Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker has released details of a healthcare model to replace Obamacare that would give tax credits to seniors to buy their own insurance.
The politician, however, did not say how the government would pay for the program.
Dubbed "The Day 1 Patient Freedom Plan," Walker said program would give states flexibility to close existing coverage gaps by having states manage high-risk pools. States could expand the pools, or pursue alternative approaches.
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"Obamacare cannot be fixed," he said. "It must be repealed and replaced with a plan that returns power to consumers and the states."
The GOP has long been criticised for opposing the Affordable Care Act without offering an alternative.
On Tuesday, the Wisconsin governor said his plan would restore power to the states and give people more choice in healthcare coverage.
"The costs associated with my plan would not be funded through new taxes and mandates," he said. "In fact, my plan would repeal all of Obamacare's $1 trillion in new taxes and give new tax cuts. To offset these improvements, we would simplify and reform how the federal government helps people access health insurance."
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Tax credits for people would be based on age and not income. The tax credits would only go to people without employer-sponsored coverage.
Individuals could buy plans across state lines, spurring competition.
"My plan would give more entities the freedom to compete to offer coverage, thereby expanding choices and lowering the cost of health care."
The plan would limit excessive litigation through lawsuit reform, he said.
Those with existing conditions would not lose coverage, a key piece of the Affordable Care Act.
Eliminating the ACA regulations could lower premiums by up to 25 percent, Walker said.
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Under the plan, people would get $1,000 if they sign up for the tax-deductible health savings accounts.
Walker says the Affordable Care Act, created by "big government," drove up health care costs and reduced access to medical care. Insurance premiums have spiked under Obamacare and will increase in 2016, he said.
While health care spending has risen, and more people are in high-deductible plans, the rate of uninsured has plummeted due to the Affordable Care Act, ultimately giving people more, not less, access to care.
Twitter: @SusanMorseHFN