A Pennsylvania health insurance trade group has hand-delivered letters to U.S. House members from the state, asking that a formal, open conference committee be held to create final federal health reform legislation.

Vince Phillips

The Pennsylvania Association of Health Underwriters had its contract lobbyist, Vince Phillips, deliver the one-page letter to the Washington, D.C., offices of each of Pennsylvania’s 19 House members earlier this month.

The delivery marks the first time the organization, representing insurance brokers specializing in health insurance and employee benefits, employed the technique with Congress members, according to Phillips.

The letter, signed by Phillips and approved by the PAHU board, requests that Pennsylvania House members “ask your Caucus leadership to press for a formal conference committee resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of health care legislation.”

President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Harry Reid of Nevada, were scheduled to begin closed door meetings on final reform legislation Jan. 13. The leaders must resolve key differences between the bills, including funding of abortions, the public insurance option and continuance of the state Children’s Health Insurance Program.

In noting these discrepancies between the bills, “PAHU believes that the resolution of these differences should not come under the cloud of suspicion from a closed process,” the letter reads. “A closed process gives the impression that members’ input is irrelevant in probable acquiescence by the House leadership to the Senate bill behind closed doors.”

The letter also suggests the need for “public scrutiny” of plans to expand federal Medicaid eligibility, which could expand to those earning up to 133% or 150% of the Federal Poverty Level, depending on which bill’s provisions are considered.

By increasing eligibility in Pennsylvania by 25%, according to the letter, the move could cost Pennsylvanians an additional $2.2 billion. The state would have pay its share of the state match, once the initial five-year federal subsidy expires, according to the letter.

“Frankly, Pennsylvania cannot afford this unfunded federal mandate and PAHU asks that you take note of this fiscal reality which collides with the desired goal of covering more uninsured by the public sector,” the letter said. “Plainly put, [Pennsylvania] taxpayers simply cannot afford that expansion.”