As the U.S. government shutdown began, a key facet of President Obama’s healthcare law went live nationwide. For the first time, Americans were able to begin purchasing health insurance from federal and state exchanges. Nearly three million people visited the federal website HealthCare.gov, while New York’s state site claimed it had more than 10 million hits. The heavy traffic fueled major glitches, with users facing long wait times and error messages preventing access. Appearing with uninsured Americans at the White House, President Obama said that despite initial road bumps, “Obamacare” is here to stay.

President Obama: “For them, and millions like them, this is a historic day, for a good reason. It’s been a long time coming. But today Americans who have been forced to go without insurance can now visit healthcare.gov and enroll in affordable new plans that offer quality coverage. That starts today.”