Obamacare repeal thwarted again as Vice President Pence fails to reach deal

Two weeks after United States President Donald Trump's administration admitted defeat and declared the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, the 'law of the land for the foreseeable future', hopes of reviving the plan surged briefly when Vice-President Mike Pence went to Capitol Hill in an attempt to forge a new compromise that could somehow pass the House of Representatives.

But no deal was reached. A hoped-for repeal of the ACA returned to the grave and recriminations began anew.

Chris Collins, a moderate Trump ally from New York, said resignedly that the ball was in the court of the Freedom Caucus, The Guardian reports.

"We built them a bridge," said Collins.

"All they have to do is walk across. The problem is with the Freedom Caucus," he added.

In his opinion, the Freedom Caucus kept on "moving the goal posts."

On Wednesday, conservative groups lashed out at moderate Republicans, blaming them for derailing the latest attempt to repeal and replace the ACA.

Dan Holler, the vice-president of Heritage Action, said conservatives had already "ceded a lot of ground" on fully repealing the healthcare law.

"The obvious hurdle in the negotiations to repeal and replace Obamacare - primarily, that is becoming the more moderate wing of the Republican party in the House," Holler said in an interview.

Most of the other members have written off the chances of any progress on healthcare reform in the near future.