THE ROAD TO OBLIVION

Whom should you believe or trust? "Putin/McGee/Solaris" (different manifestations of the same diabolic entity) or DBR Healthcare spokesperson? The following in italics were taken from the Courier article

That person — one of four investors who comprise the coalition — said Tuesday that all that stands in the way of the presentation of a viable offer, which he said was fully approved on his end from a financial standpoint pending a comprehensive evaluation of the 17-acre Plainfield campus, is that Solaris maintain its license for the hospital for another two months. The person said the evaluation will be completed late this week and that his coalition plans to officially file an offer to Cain Brothers, Solaris' New York City-based health-care investment firm, early next week.
The person from DBR Healthcare said Solaris' forfeiture of its license would constitute a deal-breaker, adding that his coalition has been attempting to arrange an evaluation of the hospital grounds since April. The person said the four-member investors' group finally received approval last week and toured the facility Thursday, Aug. 7, alongside a Chicago-based independent financial evaluation firm and two high-ranking Solaris officials.
"We wouldn't be here at the last minute, doing last-minute things,'' he said, "if we could have come three months ago.''(I had heard a similar comment in early May that a Nashville based hospital corporation was interested but Solaris refused to release certain materials pertinent for that outfit's due diligence studies, requesting an offer without conditions be made first. I can not verify that rumor)
Weiss(Solaris spokesman) said that despite the delay, the origin of which is unknown, the window of opportunity for a buyer to present an offer still remains open for the moment.
"No entity has provided a plan for a viable purchase of the hospital,'' Weiss said. "But it is not too late for a viable offer.'(Probably true if there has been no cooperative effort buy the so called seller)

It is only fair to present the other side's position.

However, Solaris spokesman Steven Weiss said Tuesday the company plans to proceed as originally planned, surrendering its license within a 10-day window from the date of closing in accordance with one of 18 conditions set down by Howard in her written decision approving the certificate of need for closure. (Poor Solaris it has no choice but is bound by the Commissioner's edict to surrender its license.)
ccording to a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Senior Services, the only way Muhlenberg's operating license could remain active after 10 days is if Solaris petitions Howard for an extension.(Yes and snowballs stay frozen in hell)
"The applicant, in this case Solaris Health System, would have to either contest a condition in the commissioner's (certificate of need) letter or request a modification,'' spokeswoman Donna Leusner saidThat's according to our regulations.''
Since Solaris put the hospital up for sale in November 2007, Leusner said the medical center's nonprofit parent company "has talked to several interested parties, and the Department of Health and Senior Services is monitoring the situation closely.'' (Talk is cheap, walking the walk is commitment)
"No,'' Weiss said, when asked whether Solaris had any plans of petitioning for an extension. When asked whether he believed failing to do so would hinder any efforts to potentially save the hospital, Weiss again responded in the negative, saying, "Over the last eight months there have been no viable offers, as we continue to lose millions of dollars.''

It does not take a brain surgeon to understand that the only thing that would stop Solaris from killing any possible deal by surrendering its license is possibly a court stay order. According to DHSS own statement the Commissioner has rendered herself powerless. Unfortunately Plainfield's Government has refused to consider such action.

I hope that Jerry will post in his today's blog the discussion and outcome of Howard's visit.