CHICAGO – Gov. Pat Quinn has less than a month to choose which benefits will be required in basic health insurance plans sold to individuals and small businesses in Illinois under the federal health care law, an important decision that will determine the cost of future premiums and how broad coverage will be for many patients.

As the presidential election focuses on President Barack Obama's national health care overhaul, Illinois has been inching toward implementing the law. Although the governor hasn't been able to push through some needed legislation, he doesn't need the Legislature to OK his choice of a benchmark to assure that Illinoisans receive "essential health benefits."

Illinois is behind only nine other states that have already chosen a benchmark plan or have a preliminary recommendation, according to a nonpartisan group tracking state progress on the law. The deadline for states to select those basic plans is Sept. 30.