House Republicans wouldn't commit Tuesday to offering their own formal alternative to the Affordable Care Act, instead vaguely describing their preference for a "patient-driven health care system."
After repeated efforts to repeal President Barack Obama's signature health reform law -- which House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said was "fundamentally flawed" -- Republicans in the House still haven't put forth their counter-proposal.
"The American people want to be able to pick their own type of health insurance, and pick their own doctor and their own hospital, that's what a patient centered system looks like," Boehner said when asked by NBC News what the GOP's "patient-driven system" was.
When pressed whether these ideas would form the basis of eventual legislation for a vote on the House floor next year, Boehner punted: "We'll see."
The Obama administration and its Democratic allies have criticized Republicans for only offering "repeal" of Obamacare as their plan.
Still, Republicans seem very reluctant to put forward any legislative alternative to the Affordable Care Act on the House floor. By declining to put forward an alternative proposal, Republican lawmakers seeking re-election next year don't risk having to defend any legislation their Democratic opponents might try to demonize. Republicans would prefer to run against a plan (i.e., Obamacare) than on their own.