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Obama reaches out over healthcare Obama reaches out over healthcare
(about 15 hours later)
President Obama has said he is considering four ideas floated by Republicans at last week's Washington summit on healthcare reform.President Obama has said he is considering four ideas floated by Republicans at last week's Washington summit on healthcare reform.
In a letter to Congressional leaders Mr Obama wrote he was following through on a pledge made at the summit to listen to Republican ideas. In a letter to Congressional leaders, Mr Obama wrote he was following through on a pledge made at the summit to listen to Republican ideas.
The move came a day before Mr Obama is due to give more details of how he plans to break the healthcare deadlock.The move came a day before Mr Obama is due to give more details of how he plans to break the healthcare deadlock.
Healthcare is a priority for Mr Obama, but has become stalled in Congress.Healthcare is a priority for Mr Obama, but has become stalled in Congress.
The bipartisan summit held last week in Washington was widely reported as having done little to break the deadlock between congressional Democrats and Republicans over healthcare reform.The bipartisan summit held last week in Washington was widely reported as having done little to break the deadlock between congressional Democrats and Republicans over healthcare reform.
Correspondents say Mr Obama's letter is an effort at bipartisanship even as Democratic leaders in Congress prepare to try and secure the passage of a healthcare bill without Republican support.Correspondents say Mr Obama's letter is an effort at bipartisanship even as Democratic leaders in Congress prepare to try and secure the passage of a healthcare bill without Republican support.
Democratic preparationsDemocratic preparations
In the letter, Mr Obama outlines four areas in which he says he is open to ideas put forward by Republicans at the summit.In the letter, Mr Obama outlines four areas in which he says he is open to ideas put forward by Republicans at the summit.
Those areas are:Those areas are:
• sending investigators disguised as patients to uncover fraud and waste;• sending investigators disguised as patients to uncover fraud and waste;
• expanding medical malpractice reform pilot programs;• expanding medical malpractice reform pilot programs;
• increasing payments to providers in the Medicaid programme for people on low incomes;• increasing payments to providers in the Medicaid programme for people on low incomes;
• expanding the use of health savings accounts.• expanding the use of health savings accounts.
"I said throughout this process that I'd continue to draw on the best ideas from both parties, and I'm open to these proposals in that spirit," Mr Obama wrote in his letter."I said throughout this process that I'd continue to draw on the best ideas from both parties, and I'm open to these proposals in that spirit," Mr Obama wrote in his letter.
Existing House and Senate bills are stalled in CongressExisting House and Senate bills are stalled in Congress
However, Mr Obama rejected calls from Republican leaders to scrap the draft bills passed in December and begin again.However, Mr Obama rejected calls from Republican leaders to scrap the draft bills passed in December and begin again.