Illinois Governor Still Backs Obama’s Health Law

Illinois is pushing ahead with implementing the nation's new health care law with support from its Democratic governor.

Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday started reviewing a plan to roll out the law from a council he appointed. The plan proposes new reins on health insurance companies and an online marketplace where people could shop for insurance.

Quinn calls the health care law "a vital part of economic recovery'' rather than a distraction from the urgent need for jobs. The governor's remarks came in written testimony to a congressional committee Tuesday.

Republican governors, in contrast, are worried about added costs to state budgets.

The law was enacted last March and has been lucrative for Illinois, bringing in nearly $290 million to state agencies, non-profits, nursing schools and hospitals.