House Democrats scramble for healthcare votes

By John Whitesides

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives scrambled on Friday to allay lingering concerns about a broad healthcare overhaul and said a landmark vote planned for Saturday could slip a day or more.

President Barack Obama and top administration officials called undecided Democrats to plead for support, and House leaders held talks with wavering members to nail down their backing.

Democrats were short of the 218 votes they need to pass the measure, but House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said "we're very close." House members were warned the final vote could slip to Sunday or even later in the week.

Democrats cajoled dozens of party moderates concerned about abortion and immigration provisions in the bill, as well as its $1 trillion price tag and its possible effect on budget deficits.

"There are many people who are still looking to get a comfort level that this is the right thing to do," Hoyer said. "We're trying to answer any concerns they might have."

The sweeping overhaul, Obama's top domestic priority, would spark the biggest changes in the U.S. healthcare system since the creation of the Medicare health program for the elderly in 1965.

House Republicans are united in opposition to the measure, designed to rein in costs, expand coverage to millions of uninsured and bar insurance practices such as denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.