Topeka ? U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts says the Senate should convene a public hearing to look into whether federal health care reforms are increasing premiums.

Roberts is a Kansas Republican and opposes the reforms.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that he worked with Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican , to make the request in a letter to the Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

The paper says public reports indicate some health plans expect to raise premiums as much as 9 percent because of the reform act. Roberts says U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius predicted “much lower increases.”

Roberts says a hearing would provide an opportunity to sort through the different estimates and review the changes affecting premiums.