Letter: Why do Republicans hate the ACA so much?

I don't understand why the Republicans hate the Affordable Care Act so much. Is it only the (now-repealed) individual insurance mandate that supposedly curtails our "freedom"? How is this different from the law that says you can't drive a car unless you're insured? Or the requirement to get your home insured when you take out a mortgage to purchase a house? Why would the freedom to be sick — and the freedom to avoid going to the doctor or hospital until you're actually dying — be a good thing? 

The health care system is broken and has been for a very long time. Finally, after many failures in previous administrations, President Obama was able to pass a law and move the needle a bit. Obviously, there is still a long way to go. But, I think the online health care marketplace — with greater transparency — is in itself a huge improvement. What a concept! I can actually fill out an application, and see what options I have for an insurance plan, and how much each one will cost.

Medical fees and prices seem to be such a closely guarded secret — they don't ever want to tell you until you're leaving the doctor's office after your doctor visit and now you have to pay before you walk out the door. They wouldn't do that at the grocery store, or the wireless telephone store, or the beauty salon. As consumers we should always have the right to know what we're buying and how much it will cost before making a commitment to buy it.  

On vacation in Nashville, I talked to someone from Canada, and she said she couldn't get her head wrapped around the fact that we don't have universal health insurance in this country. Why is this so difficult, politically? Is this another perenially insoluble issue, like gun control? Who or what are the counterparts to the NRA — I mean the lobbying groups —  preventing health care and insurance reform? Is it the hospitals? Doctors? Big Pharma?

— Doris Walters