House Democratic Leaders received two major endorsements Thursday for the $1.2 trillion health care reform bill.  This just days before the bill could be voted on in the House.

The AARP and the American Medical Association have both came out in support of the Democrat's version of the House bill.  But opponents in KELOLAND are voicing their concerns, saying the measures price tag is likely to multiply.

Members of the AARP in South Dakota say the bill is crucial legislation that will help fix the broken health care system.

"We have gathered, literally, thousands of stories of South Dakotans who either don't have insurance or they're lifestyles have been compromised because of health care dilemma,” Volunteer State President of AARP South Dakota Pat Gross said.

Gross says the measure would lower drug costs for seniors on Medicare and ensures that the more than $14,000 South Dakota seniors who are not insured would be able to buy affordable coverage.

"The idea that because you're old, you could pay as high as 10 times what a young person would pay for health insurance, we think that this bill addresses that issue,” Gross said.

But others disagree.  Bill Duffy says the government has not been successful in several programs they currently control, like Medicare.

"I very much agree that some things have to be done, tort reform, that ability to go across state lines for competition to buy insurance from other companies,” Duffy said.

Everyone has the right to insurance, he says, but the government shouldn't be involved in a private issue.  He adds the price tag of more than $1 trillion will probably go higher if the bill is passed.

"Normally, whenever the government gives you a number, you can take it times three, or four, or five times that amount.  It's not gonna stop there.  Even if it does go through, we'll be paying for it for four, five, six years before we ever see the benefits of it,” Duffy said.

House Republicans are also still working on their version of the bill, but it doesn't have a price tag yet.