Mike Coffman Faces Backlash At Town Hall For Supporting Trump
The first townhall meeting of 2017 was a field day for GOP Rep. Mike Coffman from Colorado, as he battled with questions regarding his support for President Donald Trump's policies. The packed auditorium at the University of Colorado Anschutz Campus in Aurora, in the outskirts of Denver, witnessed several heated moments as Coffman handled questions on topics such as health care, education, federal spending, and what would he do to check on Trump's policies, reports said.
The republican stayed for nearly twice his scheduled time at the town hall answering more than 40 questions. He also faced criticism for supporting Trump's Obamacare replacement bill. At one point, a woman asked Coffman how could he stand up to a bill that would not protect people with medical histories. Another one said that without Medicaid, which is scaled back in the GOP plan, her cousin with epilepsy would die, according to Politico.
Medicaid is a government health insurance program for low-income residents in the U.S.
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Few weeks ago, Coffman supported Speaker Paul Ryan’s health care bill, legislation, which was ultimately pulled off from the House Floor, just few minutes ahead of a planned vote. It was a severe blow to Trump's efforts and the GOP to repeal and replace Obamacare, reports said.
Coffman is facing the consequences for backing the Obamacare repeal bill. "I voted for you because I thought you'd be a leader," an angry constituent said. "I don't see you leading," she said.
Coffman vowed to protect coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and committed to changes in the current Medicaid formula. The change demands the federal government to pay 90 percent of the costs for the population that gained coverage under Obamacare. However, his answers didn't impress the constituents so much, according to reports.
Negotiations for replacing the Obamacare continues as Republicans move on to gain consensus on the new bill. Republicans had left Washington D.C. last month after the GOP health bill was pulled off. However, conservative and centrist Republicans continued to discuss the health care reform bill with fellow lawmakers, the White House, and even Democrats in hopes of finalizing a deal, reports said.
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