The Insurance and Healthcare industry basically wrote ACA word-for-word via their lobbyists. All of it to their own advantage. Yes, there were earlier examples of this type of coverage proposals from states such as Romneycare; but ACA took the self-serving interests of the insurance and medical industries to a new level.
Let's be honest, no one's read the 1200+pg ACA bill. We've all just confirmed our biases via what we consider reputable sources.
All you have to do is go watch the PBS frontline special on how Obamacare became Obamacare about a half hour in they start talking about how the insurance industry took over and at first Obama said some tough words but they told how it was going to be done since they owned the party and Obama eventually caved. That is how they spun it. The stark reality is worse if you read other sources.
Oh don’t be disingenuous. The heritage plan had the core components of a mandate to carry coverage, create pools, afford financial help for the poor, ban pre existing conditions exclusions, and comprehensive benefits mandates. We can argue the tertiary stuff but what mkes the aca is a conservative idea. Maybe not anything conservatives want to be associated with today but even Milton Friedman supported this plan.