US House conservatives say still want healthcare talks

WASHINGTON, July 24 (Reuters) - A top lawmaker representing fiscally conservative Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Friday he and his group still wanted to be engaged in crafting a healthcare reform bill, despite setbacks in negotiations.

"We want to be a constructive part of the legislative process,' Representative Mike Ross told reporters after earlier saying talks had fallen apart.

Ross said that a tentative agreement on a Medicare commission aimed at finding cost savings along with the handling of a government-backed insurance plan - two high priorities of this group of Democrats - were "taken off the table," by House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Henry Waxman. (Reporting by Richard Cowan, Editing by Jackie Frank)