WASHINGTON - PRESIDENT Barack Obama, his top domestic priority in the balance, was to make a rare in-person plea Saturday for wary lawmakers to cast an historic vote for legislation to remake US healthcare.

Mr Obama, who wooed skittish fellow Democrats by telephone on Friday, hoped to bring the full persuasive power of the presidency to bear in an 11th-hour push to secure the 218 votes needed to prevail in the House of Representatives.

'The sales pitch is simply that we're on the cusp of the type of healthcare reform that this country has been talking about for decades,' said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs. 'Do this for the country. Do this for your constituents.'

Democratic leaders set the stage for a final vote late Saturday on the 10-year, US$900 billion (S$1.25 trillion) measure, the most ambitious overhaul of its kind in a half-century, but said Republican delaying tactics could stall the process.

Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said that he did not have the votes but was 'very close,' and added that he had cautioned lawmakers the final ballot may be pushed to Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday.

According to The New York Times, as of Friday evening, Democratic leaders in the House counted about 205 certain votes, but were hoping to secure the remaining 13 in negotiations on Friday and Saturday. -- AFP