But ACA survived throughout a hostile Republican administration. Isn't that an example of taking the time to write a more explicit law make it more resilient to an administration change.
The ACA is an example of the divergence between rhetoric and political reality. It is easy to step in front of a camera villainize "ObamaCare" to engage your voters. But if you actually repeal it then you get to explain to those voters at the next election why you reintroduced lifetime caps and preexisting conditions while premiums did not go down (in fact, they probably went up!). Politicians are unfailingly partisan, but they are even more reliably panderers. Can't be an effective partisan from the sidelines.