More than 14 states could have the authority to set up state health insurance exchanges by the end of the year.

Sara Collins and Tracy Garber, analysts at the Commonwealth Fund, New York, write about the state of state efforts to establish the exchanges on the Commonwealth Fund blog.

The exchange provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) call for states to develop the exchanges by 2014.

Individuals and small groups are supposed to be able to use the exchanges to buy subsidized coverage.

Utah and Massachusetts already have exchanges, Gilbert and Garber say.

Governors in 6 states have signed exchange bills into law since PPACA passed, and governors in 5 more states already have exchange bills sitting on their desks, the researchers say.

Many other states have exchange bills that have passed in at least one chamber, or are pending consideration, and some of those states, such as New York, seem likely to pass exchange bills, the researchers say.

The governor of New Mexico has vetoed an exchange bill that passed in both chambers, and Louisiana has told the federal government that it will not establish an exchange, the researchers say.

In 6 states, exchange bills have failed, or died because of adjournment.

- Allison Bell

Other health insurance exchange coverage from National Underwriter Life & Health: