This Is What Getting Covered Sounds Like:

We recently asked folks to share their experiences getting covered since the Health Insurance Marketplace opened for business on October 1st. Here are some of the stories we heard. Got one of your own? Share it here.

Lucy from Texas:

"I signed up at Healthcare.gov and I'm going to save $2,300 a year on my premium alone -- and more, because my deductible will drop from $7,500 a year to $3,000 a year. It's still Blue Cross insurance, and I don't have to change doctors, either. I had a choice of over 30 plans and several different companies."

Larry from California:

"HealthCare.gov directed me to Covered California. My new plan gives me better coverage than what I've had with the same insurer and will cost $188.00 a month less. That's why it's important for others to check it out. In California I experienced some glitches at first and I would check in every few days and things kept getting better."

Mark from Idaho:

"Yes, the website had some problems, but saving roughly $2,500 next year (in premiums alone!) seems well worth a little extra patience. Having coverage that actually protects me from financial ruin if I, or my son, get sick or injured? I don't think you can put a price tag on that…"

Margaret from Washington:

"My responsible, hardworking niece was laid off from her job four years ago and lost her insurance. She became a nursing aide for the elderly and has been carrying a "catastrophic" insurance plan for which she was paying over $300 a month, with very limited coverage and a $1300 deductible. She had no trouble signing up for ACA insurance with much more extensive coverage for $150 a month. She said she feels like she can breathe again." 

That's what getting covered sounds like.

And at the end of the day, the words of the real people signing up for quality, affordable insurance tell the story of why it's so important to get covered better than any policy briefing or set of talking points ever could.

So if you've got a story of your own to tell, we want to hear it.

Share your own experiences getting covered -- and then pass this on to anyone you know who has a story to tell, as well.

The hundreds of thousands of Americans who have applied for coverage aren't tally marks or statistics. They represent families across the country that aren't leaving their health to chance -- families that are going to be better off because they got covered.

We've all got a stake in helping to tell that story. Share your experiences today.

Other stories you might like:

• White House White Board: What Obamacare Means for You
• Doing Better: Making Improvements to HealthCare.gov
• What Does the Health Insurance Marketplace Mean for You?