In place of Steve Timkos research this week, we offer Associated Press data coverage of the health care law:

After more than a week in action, is a key feature of Democratic President Barack Obamas health care overhaul a success or a bust? Judging by the dearth of data, its virtually impossible to say.

The federal government has released no comprehensive data on how many people have enrolled for health insurance using federally run exchanges, the online marketplaces being used in 36 states for residents to compare and buy insurance. In the 14 states running their own exchanges, the situation isnt much better.

Officials with Californias exchange say it will be mid-November until they can say how many people signed up. In Oregon and Colorado, the official number of completed applications is zero. And in Minnesota, which billed itself as a leader in implementing the Affordable Care Act, officials wont release data until next week about the number of applications started and completed.

As of Oct. 8, Nevada reported 2,270 applications processed and 3,654 applications started.

As a result, a nation obsessed with keeping score to determine winners and losers is finding it difficult to pass immediate judgment on a law that will in large part define the presidents legacy.

Obamacare has a lot of cynics in this country, and it needs to get off to a better start than what we see so far if its going to be a success, said Bob Laszewski, a Washington, D.C.-based health care industry consultant. Laszewski suspects the lack of data conceals an extremely slow start thanks to widely reported technical problems.

MNsure, Minnesotas online insurance marketplace, reported more than 10,000 accounts had been initiated as of Thursday, said April Todd-Malmlov, the exchanges director. But enrollment figures wont be available until Wednesday. She said some users inadvertently submitted multiple applications that need to be consolidated.

Similar problems abound. Many states running their own exchanges havent released initial enrollment data, and only a handful are providing a detailed picture of applicants and the plans they are choosing.

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Health care law a success so far? It's hard to say