Idaho Health Exchange Enrollment Improving

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Enrollment in Idaho's insurance exchange has blossomed after the federal government fixed the website that residents use to sign up for health insurance coverage.

Roughly 20,000 people signed up for individual and family coverage in time for it to begin Jan. 1. That's up from 1,730 people who purchased coverage available via Your Health Idaho through Nov. 30. The new total was announced Friday by Your Health Idaho spokeswoman Jody Olson.

She called the tally "anecdotal" — a figure she hopes to be able to update with concrete numbers from the federal government in a few days. It remains unclear how many of the new enrollees came from the ranks of the uninsured, a key target of President Barack Obama's 2010 health care overhaul, or how many previously had policies.