What are you talking about Marv? Do you have a link? I don't think your assertion is true at all. As I recall the polling, the GOP was and is strongly in favor of coverage for pre-existing conditions in the individual markets. Isn't that reform?
Maybe we have a semantic issue with "reform". In any important way, the ACA is not reform either. It specifically continues, and in fact makes stronger, some of the historic weaknesses of the system. Chief among those is the fee-for-service model for delivery of health care. Currently, all the cries for "reform" involve SINGLE PAYER, as if that will magically fix all that ails us. Nah. Single payer is still fee for service--with its inherent tension causing over charging, over utilization, and fraud.
There are many different genuine reform approaches. Capitation plans like Medicare Part C and Kaiser Permante; vouchers like food stamps; assigned risk pools like mandated car insurance and many state plans for pre-existing coverages; publicly provided care like VA and local public health services; regulated monopolies like utilities and similar to German health care; and the even the ACA with its mandated participation, mandated coverages and messy cost distribution. The answer probably lies in a combination--not a in a single unicorn like SINGLE PAYER! If we are honest with ourselves about reform, we must take a hard look at creating downward pressure on costs. The most common reform approach, single payer, does not do that. It continues upward pressure. All single payer will do is to eventually lead us to rationing. (Rationing might not be a bad thing for the country as a whole, but it is terrible when applied to individuals.)
Before a full response as I need to start PT right now, if the GOP so favors pre-existing coverage why does every single replacement bill allow it to be dropped?
-edit autocorrect on PT.