CHICAGO – Illinois is ahead of some states but behind others on the path toward creating a health insurance exchange, a cornerstone of President Barack Obama’s health care law.

Obama’s home state plans to partner with the federal government to run a health insurance exchange beginning in 2014, the first year for coverage. State officials submitted their blueprint for that partnership Friday.

That puts Illinois among a group of seven states planning to join with Washington to run an exchange where consumers and small businesses can shop online for the best deals on health insurance.