U.S. senators seek new push on health care

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of senators on Tuesday signaled a willingness to work with President George W. Bush on an effort to improve the U.S. health care system, saying it was crucial to rein in costs and expand coverage to the uninsured.

In a development welcomed by the White House, a group of 10 senators led by Sen. Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, wrote to Bush offering to work with him on legislation and citing an urgent need to deal with the problem of surging health costs.

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"Further delay is unacceptable as costs continue to skyrocket, our population ages, and chronic illness increases," the letter from the senators said. "In addition, our businesses are at a severe disadvantage when their competitors in the global market get health care for 'free."'

The letter came just weeks after Bush unveiled a plan in his State of the Union focusing on tax-code changes as a means to encourage more Americans to buy health care.

The proposal received a chilly reception in the U.S. Congress.

Bush's plan would give new tax breaks to people to encourage them to buy health insurance on their own while for the first time taxing some employer-provided health benefits.

Several lawmakers criticized the plan, saying it would amount to a tax increase on some middle-class Americans and erode the system of employer-provided health coverage.

Health care is emerging in opinion polls as a top concern among Americans. Some 47 million Americans lack health coverage, forcing many to rely on emergency rooms for care.

Wyden has offered a proposal to offer universal health coverage.

White House economic adviser Al Hubbard said Bush was "pleased" by the invitation to work on health care legislation.

"We agree with these senators -- we want to fix health care now," Hubbard, director of Bush's National Economic Council, said in a statement.

In addition to Wyden, the letter was signed by Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Republican Sen. Robert Bennett of Utah, Republican Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin and Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota.