The administration is considering a rule change that would allow the government to automatically change some people’s exchange plans to a cheaper alternative.

HHS recently proposed regulations that would let exchanges offer alternative default options for enrollees. Under current law, most enrollees who did not revisit the exchange website are automatically re-enrolled in their plans (a few states do not allow automatic renewal). The new proposed rules would let exchange enrollees choose whether their default option would be to automatically renew the same plan or to let the government switch them into a cheaper similar plan if theirs becomes more expensive. Under the proposed rules, state exchanges would be given the option to offer these alternatives in 2016, with the federally run exchange offering it in 2017.

For people that chose this option, the government would be effectively choosing their insurance plan, a far cry from the “if you like your plan you can keep it” pledge.

In one sense, it is not surprising that HHS is at least exploring this option. Automatic renewal presents a host of potential problems.

Due to the way the law designed the exchange subsidies, many of these people will end up paying significantly more if they automatically renew. An analysis by the New York Times found that people in the most popular plans would face an average premium increase of 9.5 percent. This could end up affecting millions of people, as a recent Gallup poll found that 68 percent of respondents said they planned to renew their current plan.

To some extent, the proposed rules could help alleviate the initial problem of unforeseen premium increases, but it creates other issues at the same time. Enrollees might not understand the downsides of letting the government automatically switch them to a cheaper plan. People who chose this option fearing premium increases could find that they have lost their doctor, or a prescription they need is no longer covered by their plan. For even the most sophisticated exchange customers, there is a measure of uncertainty. When they choose a default option, enrollees won’t know how much their premiums will increase next year or how the provider networks of cheaper alternatives compare. Each customer’s priorities will be different, as will the variables affecting their decision. Obamacare has inadvertently created a very complex situation for the government to try to navigate.

The problems associated with automatic renewal are serious and could affect millions of people, but they might not have a clear solution. In one sense, the proposed default option could help people avoid unforeseen premium increases. This could be the most important factor for many enrollees, but comes at the risk of losing access to provider networks they might like. At the same time, the proposed rules would significantly increase government authority and decision-making power. No longer would the individual mandate, the controversial requirement to obtain health insurance, be enough. For many people, the government would actually choose and enroll them in a specific health insurance plan. The new rules would extend government reach into health care even farther. This is the same government that oversaw the disastrous rollout of the exchange website and inflated enrollment numbers. Given its performance so far, we should be wary of giving the government an even bigger role.