“It just seemed wrong to me, that you would deny a woman, or a person of color, or someone from downstate, a seat on this governing board, just based on who they happen to be, as opposed to their merit and their talent.”

Legislation being advanced by state Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Chicago, would attempt to cover costs by charging a fee on every health-insurance plan sold through the state-funded health insurance exchange. This funding mechanism is likely to be insufficient. In fact, the new state tax on insurance plans may need to be three times the amount currently under consideration to truly cover administrative costs.