In Kentucky, 11,000 Applied for Health Coverage in Week 1

Kentucky officials say nearly 11,000 applications have been completed to obtain health insurance under the state’s new online marketplace, and almost 5,000 individuals or families have picked a health plan and signed up for coverage.

Enrollment began Tuesday through the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange — the online guide to a variety of insurance policies. Such exchanges across the country are the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

Kentucky officials said Friday more than 137,000 people have browsed the website, and 93 percent of them have gone through pre-screenings to determine if they qualify for subsidies or Medicaid.

Gov. Steve Beshear says he’s pleased with the response and says Kentucky is the “gold standard” for implementing the program.

The system encountered some first-day glitches, but those were fixed in a few hours.