Sullivan faces health care questions in town hall meeting

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan had to deal with a crowd of hundreds of occasionally hostile Alaskans at a town hall forum.

Sullivan hosted the town hall Saturday afternoon at Bartlett High School.

People asked about climate change and the Russian investigation, but most questions were about health care, KTVA TV reported.

Some in the crowd jeered when Sullivan dodged questions, like whether he would protect Medicaid expansion or join the other U.S. senator from Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, in supporting Planned Parenthood, the station said.

Chants broke out more than once calling for a single-payer health care system, which Sullivan said will not work, KTUU TV reported.

While Sullivan acknowledged that some Alaskans have benefited from the Affordable Care Act, he said many have not, something he wants to fix in the Senate GOP’s health bill.

Sullivan also said he supports for the Senate intelligence committee’s investigation into possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, KTUU reported. But he said an independent commission isn’t necessary.