- Name: Karen Farrar, 60
- Residence: Naples, Fla.
- Job: Administrative assistant
I'm uninsurable because of pre-existing conditions: osteoporosis, high-blood pressure, which I've had for 30 years, and asthma.
My husband is self-employed and I work for him. We were uninsured for quite a long time. We had insurance people in our house giving us quotes, but as soon as I started going down the list of what the problems were, they said "oh...oh...no."
In Oct. 2012, I was enrolled in PCIP [the transitional Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan that was created by the Affordable Care Act]. Previously, I had very limited coverage through the state of Florida.
The PCIP program is ending. My husband signed us up for Obamacare. He got through, no problems. There were a lot of choices. I was happy to see that.
The premium will be about $1,000 a month for the two of us. The new insurance will have a lower deductible and better coverage. The co-pays are lower.
Having insurance means a lot to me. Because of the osteoporosis and asthma, I always end up in the doctor's office. Medication is expensive. When I was buying it outright, just the asthma medication was costing $400 a month. I stopped using it. I just started not breathing very well. I didn't have any options.
All around, I think Obamacare is a great thing.