Last week, the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan investigative arm of Congress, found that the federal government and many states were far from ready to set up marketplaces where Americans are supposed to be able to buy insurance.

Now the Obama administration has set up a new Web site and a telephone call center to provide information to consumers —  in preparation for what the government anticipates will be a flood of people buying health insurance starting October 1.

The call center will be in operation 24 hours a day. The phone number is 800-318-2596. The Web site, www.healthcare.gov , provides information promoting the 2010 health care law and describing new insurance options. The Web site and call center currently have only general information about coverage.