WASHINGTON- U.S. President Barack Obama made a last-ditch bid on Tuesday to overcome Republican opposition to his stalled healthcare overhaul, saying he was ready to consider several of their proposals for crafting final legislation.

Obama, in a letter to congressional leaders, said he was open to Republican ideas for undercover probes of healthcare providers who receive federal money, to expanding health savings accounts and to providing more grants to study alternatives to medical malpractice suits.

Obama acknowledged, however, there were important areas of disagreement and insisted on broad reform legislation, saying piecemeal reform that Republicans want would not get the job done.

(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick)

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