FRANKFORT, KY - Gov. Steve Beshear has alerted the feds of his intention to create a statewide health insurance exchange to help Kentuckians find affordable coverage.

Beshear sent a letter this week to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebellius informing her of his plan.

In that letter, dated Tuesday, Beshear said he has been contacted repeatedly by people wanting Kentucky to create its own exchange. His declaration makes Kentucky the 16th state to commit to an exchange.

Beshear had announced previously that he would move ahead on an exchange after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal health care overhaul.

The exchange will allow people to comparison shop online for insurance. The federal government will create exchanges starting in 2014 for states that do not develop their own.