Obamacare advocate Chrysa Ostenso of Ladysmith witnesses White House ceremony celebrating Affordable Care Act

It all started with an unopened email from the White House.

Chrysa Ostenso of Ladysmith, a long-time advocate for the Affordable Care Act, neglected the email that arrived in her inbox late last week.

On Monday, she learned she really should have opened the message. She was invited to Tuesday's White House Ceremony touting Obamacare. Not only would President Joe Biden be there, so would former President Barack Obama.

Ostenso made a quick decision. She drove from Ladysmith to Chicago late Monday and early Tuesday took a flight to Washington, D.C., making the ceremony in plenty of time.

"It’s pretty special to be in that building," she said. "To see the art and the photographs, the beauty. It kind of made me think we should be more appreciative of our rich history."

Ostenso was there because she benefited from provisions in the American Rescue Plan that made Obamacare marketplace plans more affordable, limiting premiums to no more than 8.5% of income.

Ostenso and her husband, who own and operate an optometry clinic in Ladysmith, saw their monthly premiums go from almost $2,000 to under $300.

While political leaders made the big push for Obamacare, advocates like Ostenso, who is an activist with the liberal group Citizen Action of Wisconsin, also played a role in harnessing public support for health care reform.

"It’s a small role you play when you live in a small town," she said. "But it doesn’t mean it’s insignificant."