CHICAGO (AP) — The online insurance marketplaces that are at the heart of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul struggled to handle the volume of new consumers Tuesday, the first day of a six-month open-enrollment period.

Federal officials said they were working to address the website problems as quickly as possible. People contacting the federal call center also reported long wait times.

"We have built a dynamic system and are prepared to make adjustments as needed and improve the consumer experience," Health and Human Services spokeswoman Joanne Peters said.

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