OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Reform week wrapping up

It's about the children: Pro-reform groups wrap up anniversary week Friday with a focus on how the year-old healthcare law benefits young adults, who are now able to stay on their parents' insurance until age 26. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will host a press call with college reporters, the surgeon general holds a press conference at Truman College and HHS officials will speak at Rutgers University and the University of Connecticut. Meanwhile, pro-reform groups plan to release more favorable reports about the law's benefits. 

Another healthcare reform lawsuit: A day after a Karl Rove-backed group sued the Obama administration for documents related to annual benefit limit waivers, Judicial Watch announced it is suing HHS to obtain detailed records about Medicare commercials the department ran last year. In question are three ads featuring Andy Griffith aimed to educate people about Medicare changes under healthcare reform. The group, which said it has information showing the ads cost $3.2 million, wants HHS records about the creation and funding of the TV spots that ran in September and October 2010.

Lance Armstrong blasts GOP cancer funding cuts: Lance Armstrong, one of the world's most famous cancer survivors, on Thursday fought back against House Republicans' plans to cut medical research funding in their long-term 2011 budget. “Sometimes in D.C. this can be viewed as a political issue for some,” Armstrong said in an appearance with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACSCAN). “This isn’t a political issue. This disease doesn’t care if you’re Republican or Democrat or a Tea Partier or right in the middle.” Read the Healthwatch story.

Armstrong dings King: Armstrong condemned Rep. Steve King's (R-Iowa) comments that healthcare reform is a "malignant tumor." When asked about King's comments, Armstrong called them "a very bad choice of words."

Baucus, Hatch want fraud updates: The Democrat and Republican leaders of the Senate Finance Committee asked HHS and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide quarterly updates on efforts to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse. Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and ranking member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) are requesting updates on investigations, enforcement actions, recovery efforts and details on how HHS and CMS are spending their fraud, waste and abuse budgets.

CBO: Healthcare reform estimates on track: The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said Wednesday evening that the cost estimate of healthcare reform a year later "does not reflect any substantial change" from its March 2010 projections. Check out the CBO blog. 

Vermont closer to single-payer: The state's House overwhelmingly approved a bill on Thursday that lays the groundwork for establishing a single-payer healthcare system. The measure, backed by Gov. Peter Shumlin (D), now moves onto the state Senate.

Friday's agenda:

Healthcare exchange focus: Insurance commissioners kick off their national meeting in Austin on Friday with a look at health insurance exchanges created by healthcare reform.

Reading list:

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) is catching flak from Republican lawmakers for backing efforts to set up a health insurance exchange, The Tulsa World reports.

The government added 280,000 young adults to parents' federal employee healthcare plans this year as a result of healthcare reform, Federal Times writes.

A former Bush administration lawyer will argue for the 26 states challenging healthcare reform, The Associated Press reports.

A New York City lawmaker wants to use biometric palm readers to help curb Medicaid fraud, the New York Post reports.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) ordered sweeping healthcare changes, the Star Tribune reports.  

Talking Points Memo writes about patients who would be affected by the repeal of healthcare reform.

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