Health coverage after losing my job: marketplace or Medicaid? - what worked for you?

I have 18 weeks left on my current insurance and I am comparing options. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. The COBRA notice arrived with a very high price. How fast did coverage start?

Losing job-based coverage usually opens a special enrolment window, so check the deadline on the official marketplace site. I missed it by a day once and regretted it.