A level playing field, with respect to pre-exsisting conditions is one of the main achievements of the ACA. Once fully implemented (in 2014), you cannot be charged more because you have a pre-existing medical condition. I don't know the circumstances of the families being interviewed, or whether they were discussing pre passage, partial implementation, or after full implementation, but I have a disabled child and that is one of the parts of the legislation I paid most attention to because that without it there is little hope of obtaining medical care for her.
Here's a summary from a government site: "Uninsured people with pre-existing conditions in every state now have access to coverage through the new, temporary Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan. This serves as a bridge until 2014, when insurance companies can no longer deny or limit coverage or charge higher premiums to anyone because of a preexisting condition. " http://www.healthcare.gov/blog/2011/01/preexisting.html
Age (itself) is not a pre-existing medical condition. It is one of the few factors which can increase your premium (smoking being another). ACA does limit the multiplier for age to either 4 or 5 x the lowest premium . Insurance companies previously had free reign and the surcharge has been around 7x the lowest.
The stop gap measure for pre-existing conditions is not fantastic. It is way better than it was before the ACA - and once fully implemented it will be affordable. Many individuals with low income will be entitled to coverage at no charge, and even more will be entitled to subsidies to cover part of the cost and a portion of the deductible and co-pays. I would have preferred single payer. I would have preferred immediate implementation. But I'm not about to toss the baby out with the bathwater just because the baby is disabled.
If you are looking to prevent a medical catastrophe from completely wiping you out, you can get short term insurance until the ACA completely kicks in. Short term policies cost very little - a few hundred a year (and have high deductibles). They aren't intended to cover routine care - just to kick in so that you don't lose all of your assets because you had a catastrophic illness. (They do not cover pre-existing conditions, but you won't be denied coverage because you have one.
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