HARRISBURG -- Two senators, including one from Pittsburgh, are trying to resurrect a state agency that has developed a national reputation for reporting trends in hospital, surgical and medical costs.

Sens. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, and Pat Vance, R-Cumberland, said today they'll introduce a bill in January, when the new legislative term begins, to reauthorize the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.

The council went out of business briefly in early July, as it got caught up in a battle between Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell and Senate Republicans over how best to extend health insurance to 800,000 Pennsylvanians without it.

Mr. Rendell, on his own, temporarily extended its life -- until Nov. 30. However, since the Senate has gone home for the year with no agreement with the governor on health costs, the cost containment council will die Nov. 30.

The council was created in 1986 to address the rapid growth in health care costs, Mr. Fontana said in a news release today. His proposed bill would extend its life for five more years. The agency collects data from hospitals, surgery centers and some managed care health plans and gives it to consumers so they can make better health-related decisions.

"Because we were unsuccessful in extending the provisions of PHC4 this legislative session, we must make it an absolute priority when we begin the 2009-10 session in January,'' Mr. Fontana said.