Factbox: Congress readies next healthcare steps

(Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. Congress will make a final attempt to pass President Barack Obama's stalled healthcare overhaul in the next few weeks despite unified Republican opposition.

Obama has called for quick action, with a White House official suggesting the House of Representatives could vote on a Senate-passed version of healthcare reform by March 18.

Congressional Democrats are not so sure they can meet that deadline, but hope to finish work on healthcare before they recess for spring break around March 26.

Democrats in the Senate and House approved separate bills last year to reshape the $2.5 trillion healthcare industry by cutting costs, regulating insurers and expanding coverage to tens of millions of Americans.

But efforts to merge the bills and send a final version to Obama collapsed in January after a special election in Massachusetts cost Democrats the crucial 60th Senate vote needed to overcome Republican procedural hurdles.

Because Senate Democrats do not have 60 votes anymore, House Democrats will try to pass the Senate bill without changes -- eliminating the need to go back to the Senate.

The changes to the Senate bill sought by House Democrats will be passed through budget reconciliation process, which requires only a simple majority vote in the Senate.

Here is a look at the steps remaining before Congress can pass a final healthcare bill and send it to Obama to sign:

* Senate and House leaders are preparing a package of changes to the Senate bill designed to address the concerns of House Democrats, and congressional staff members are putting the proposals into legislative language.

The final package, which is not expected to be ready until at least early next week, will be sent to the Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate.

The package will incorporate proposals made by Obama on February 22, including modifications to a tax on high-cost "Cadillac" health insurance plans and expanded federal subsidies to make insurance more affordable.

* Because the reconciliation process is confined to budget matters, the Senate ban on federal funding for abortions cannot be changed. That could prompt abortion rights opponents in the House, which had a tougher ban, to vote against the bill.

House leaders are seeking a compromise with Representative Bart Stupak, head of the anti-abortion House Democrats, although they failed to find one in November. Any abortion compromise would have to be passed separately by the House and Senate and could require 60 votes to clear the Senate.

* Once the reconciliation package is ready and House Democrats can evaluate the potential fixes, the House will vote on the Senate bill. House Democrats have little margin for error -- the overhaul passed by just three votes in November.

With congressional elections approaching in December, Democratic lawmakers are increasingly worried about the political cost in backing a bill that polls show is unpopular with the public.

But Democratic leaders are telling concerned members they already voted for the bill once and would pay an even steeper political price if they flip their stance now.

* Once the House has passed the Senate bill, the changes sought by House Democrats could be taken up quickly. The Senate could take several days to pass the provisions, however, as Republicans could challenge whether they qualify for the reconciliation process under Senate rules.

The Senate parliamentarian would issue a ruling on each challenge. Amendments to the provisions would be voted on back-to-back in a "vote-a-rama" that could last for a day or two.

(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)