In the News

A Republican businessman from Davie eagerly applauded from the House gallery Tuesday night when President Barack Obama touted the Affordable Care Act during his State of the Union address.

Martin West was an enthusiastic guest because he and his wife, Melinda, say they saved a bundle on health insurance despite her history of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, making them a poster couple for Obamacare.

"For us, it brought the cost of health care down a bit, and with more manageable out-of-pocket and deductible costs," West said before the president's speech.,

"There's been a lot of negativity, a lot of resistance to any kind of change, and this has been a big change. So getting the word out there helps people take a look at it with eyes wide open to see the advantages."

Wasserman Schultz and West. Getty Images / Joe Raedle

West, once a skeptic of the health-care law, was invited by U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, to exemplify a satisfied consumer who was able to navigate the enrollment website, sign up for a plan and save money. The Wests were especially helped by a provision that bars insurers from excluding patients with pre-existing health problems or charging them higher rates.

"This is the whole package," Wasserman Schultz said. "To me, this is an important personal example of the benefits of the Affordable Care Act."

West took his place with other guests from Florida and elsewhere who were invited to show how individuals are affected by proposals, policies or events.

Some Republican critics of Obamacare made a point this year of inviting constituents who complain that the law forced the cancellation of policies or brought higher premiums. Republicans from Florida, however, mostly invited friends, family or staff, knowing that their conservative supporters back home were less than eager to witness pronouncements from a Democratic president.

For example, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., brought his daughter and nephew, and Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, brought his wife. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, holds a staff lottery to select his guest, and this year a staff assistant won.

Many Democrats, on the other hand, invited guests to promote a cause or reflect an interest.

Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, invited Jonathan Soros of the Roosevelt Institute, who shares the congressman's interest in campaign-finance reform. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, invited Jeff Colaiacovo, a Vietnam veteran from Fort Lauderdale who overcame bureaucratic hurdles and delays to secure disability benefits.

Sitting nearby was former Hollywood resident Carlos Arredondo, who was invited by the White House to signify resilience and caring after the Boston Marathon bombing last April. A photograph of Arredondo tending to Jeff Bauman, who lost his lower legs in the explosion, became an iconic image of the terrorist act and its aftermath.

Health care — a major issue in Florida, where one in five residents are uninsured — is one of Obama's main themes and a big concern for Wasserman Schultz, a breast-cancer survivor intent on promoting Obamacare. That made West, 47, a perfect example.

Melinda West's pre-existing condition, which had required chemotherapy and radiation treatment, boosted their insurance costs last year to $732 a month, with a $10,000 deductible. But in December, the Wests found a policy through Healthcare.gov for $480 a month, with a $7,500 deductible.

"While I was unsure how Obamacare would play out, I think now this is a good thing, and I believe premiums and benefits will be positively impacted," West wrote to the congresswoman — an email message that led to his invitation to Tuesday night's address.

"We want to share the positives of this," said Melinda West, who accompanied him to Washington, "because that's what we've experienced."