representatives released a request for information (RFI) to solicit feedback on strengthening and enhancing domestic medical supply chains. The group is interested in ideas to incentivize, support and strengthen domestic medical manufacturing and supply chains with trusted allies and partners.

To read the RFI, click here.

BioNJ is the voice of New Jersey’s life sciences sector in Trenton and Washington. BioNJ’s Public Policy Support Series sponsorship opportunities are now available for 2024. Help ensure BioNJ continues to deliver our message of improved Patient access and enhanced innovation through a Public Policy Support Series Sponsorship.  

Click here for more information.

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