“Our goal is to put in place, as well as the president's goal, is to put in place a law, a system, that actually works for patients. You can't do that under the current structure,” Tom Price said. | Carolyn Kaster/ AP Photo HHS secretary pledges to implement 'law-of-the-land' Obamacare

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price says Obamacare is harming the American people, but it’s his “responsibility” to “follow the law of the land.”

Chuck Todd, host of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” questioned Price on Sunday about whether he would implement Obamacare and encourage people to enroll now that the Senate has defeated a proposal to repeal and replace the health care law.


“Our job is to follow the law of the land, and we take that mission very, very seriously,” Price said. “The role of the Health and Human Services Department is to improve the health, the safety and the well-being of the American people. And what we understand, what the American people understand, is that their health and well-being is being harmed right now by the current law.”

“Our goal is to put in place, as well as the president's goal, is to put in place a law, a system, that actually works for patients. You can't do that under the current structure,” Price continued.

POLITICO Pulse newsletter Get the latest on the health care fight, every weekday morning — in your inbox. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Administration officials have said the president remains focused on passing a health care bill through Congress, despite the Senate currently being short of votes. Right now, Price said the administration is encouraging lawmakers to talk with their constituents about how the Affordable Care Act is hurting them.

“Talk to the families that are making $50,000 a year and have an insurance card through Obamacare but they don't have any care because they can't afford the deductible,” he said. “This is a system that is, that is imploding and has failed the American people. That's where the president's passion comes from.”