Her answer is "no."

For now, at least.

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin on Friday ended speculation on how she would vote on the much-amended, much-debated House version of health care reform, giving it a thumbs down.

In a hastily called conference call Friday morning, the South Dakota Democrat told reporters she would oppose a House reform plan expected to face a floor vote this weekend. Despite improvements, it still costs too much, burdens states with increased Medicaid costs and reduces long-term coverage for senior citizens, among other problems, Herseth Sandlin said.

But she also said further work by the House, Senate and President Barack Obama might produce a better version of reform that she could eventually support.

"Unfortunately, the House bill hasn't come far enough from where it started," Herseth Sandlin said. "And the bill does not represent the right formula for South Dakota."

The House was expecting to vote on the proposal this weekend, which is just one step in a process that will ultimately blend reform versions by the House and Senate.

Herseth Sandlin said Congress must do what it can to "fix what's broken" in the nation's health care system. Citizens face sharply rising premiums and increasing difficulty finding and keeping quality, affordable health insurance, which makes the "status quo unsustainable," she said.

But the House version spends too much without doing enough to contain cost, control the deficit and protect states from budget-busting increases in Medicaid costs. Herseth Sandlin said she had spoken to South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds and other state leaders about the projected $20 million to $35 million growth in the state's share of Medicare costs in 2010 and a jump of $50 million to $60 million in 2011.

The House version also leaves nursing homes with inequitable benefits compared with hospitals, a weakness that must be fixed, she said.

Two Republican candidates for the state's lone House seat in 2010 said Herseth Sandlin is right to oppose the bill. But Secretary of State Chris Nelson of Pierre and Sioux Falls surgeon Blake Curd criticized the congresswoman for positioning herself politically rather than standing strong earlier in opposition.

"What I don't understand is how this representative couldn't understand this was a bad bill the moment it was introduced," Nelson said. "It was introduced last Thursday, and it's taken eight days for her to figure out it wasn't good for South Dakota. That should have been apparent. And she should have spent the last eight days opposing it."

Rather than lead on the issue, Herseth Sandlin has spent months avoiding direct stands and seeking the safest political position possible on health care reform, Curd said.

"It's interesting to see her finally take a position," he said. "I think there's a difference between someone at the tip of the spear and someone who's back behind the hand-guard. A leader is out at the tip of the spear, rather than waiting to come out until it's safe."

Herseth Sandlin bristled at insinuations that her vote was politically inspired.

"I take great offense at that suggestion, when I have worked tirelessly on behalf of my constituents on health-care reform," she said.

Herseth Sandlin is "hoping to support a final bill," and would expect to "take just as much grief" for that vote, whatever the final form of the bill might be.

The White House and Democratic leaders have not been aggressive in pressuring her to support the bill, Herseth Sandlin said.

"I think they've had a sense, just as they did on other legislation, that my priorities for South Dakotans were not being adequately addressed," she said. "They understand that my vote is South Dakota's vote, so the pressure hasn't been great."

Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com