CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois has received conditional federal approval for its plan to create the online marketplace where thousands of state residents will shop for health insurance beginning Oct. 1.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued an approval letter Wednesday to Gov. Pat Quinn that lays out six conditions the state must meet. The letter was released to The Associated Press by Quinn's office.

Conditional approval isn't unusual. All the federal government's approvals of health insurance marketplaces have been conditional so far, but deadlines set in the letter will mean state officials remain under extreme pressure to get the online marketplace up and running.