yzerman19

Also, regarding the initial post, capital investment is always looked at differently than operating income decisions.

This new normal is reality under the ACA. Rural hospitals that are too big to be "critical access" are going to get crushed from all sides.

Altru will not sell. The Mayo affiliate partnership was designed to ensure independence in perpetuity. Healthcare economics are not like typical economics- competition does not lower costs, it raises them. Federal reimbursement is also dramatically cut if a community hospital ceases to be a sole community provider. That revenue to Altru is federally funded. Add a second hospital, that money goes to California or wherever else the feds decide to send it. Decisions are being made looking out the windshield. One result of the ACA is that access to capital has tightened up in the industry making financing options more limited. You have to be prepared for that to be the new normal. If Medicare reimbursement goes down, and access to capital tightens, and commercial insurers cut allowed amounts...result is less revenue and less cash than before. You don't stimulate demand in healthcare, so you have to tighten your belt. The senior staff decision to cut pay for the remainder of the year is simply an optics play- but a good one in my opinion- tough to justify higher comp for senior staff during a bad year

They didn't used to...but...my statements are supposed to be politically agnostic

Never said they didn't make a profit. If I take risk and can lose, shouldn't I also be able to win? And if I do it smartly, I should win more than I lose, just like any financial institution. They don't "win" by not paying claims- that would be short term and they'd be out of business in a couple years. Insurance company profit margins are not from what you think of as insurance...they are from investment income and from selling ancillary products

As an expert, I will have to disagree. Blaming insurance companies for the cost of insurance is akin to blaming your local gas station for the cost of gas. Important things to note: 1. If you're employed by a larger company, your policy is likely self-insured and as a result, your employer, not the insurer actually determined your benefits. 2. Your employer wants to pay as little for healthcare benefits as possible. 3. Insurance companies will ( if legal and administrable) pay for any benefit, it just raises the premium. 4. The percent of premium that sticks with the insurer is significantly less than the average negotiated discount for healthcare services they provide access to. Would you pay fifteen percent to save fifty percent? That's the insurance value prop. Out of that fifteen they are also paying taxes and broker commissions. The fifteen percent number goes to below ten percent on self insured. 5. Insurance companies are required to carry huge reserves in order to prove solvency in a crisis- a large chunk of insurance company profits are due to investment income on those mandated reserves. 6. The other driver of insurance company profits is the underwriting cycle, when one out of every five years or so the cost of care is lower than predicted by the actuaries. This is a risk premium. They also lose sometimes. Do you fault the casino for winning more than losing? Please note- no politics in this post, simply facts and business.

blaming insurance companies for everything

So...if we were allowed to have fun...I might go with something more like the Godfather line or the Goodfellas

I remember educating my wife about Toewser...Oshie was flashier with the dangles and big hits, Duncan racked up the goals, but Toewser was a PERFECT hockey player. He did everything right.

I haven't made it to the one percent yet

All very true...a 17 year old Patrick Kane is a perfect example...or a 16 year old Mario, Stevie, Wayne...a kid like Zach Parise would've racked up 100 points in the W at 18, probably 120 in the O, and probably 140 in the Q. Toewser might've been more like 70, 80, 90, but with ridiculous two-way play.

No fun until we win #8

The line hasn't earned the right to have a moniker yet. Parise and Bochenski DOT Pony Express Those three lines had all-americans and Hobey candidates/winner on them...love these guys, but they haven't earned it with their play yet.

Every unit must play even hockey, especially that top unit. So the team on the weekend was a minus 3 (won by 2 but with a PPG and lost by 4). That means that unit (-2, -3, -4) which averaged a minus 3 was the difference on paper. Gotta play a 200 foot game.

I thought Mark Mac got a helper at least...

Your best players need to be your best players...that is a failing weekend grade for the top offensive unit. They also had a few penalties against.

I turned off the sound, but tolerated the video quality for a litttle while...can't give a good team softies in their barn. Then turned off the game after the 5th Miami goal. Nice building weekend- I'm sure Enrico would say the same. Points will be tough to come by in this league. It was a split by powerhouses- has to be what you expect and/or hope for.

No entry, no powerplay...agree.

I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night . Hockey is really a simple, kids' game. Adults over complicate it and kinda wreck it every chance they get. I liked that third line- Johnson and Murphy (aren't those shoes?) are really smart hockey players for their "green-ness". Chyzyk for all intents and purposes is also a rookie- limited game experience last year. Freshmen usually get in trouble for two things- 1. Thinking too much. They are concerned about playing Hak's system and not screwing up- you play your best hockey when your mind is clear (think no helmet, favorite music pumping through the PA) and you just react. Take your guy, keep your feet moving, good passes, get space, give and go, finish your check. 2. Being physically outmatched- a 23 year old man is stronger than an 18 year old boy. Just gotta stay with it and remember the basics of puck protection and leverage. I do like that line. I usually try and balance the risks of rookies together with the long term benefits of helping them build chemistry. The adjustment is hardest for centers and dmen. So, usually, I'd play freshmen centers at wing for awhile and keep upper classmen in the middle. Johnson appears to be comfortable though, so let him go.

We have a nice 1/2 line combo. I expect both to get better as the year progresses. I then love the idea of 3/4 where we alternate scoring with some youngsters or grit with the General. We did stand around a few times- resulted in a goal for Miami too- that will improve. Very nice win

I think some of the pp issues have to do with personnel...we have grinders on the pp unit...makes ZERO sense. For the record, you don't cycle on a pp- the cycle is a five on five offensive zone approach for wearing down dmen over the course of a game, and generating pressure by keeping the puck 200 feet from your goalie. On the powerplay you generally are trying to use your points to rotate the puck hopefully until your number advantage creates a good look. Often times that is on the weakside.

I totally forgot about Murphy (ugh). He's on the third scoring line. Chyzyk to energy, Mitch to a suit.

I agree on TV impact, but I think you have to be able to roll 3 against Miami. I also think BO'D earned some ice last weekend. Here's what I'd do- love your top 2 lines. Top line: Drake with Rocco and Tambo Second: Johnson with Parks and Mark Mac Third for scoring: St. Clair with O'Donnell and Chyzyk Third for checking/energy: Pattyn with Gaarder and Mitch Mac Panzo and Thompson sit on D tonight Zane in

jumping to pad his stats? He is going to the toughest non pro league in the world. It isn't about padding stats, it is about competing at the highest level in order to have a chance as a top draft pick. As i said earlier- average BCHL offensive numbers and UND equals no WJC, and all of the above equals probably not high first round

I LOVED the Pony Express...I am big time respecting the Barber line by comparing them. Difference between them in my opinion is that Miami is faster and more skilled, whereas Pony and Fratts were MEN out there.