Bill would require no‑cost cancer screening coverage for career firefighters, sponsors say

Delegate Delia Pruski introduced House Bill 4-59, named in memory of the late Delegate and Baltimore County firefighter Jimmy Malone, to require coverage without cost sharing for defined cancer screening tests for professional (paid) firefighters. Pruski said the bill aims to identify occupational cancers earlier in a population with elevated exposure risks.

Professional firefighter groups testified in strong support. Jeffrey Buttle, president of the Professional Firefighters of Maryland, and other fire service leaders said early detection can prevent disease progression and save lives; several current and retired firefighters described personal or colleague experiences with cancer. Testimony from association representatives emphasized that some counties already offer screening programs, and sponsors said the new law would standardize access across jurisdictions and for state and local employer plans.

County associations asked for clarification and raised fiscal concerns. Carrington Anderson of the Maryland Association of Counties said many jurisdictions already run firefighter screening programs with different models and funding streams; one county estimated a large annual cost to expand no‑cost screening absent state funding. Anderson requested an amendment to make the mandate contingent on an appropriation or to have the state fund the local share. Sponsor Pruski agreed to meet with county officials and the Maryland Insurance Administration to refine the fiscal approach and implementation detail.

The committee heard from multiple individual firefighters and union representatives about the occupational risk of cancer, and from county and state representatives who said they wanted to protect firefighters but needed clarity about how benefit design changes would be paid.

No vote was taken at the hearing; the sponsor asked to work with counties and the insurance administration on fiscal language.