Cuomo seeks to lock in ACA mandates

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will preemptively try to lock down some parts of the Affordable Care Act within his state, The New York Times reports. Two new requirements he plans to announce, via the Times:

• Insurance companies participating in New York's exchange must keep covering the 10 essential health benefits laid out in the ACA.
• Insurers that pull out of the state's exchange cannot participate in its Medicaid or children's health insurance programs.

Why it matters:

Don't be surprised if more blue states do the same thing — which could lead to major variations among states if the Affordable Care Act is repealed. And it's still noteworthy to see not just health care, but the ACA specifically, become such a rallying cry for ambitious Democrats, after so many years of muddled messaging and changing the subject.