“White House officials say President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul is on track in many states — but they’re preparing a federal backstop anyway.
The law calls for states to build new health insurance markets called exchanges so those now uninsured can have access.
Exchanges are a linchpin, but many of the 26 states asking the Supreme Court to overturn the law have made little progress.
A new White House report says 28 states are “on their way” to setting up exchanges, but the federal government will be ready to run the program in states not ready by 2014, when the law’s big coverage expansion kicks in.
Presidential adviser Nancy-Ann DeParle said, “No matter where you live, on January 1, 2014, an exchange will be up and running.”