Services for the most vulnerable Medicaid populations will be first in line for budget cuts. Childless, able-bodied adults will be last.

Health-care access and affordability are important goals. But they will never be achieved with a single-payer system – and that isn’t bad news.

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.