The idea of choice is silly in this case, since it's something every healer had innately before that is being put on the chopping block. And it's a skill you would take if you need and not take if you don't need, it's not really a choice it's just extra work setting up your skills in a menu.

The only actual benefit to the role ability system is having spells at a lower level when synced, assuming it works that way. Previously in the cross-class system you could use skills at a lower level than they were learned if you were cross-classing it, for example jobs other than white mage could have stoneskin in lower level dungeons. I assume now anyone will be able to set their role abilities to any they have unlocked, so for example you could use the lvl 48 rescue ability in sastasha if you put it in your first slot.

That doesn't really impact esuna very much though since it's now level 20 and you probably don't need it for the first three dungeons anyway.

I assume they needed to hit 10 skills in the role ability list because other jobs have 10 and so healers lost it as an innate skill for no good reason.