WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is taking the first steps toward showing voters concrete benefits from the new health care law, moving to help people with pre-existing health conditions get coverage.

The law provides for creation within 90 days of high-risk pools allowing uninsured people who can't get coverage because of health conditions to buy insurance.

The program will build on existing high-risk pools in some states or be operated by the federal government. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote to states Friday asking them to report back on how they want to proceed.

The program will be in place until the law is fully implemented in 2014, when insurance companies will have to take all comers.