In the News
Megan Bell
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Hundreds of people gathered at the Florida State University, Panama City Campus Sunday afternoon, where Congressman Neal Dunn addressed supporters and opponents at a town hall.
He talked about issues regarding minimum wage and the environment, but the talk of the town was focused on health care and repealing the Affordable Care Act.
"I have some very big concerns particularly about repealing the affordable care act," Franklin County Resident Beth Wright said.
"What's going to replace this? Is it going to be affordable? There were a lot of questions for the congressman about the particulars of what we call trump care and he didn't seem to have a lot of answers to those questions frankly," Bay County Resident Tom Wazlavek said.
Congressmen Dunn says the bill to repeal is likely coming to a vote by the entire House of Representatives, Thursday, but he has yet to give a response on where his vote will go.
"I don't want to commit to that because honestly what's going to happen is it's going to change between now and Friday and we're going to see what it changes into, because there's 435 people trying to make changes to it right now, me too, so no commitment at this point," District 2 Congressman Neal Dunn said.
Some people at the town hall asked Dunn why the Affordable Care Act has to be repealed and if it's possible to adjust it instead.
"We will repeal Obamacare, the argument up there isn't whether or not to repeal it, it's to repeal how much of it, can we do all of it, a little of it, a lot of it, and what are we going to replace it with, how do we replace that, how do we sort of get into the next phase of healthcare," Congressman Dunn said.
"while many agreed with the congressman's answers, those who disagreed, held up a slip like this to show their concern."
"I believe that health care is a right, having access to high-quality, affordable health care is a right. Congressman Dunn, unfortunately, demerit on that when asked that question today, he would not say that it's a right," Wazlavek said.
While Congressman Dunn's comments about repealing Obamacare were met with support from some of the audience, others say the Affordable Care Act saved their life.
"I developed stage four lung cancer and I had no insurance, I was told I had a few months to live, I managed to get in a clinical trial at a cancer center down in Tampa and I'm on these brand new drugs and they have saved my life. I got sick at the right time and affordable care act insurance became available in January, that's why I'm able to be here talking to you," Wright said.
While many protesters say they appreciate the congressmen holding the town hall, they also say there are still many unanswered questions.