As a mother, there is almost nothing more important for the security of my family than good, reliable health coverage. As a daughter who lost her mother to breast cancer, there is almost nothing more important to me than making sure all of us get that peace of mind.  Health coverage is, of course, about our ability to stay healthy and address illness when it strikes. It’s also about the economic health of our families and our country. That’s why President Obama worked so hard to pass and implement the Affordable Care Act.

I’m a public policy hand of many years, so I know what political battles can be like. But still, I find it astonishing that so many opponents of this law, including Republican Members of Congress, Republican Governors, and their allies, have made it their political priority to discourage, scare, and prevent Americans from getting the peace of mind and economic security that come with health coverage. It’s one thing to disagree with a policy – it’s quite another to attempt to persuade people not to do something that is so plainly in their own best interest – and ours. And as someone who has spent a career documenting the extent to which Hispanic Americans like myself lack health coverage – 30% of us are uninsured – I am just plain appalled at those who are attempting to prevent Latinos from getting insurance.

Don’t listen to them. Get covered.

The latest affront comes from a group running ads aimed at Latinos claiming that premiums for health coverage are too high. They ignore the facts: an estimated 6 in 10 uninsured Americans qualify for coverage that costs $100 per person per month or less through the new Health Insurance Marketplaces or in Medicaid. That’s because the Affordable Care Act provides for tax credits for hardworking families to help make those plans affordable, and reduce the premium you pay up front – something that those who are trying to discourage Latinos from enrolling conveniently like to forget.

This ad campaign to confuse Latinos out of getting coverage for their families is complemented by a ground game. In Florida and Texas, two states with millions of uninsured people, many of them Latinos, Republicans have passed law after law to prevent Navigators – who are usually trusted community groups trained to facilitate enrollment – from helping the people who need it.

In other states where there are fewer obstacles, we hear story after story of Navigators successfully providing the individual attention that people need, especially if they are getting coverage for the very first time. In spite of Republican efforts, Navigators are helping Latinos across the country get the best plan for them – you can find a Navigator near you on www.CuidadoDeSalud.gov or www.HealthCare.gov.

As if setting up obstacles for Navigators weren’t enough, some Republican state governments, including in Florida and Texas, are resisting the Medicaid expansion that would cover millions more of their own constituents at no cost to the states, simply because they think it’s good politics with their party to spite the President. Five million Americans are being denied access to affordable coverage as a result. The campaign to prevent people from getting themselves and their families covered is heartless and cynical, but the best response is simple: get covered. Despite all of the obstacles opponents of the law have put up, when the Health Insurance Marketplace opened last year, there were more than 10 million uninsured Latinos eligible to buy affordable coverage, and many have already begun the process. But we fought to pass this law so that every American family would get the peace of mind of affordable health care, and a fair shot at economic security, and we won’t rest until everybody has exactly that.

My immigrant parents taught me that the United States is the land of opportunity, the home of the American Dream. This country made it possible for them to own a home, educate their children, and save for a comfortable retirement. My mother was lucky to have coverage – she fought cancer for 18 years before losing that battle, and my daughters were born during those years and have the gift of having known her. And they are luckier still—they’re growing up in a world where all Americans will be able to get quality and affordable health care. Go to www.CuidadoDeSalud.gov, which is now working better than ever, or www.HealthCare.gov, to find a plan that’s right for you, or to find a Navigator to help you make the decision. You can even apply for insurance over the phone at 1-800-318-2596, in English or Spanish. But however you do it, now’s the time: Get Covered.