This week: Reform anniversary approaches

The one-year anniversary of the healthcare reform law is fast approaching, giving both supporters and critics a high-profile opportunity to debate the impact of the overhaul.
 
The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday holds a hearing on lessons learned during the first year of the law’s implementation. That hearing will feature testimony from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. On Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will explore how states have moved forward on implementing health insurance exchanges and other parts of the reform law.
 
Meanwhile, a coalition of conservative groups is hosting a pizza party in the Capitol Visitor Center Monday to hash out their opposition to the law. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) are scheduled to attend.
 
As Senate Democrats celebrate the law, House Republicans will scrutinize one of its most troubled programs: The CLASS Act. On Thursday, the Energy and Commerce Committee's Health subpanel holds a hearing on the new long-term-care program taking effect in 2012. The president’s fiscal commission called for repealing or reforming the CLASS Act, and Sebelius has already signaled the administration will take up the reform recommendation.

The House Oversight Committee's Health subpanel will probe waivers granted by the administration for a provision of the healthcare reform law on Tuesday. Republicans cite the 1,000-plus waivers granted as evidence that the law doesn’t work, and have accused the administration of rewarding Democrats’ union allies.

The abortion debate heats up again Wednesday when a Ways and Means subpanel holds a hearing on the tax implications of H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. Rep. Chris Smith’s (R-N.J.) bill would end tax breaks for private health plans that offer abortion services.
 
Pediatricians will merge on Washington for their annual legislative conference next week. They’re upset that president’s 2012 budget would cut more than $300 million for graduate medical education.
 
Home medical equipment providers are also heading to the Hill to ask lawmakers to repeal a Medicare competitive bidding program for home medical equipment and services.
 
Research!America is bringing together a star-studded panel of federal health research heads on Tuesday. On tap for a panel discussion: Carolyn Clancy, director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health; Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Margaret Hamburg, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. PhRMA CEO John Castellani will also take part.
 
Congressional Medicare advisers come to the Hill on Tuesday to make their annual report to Congress. House Ways and Means's Health subpanel hearing will also give the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission a chance to talk about implementation of healthcare reform.