PC World explains the federal government's health exchange data hub as a huge IT system that will process uninsured U.S. residents’ applications for health insurance 

Obamacare "health exchanges" (also referred to as state exchanges or insurance exchanges) have also been explained as:

• a government-regulated marketplace of insurance plans with different tiers, or levels of coverage, offered to individuals without health care or to small companies. (from theatlantic.com/business/archive/2009/09/what-is-the-health-insurance-exchange/26748)
• a set of government-regulated and standardized health care plans from which individuals who are not provided with health insurance through their employer may purchase health insurance eligible for federal subsidies. All exchanges must be fully certified and operational by January 1, 2014, under federal law. (from wikipedia)

1. What are the healthcare exchanges?

2. a) In how many states will the federal government run the exchange?
b) How many state governments have opted to run their own exchanges?

3. a) The healthcare exchanges opened Tuesday, October 1st. In how many of the states with federally-run exchanges were applicants unable to sign-up?
b) Why were they unable to sign-up?

4. People who don't have health insurance, and don't sign up for it through the government exchanges, will be fined by the government. [see below for the rates]
ALL are required by law to sign up for medical insurance by January 1, 2014 if they don't already have it.
How can people who can't access the government exchanges get help signing up so they avoid the fine they'll be charged for not having insurance?

5. Read the information under "Background" below the questions. What are the reasons for the flaws in the insurance exchange hub and portal? List 4.