Q: Can I get insurance if I have a pre-existing condition?

You will have access to new insurance choices in the same insurance marketplace where all members of Congress will buy their insurance, receive tax credits to help you afford coverage if needed, and get protections from insurance company abuses like denying you coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

A: Yes.

One of the most important aspects of this reform is to finally end the practice of insurance companies denying you coverage based on your health status.
Soon after the law is enacted, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.
This year, if you have been uninsured for 6 months and have a pre-existing condition, you will gain access to health insurance that was not previously available to you. A new program – known as a high-risk pool – will provide affordable insurance for Americans who are uninsured and have a pre-existing condition.
The high-risk pool will provide temporary protection for people with pre-existing conditions until 2014, when insurance companies can no longer deny you coverage based on your health.