Aides to top House Republicans and Democrats are trying to negotiate a bipartisan compromise to permanently revamp a law that annually threatens cuts in Medicare payments to doctors, including a 21 per cent reduction set to take effect April 1. As part of the talks, bargainers are considering budget cuts that could offset part, but not all, of the measure’s costs, according to lobbyists following the negotiations. The estimated 10-year price of repealing the annual Medicare cuts is roughly $175 billion.