Our health care system needs reform. However, the President’s health care bill that was signed into law in 2010 has a price tag over $1 trillion and does not focus enough on lowering actual health care costs.

I have serious concerns about what implementation of the President’s health care law may mean for South Dakota’s families, seniors and small businesses. As enacted, the law has increased health insurance premiums for businesses and cuts more than $700 billion from Medicare, which could reduce health care access and quality for South Dakota seniors. That is why I have voted over 30 times to repeal, defund or dismantle the President’s health care law.

Our nation needs common-sense health care reforms to lower health care costs, increase quality, expand access and not break the bank. I support reforms that would allow people with pre-existing conditions to get credible coverage, allows those under the age of 26 to stay on their parent’s policy, permits small businesses to pool together to purchase health insurance at a lower cost, allows individuals to purchase insurance across state lines and enacts meaningful medical liability reform.