Think about it, Patricia.

Patricia Wagner of Carrollton thinks she has a one-page solution to our health care problems. All I can say is, I'm glad Patricia's not in charge of things.

Number 2 on her list is: Insurance companies must accept everyone. Does Patricia realize that means even the deadbeat who spent his money on other things besides insurance and now finds himself with an expensive illness the rest of us, who've had insurance all along, must subsidize. Insurance is a shared risk business. That means my rates go up when a sick person buys insurance from my company.

Number 3 on her list is: Insurance rates must not exceed 10 percent of salary, per person. So, Patricia, I don't know what business you are in, but let's say you own a dress shop. You have a dress for sale that cost you $75. You price the dress at $150, the price you figure you need in order to cover your overhead and make a small profit. Mrs. Brown comes in, tries it on, and declares it a perfect fit. You ring up $150. "Wait!" Mrs. Brown says. "I don't make enough for you to charge me that much. You may charge me only $65." "But the dress cost me more than that," you exclaim. "Too bad," says Mrs. Brown. "You can't charge me more than 10% of my weekly salary. That's part of the one-page solution."

Number 4 on her list is: State-administered low-premium insurance will be available for low-income families. If they are paying low premiums, then their risk won't be covered. That means tax dollars to subsidize them. It's hard enough for most of us to pay for our taxes and insurance now. What do you think it will be like when you're paying not only for yours, but for all the "poor folks" as well?

Number 5 on her list is: People happy with their present insurance can keep it. Yeah, right. Patricia needs some Economics 101. If we implement the rest of her one-page solution, there won't be any insurance companies. . .which is what Obama has wanted from the beginning.

"My one-page solution." The Dallas Morning News; January 23, 2011; p. 3P.