I have a preexisting condition. Can I still get coverage?

If you have a preexisting medical condition, you are in luck. The health reform law was written with you in mind. Insurance companies must now offer you coverage, which they did not have to do before it went into effect. In fact, they may not even ask about your health when you apply. If your employer offers health insurance, that coverage will continue without change. If not, you can go to one of the new insurance exchanges and buy a policy on your own. The cost will depend on your age and whether you smoke, but having a preexisting condition will make no difference.

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Robert I. Field, Ph.D., J.D., M.P.H. is a professor of law at the Earle Mack School of Law and professor of health management and policy at the School of Public Health at Drexel University. He also writes for The Field Clinic blog.