On February 16, 1972, the AP headline in papers across the country was "Mandatory Health Insurance Program Proposed by Reagan."
Yeah, that's right-- mandatory as in everybody would had to have it. In fact, everyone would have to have money taken right out of their pay check to pay for the catastrophic coverage portion of their insurance and everyone would be required to have "regular insurance" for everything else.
Like Obamacare, there was no public insurance in this plan, everything was private insurance from plans pre-approved by a new "state health security commission," but unlike Obamacare, if you didn't want the insurance you couldn't pay the small fine and go on your way-- you had to pay for the catastrophic coverage and their were fines if you didn't have the regular insurance.
You could say that Reagancare was like Obamacare with teeth (mandatory payroll taxes) to prevent people from getting out of mandatory coverage.
Yet, Tea Party Republicans invoke Reagan's name at every turn and are even shutting the government (something Reagan vehemently opposed) to kill Obamacare in some sort of Reaganesque, don't blink, show-down moment... all to stop a health care plan that can be traced back directly to... Reagan!