Obama reelection means health care law stays – Sanjay Gupta explains what to expect

Obamacare is here to stay. Now that President Obama has won re-election, his health care reform law will remain in effect. Some of its provisions have yet to take effect in 2014, while others have looming deadlines ahead. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains on "Starting Point" what we can expect from the health care law.

By 2014, some aspects of the law will kick in for adults and children. Patients cannot be charged higher premiums for being sick, patients cannot be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions and patients will not have annual dollar limits on health benefits.

“One of the things that this is predicated on is having what are known as these health exchanges within states,” Dr Gupta says. “Sort of a marketplace where people can buy insurance who haven’t had great access to it so far.”

Many states have decided not to implement this, while others are still considering it. “And if a state decides not to do it, then the federal government may go into those states and create the exchange themselves,” Dr. Gupta explains. “But this is again this competitive marketplace, which is part of the way to drive down costs, have these insurance companies compete for business.”