CHICAGO – An Illinois Democrat who has led work on implementing a key part of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul now says the state will need to partner with the federal government for its insurance exchange.

Rep. Frank Mautino told The Associated Press this week that Illinois won’t meet be able to meet a Nov. 16 deadline for the online insurance marketplace and must consider a new option – a federal-state partnership – to get ready for its first year if the U.S. Supreme Court upholds the law.

That would put Obama’s home state among a majority of states limping toward implementing the law. The court is expected to rule on the reforms Thursday, and could overturn or dismantle the law, leaving states to determine how to proceed from there.