Six leading health insurance and medical industry associations have once again come together to criticize a GOP plan to roll back a key Affordable Care Act provision, this time as part of a tax overhaul package.

Senate Republican leaders announced Tuesday they would include a provision in their version of the tax bill to eliminate a requirement that most people carry health coverage or pay a penalty. The individual mandate was created as part of ACA and has been a target of GOP lawmakers ever since.

Republicans attempted to repeal and replace ACA earlier this year but were unsuccessful in part because of opposition from many insurance and medical groups. Six of those same groups joined together Tuesday to urge GOP leaders to leave the individual mandate alone until a suitable replacement for the ACA is found.

"Broad and sustained enrollment contributes to affordable coverage as costs are shared across a larger pool of individuals," the groups wrote in a letter to congressional leaders. "Repealing the individual mandate without a workable alternative will reduce enrollment, further destabilizing an already fragile individual and small group health insurance market on which more than 10 million Americans rely."

America's Health Insurance Plans, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Hospital Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, American Medical Association and Federation of American Hospitals signed the letter.

The same six groups came together in September to urge lawmakers to oppose a Senate bill that would have weakened insurance coverage requirements while cutting Medicaid funding. This time the groups said ending the individual mandate would likely result in higher premiums, putting the cost of health insurance out of reach for many people.

"There will be serious consequences if Congress simply repeals the mandate while leaving the insurance reforms in place: millions more will be uninsured or face higher premiums, challenging their ability to access the care they need. Let's work together on solutions that deliver the access, care and coverage that the American people deserve," the groups said. http://bit.ly/2APpU17

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