June 28, 2016 4:04PM 

# *Reason* on the House GOP Health Plan: “Like Obamacare—Except, Possibly, Worse” 

By [Michael F. Cannon](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-f-cannon) 

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Echoing concerns I [expressed](http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelcannon/2016/06/23/house-republicans-health-plan-might-provide-even-worse-coverage-for-the-sick-than-obamacare/#3c8a3f7940f7) last week, *Reason*’s Peter Suderman [notices a problem](http://reason.com/blog/2016/06/28/the-gops-new-health-care-plan-shows-that) with House Republicans’ new plan to replace ObamaCare:

> As it turns out, the health care policy that Republicans might pursue looks, well, a lot like Obamacare—except, possibly, worse.
> 
> Although the plan starts by repealing the health care law in its entirety, it ends up replacing many of its central components with similar provisions: preexisting coverage rules, subsidies for the purchase of insurance, and even an (implicit) mandate.

Rather than offer [ObamaCare-lite](http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelcannon/2016/02/29/yes-marco-rubios-obamacare-replacement-plan-tax-credits-is-an-individual-mandate/), Congress should repeal ObamaCare and then make health care better, more affordable, and more secure by moving toward [a market system](https://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/pa650.pdf).

Sen. Jeff Flake (R‑AZ) and Rep. Dave Brat (R‑VA) have introduced [legislation](http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelcannon/2016/06/02/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-bicameral-legislation-creating-large-hsas/) that contains the building blocks of such an approach.

##### Related Tags 

[Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care), [Regulation](https://www.cato.org/regulatory-studies) 

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