Apparently in many instances people with preexisting conditions couldn’t get coverage at all, or had to pay outrageously high premiums on their coverage to defray the added costs the insurance companies knew they were taking on in writing the coverage - at least that’s what the big cry was in selling Obamacare - the analogy was always “you can’t wait to get homeowner’s insurance when your house is on fire - either you won’t get any or you’ll pay through the nose for the coverage” - apparently buying through a group plan or pool coverage would help lower the cost, but it was still disproportionately high compared to what Obamacare produced.....
That's misleading. There are/were various federal and state (and even local) healthcare programs to provide assistance. Plus you have numerous charity groups and orgs.
or had to pay outrageously high premiums on their coverage to defray the added costs the insurance companies knew they were taking on in writing the coverage
These premiums are high due to government intervention in the health-care market in the form of subsidies and regulations.
Pre-existing conditions is a red-herring.