State Ready For Day One Of 'Obamacare'

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A top Quinn administration official says the state is ready for the Affordable Care Act--better known as Obamacare--to go into effect this week.

Deputy Governor Cristal Thomas is Gov. Pat Quinn's point person on health care reform, WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports.

She says Illinois residents will be able to go onto the state's Get Covered Illinois website starting tomorrow to learn about different plans that might be available to them…and eventually sign up.

But, not everybody needs to go online.

Thomas says people who already have health coverage through the jobs or through Medicare or Medicaid, don't need to do anything.

The health insurance "marketplace" is for people who don't have any coverage.

Thomas says Illinoisans who do need coverage will pay a little less than the national average for insurance under the new federal law.