N.J. Health Plans to Cover Experimental Treatments.

Several health plans in New Jersey have become the first in the nation to voluntarily cover all costs of routine care for cancer patients in clinical trials for new treatments, said Gov. Christie Whitman.

According to the agreement, the HMOs will cover all routine care for cancer patients in clinical trials, while extra costs specifically required for the trials will be borne by the research sponsors.

Trials authorized by the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs will be covered under the agreement.