Health reform gets boost before close vote

By John Whitesides and Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With a close vote looming in the U.S. House of Representatives, President Barack Obama's push for healthcare reform was boosted on Thursday by the support of powerful lobbies representing doctors and seniors.

House Democratic leaders struggled to round up enough party moderates to reach the 218 votes needed to pass Obama's top domestic priority ahead of a planned Saturday vote.

Obama will visit the Capitol on Friday to make a personal plea for support. He said endorsements from the American Medical Association representing doctors, and AARP, the lobbying group for older Americans, were a powerful argument.

"I urge Congress to listen to the AARP, listen to the AMA, and pass this reform for hundreds of millions of Americans," Obama said in a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room. "We are closer to passing this reform than ever before."

Failure in the Democratic-controlled House would be a huge political blow to Obama, and Democratic leaders scrambled to win over some party moderates who have lingering concerns about the bill's cost and its provisions on abortion.

"I think it's going to be close," House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said but added he was confident the bill would get the votes of 218 of the 258 Democrats.

Asked if she had the votes, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: "We will."

Republicans are united in opposition to the sweeping overhaul, which is 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.

They have objected to the bill's price tag of just more than $1 trillion and what they say is its excessive government interference in the private healthcare and insurance markets.

'A LONG WAY FROM 218'

"I can't figure out how many votes they've got," Representative Eric Cantor, the No. 2 House Republican, told reporters. But he said Pelosi "is a long way from the 218 necessary."

About 1,000 protesters opposed to the healthcare reform effort gathered on the lawn outside the Capitol, waving yellow "Don't Tread on Me" flags and signs, including one reading "Stop the Obama-nation of America."

If the healthcare bill passes the House, action would move to the Senate, which is preparing its own version. Obama wants to sign a bill by year's end, but Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid has indicated that deadline might slip.

AARP said the House bill would help seniors pay for their prescription drug coverage and strengthen Medicare, the government-run health program for the elderly.

"We can say with confidence that it meets our priorities for protecting Medicare, providing more affordable health insurance for 50 to 64-year-olds, and reforming the healthcare system," Nancy LeaMond, executive vice president, said.