Cuomo watch: Head start on health care law

Unlike some of his peers in other states, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo won't have to scramble to meet deadlines under the just upheld Affordable Care Act.

New York is one of 15 states that has acted to establish a "health care exchange," a marketplace for people to select insurance policies. States must demonstrate by Jan. 1 that their exchange will be operational in 2014.

New York has created a "rate review" program for insurance polices. In addition, New York already has what's considered an expanded Medicaid program -- meaning it won't see a sharp jump in participants. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that New York, on a percentage basis, will have the second-lowest spending growth increase in the nation.-- Yancey Roy