U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Chicago on Monday for a midday speech on health care reform to be delivered before a gathering of the American Medical Association (AMA).

The Obama administration is ramping up a push for Congress to complete work on legislation that could cover the nation's uninsured and at the same time control health care costs. The Chicago-based AMA, meeting at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, while not rejecting a government run plan outright, is more focused on driving down the cost of private insurance and other alternatives Congress is mulling, such as some type of government- backed co-op care coverage. Health care reform is a much tougher sell for Obama than one of his other major legislative initiatives -- his 787-billion-U.S.- dollar stimulus package. That's because few organized groups opposed the president's plan to spend money for national infrastructure, education and other projects to quickly jolt the economy back to life. But a health care overhaul demands much harder choices. Even within Obama's Democratic ranks, there are divisions: The left is pushing Obama for universal coverage, preferably through a government-run program along the lines of Medicare, while an important band of conservative Democrats is concerned over how a new guarantee of health insurance for all will be paid for. While in concept the AMA supports all Americans having health care coverage, the organization wants to avoid an outcome where payments to physicians treating patients in a government-run plan are capped at rates lower than private insurance companies pay.

The visit is Obama's second trip to Chicago since the inauguration. Awaiting the president at the Hyatt Regency Chicago will be protesters who do not think his approach goes far enough, as well as at least some doctors who are concerned he might go too far.

Among other things, Obama is expected to tell the doctors that too much money is being spent on treatments that don't make Americans any healthier, according to an administration official. He will also stress that he wants to work with the AMA and provide incentives for excellence.

Obama has long maintained that high health-care costs are hurting America's competitiveness in the global economy and that coverage must be found for most of the nearly 50 million Americans who now lack insurance.

Over the weekend, Obama suggested some of the money for his proposal could come from 313 billion dollars in government savings over the next decade that he hopes will come from greater Medicare efficiency, lower drug prices and a reduction in the uninsured.

The 313 billion dollars would be in addition to the 635-billion- dollar "down payment" he put in his 2010 budget for the health- care proposal.

The cuts in government health care spending proposed over the weekend have already triggered push back from hospitals and others in the medical industry.

Doctors said they are anxious to hear the president's proposal, which has thus far been devoid of details.

AMA leaders said they are opposed to a government-funded option if it were to expand the Medicare health insurance program for the elderly to those under age 65, saying it would compound a "broken system" doctors complain has reduced physician payments and is outdated in how it operates.

AMA members, however, say they would favour a public option that was administered by private plans, such as the health insurance provided to federal employees and members of Congress.

A group called Health Care for America Now plans to demonstrate in front of the University of Chicago's Gleacher Center.

In addition, advocates of a single-payer, government run approach that would eliminate private insurance companies have planned a protest near the Tribune Tower in downtown Chicago.

Several AMA delegates, who have been meeting in Chicago since Saturday, said they are thrilled the president decided to address them.

Obama is the first president to speak before an AMA House of Delegates meeting since former Republican President Ronald Reagan did so in 1983.

Speaking to the AMA, the largest doctor group in the United Sates, Obama called the cost of health care a "ticking time-bomb" that threatens to slow the nation's economic recovery.

"We are spending over 2 trillion dollars a year on health care, almost 50 percent more per person than the next most costly nation, " he said.

"And yet, for all this spending, more of our citizens are uninsured, the quality of our care is often lower and we are not any healthier," he added.

"One essential step on our journey is to control the spiraling cost of health care in America and in order to do that we're going to need the help of the AMA," Obama said to applause of the audience.

"To say it as plainly as I can, health care reform is the single most important thing we can do for America's long-term fiscal health. That is a fact. And most people know it is a fact," he said.