While one might argue some could get insurance with a pre-existing condition, affording it is another story.
One that really still exists for many.
What a lot of people repeat on these boards are what they have heard on news or from friends and it's amazing after all these years how many do not understand how the system works or rather how to play the game. It's all about modified adjusted gross income on how much your premium may be on an individual health plan and what percentage of the poverty level. People on here are bitching about $7000 deductible and it doesn't have to be in just many cases. Some do not understand deductible vs max out of pocket per year. I have seen many over the past several years say I have a $15000 deductible and that is impossible if they have an ACA compliant plan. The lowest deductible for 2021 same as years past is zero and the highest is $8550. Leaving out 3 states on the west coast when you see when you see (for example) Deductible $5000/10,000 that means one person has a $5000 deductible and if there are more than 2 people in the family once for the first two hit $10000 then the other's do not have to meet their deductible. In same example if max out of pocket says $8550/17,100 means when one person reaches his max he pays no more co pays, co insurance when 2 hit it then the whole family, whether the other's met anything, have no co pays, co insurance. Just an example many have lower deductibles and max out of pocket and many have more.
I do have to admit if one is going to healthcare.gov and applying themselves some questions are misleading and you just don't know what to answer. For instance it use to say what is your household income I noticed yesterday it said net well HHS and IRS reconcile this on your taxes for that year as modified adjusted gross. I have more that fall into 100-250% of federal poverty level and therefore have decent premium's and then I have a handful over 400% of FPL and pay through the nose. FPL in non medicaid expansion states is 100% and expanded 138% and no one other than a pregnant woman or poor people on disability gets medicaid so anyone under 100% gets nothing.