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Senate Republicans reconvened behind closed doors Wednesday trying to break the impasse on their healthcare overhaul but emerged with no apparent strategy for resolving differences by an end-of-week deadline.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky vowed to try again for a vote after the Fourth of July recess, despite having abruptly delayed action this week.

Senators were aiming for a revised bill by Friday, the Republican whip, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, told reporters, so it could be assessed by the Congressional Budget Office during the break.

But senators remained skeptical after the lengthy lunchtime huddle that appeared to run long on ideas but short on consensus.

I think its going to be very difficult, said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).

McConnell surprised senators by delaying this weeks expected votes once it became clear he did not have a majority for passage or possibly to even open the debate.

As many as 10 Republican senators now publicly oppose the bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, and leaders are scrambling to win them over with an estimated $200 billion in savings from the bill that can be applied to their particular states needs.

But even with that fund of resources, it is not clear McConnell will be able to satisfactorily improve the legislation, which now threatens to cut 22 million Americans off health insurance. He can only afford to lose two Republican votes in the face of Democratic opposition.

"It's going to be very difficult to get me to a yes... have to make us an offer we can't refuse, Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) said on a telephone town hall late Tuesday, according tojournalist Jon Ralston, who monitored the call.

Fresh polling Wednesday showed paltry support for the Republican approach to overhauling the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, which has enjoyed a surge in popularity now that Republicans are closer than ever to repealing it. A USA Today poll put approval of the Senate GOP bill at 12%.

Republicans, though, are under enormous pressure from their most conservative supporters and big dollar donors, including the powerful Koch network to deliver on their promised to end Obamacare.

Senate Democrats, meanwhile, suggested that President Trump convene all 100 senators much the way then-President Obama did during his first days in office for a session at Blair House to see how they might be able to work together to improve, rather than repeal, the Affordable Care Act.

Id make my friends on the Republican side and President Trump an offer: Lets turn over a new leaf. Lets start over, said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.).

President Trump, I challenge you to invite us all 100 of us, Republican and Democrat to Blair House to discuss a new bipartisan way forward on healthcare in front of all the American people.

No such invitation, however, seemed forthcoming. Trump dismissed Schumer's proposal "he just doesn't seem like a serious person," the president said and instead promised his own"big surprise" on healthcare.

"Healthcare is working along very well," Trump told reporters at the White House. "We could have a big surprise, with a great healthcare package."

Asked what he meant by a big surprise, Trump simply repeated: "A great, great surprise."

The Republican bill, like its counterpart passed by House Republicans, does not fully gut Obamacare, but rescinds the new taxes imposed on high-incomeindividuals and healthcare companies to pay for expanding coverage through Medicaid and subsidies for private insurance on the ACA marketplace.

Senators said the private talks Wednesday focused mainly on changes to the Obamacare marketplace that could bring down the cost of insurance premiums.

One idea from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to allow insurers to offer policies that do not meet the Obamacare benchmarks for what insurance needs to cover met with mixed reaction, senators said.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.),a physician, warned that such changes would alter the risk pool, keeping insurance costs high.

You end up with policies that, for example, dont cover maternity, Cassidy said. Do you want a policy that doesnt have maternity, which would be principally appealing to young men, when obviously typically men have had a role in that pregnancy?

Other senators were floating new ideas, but McConnell gave no indication whether those proposals would be included in the final revised product.

Michael A. Memolicontributed to this report.

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Senate Republicans aim for new healthcare bill by Friday, but skeptics remain - Los Angeles Times