Western Pennsylvania has been watching the unfolding melodrama between UPMC and Highmark for months now and the sides seem to be further apart than ever. There's no end to media coverage of the war between the two, including countless letters to the editor bemoaning the greed of both agencies and the absolute disregard for patients and providers alike. Yet Highmark isn't doing anything wrong. They continue to attempt to negotiate with the unbending atrocity that is UPMC but without success. Consumers are being bombarded with scare tactics, including advertising campaigns from both organizations. Perhaps worst of all, we're subject to whiny self-righteous op-ed pieces by UPMC executives who, despite their education and credentials, appear to be quite ignorant on various fronts, not the least of which is the basic matter of how to do business. UPMC has no ground to stand on in this matter because their entire argument is nothing but hypocritical whining and excuses that don't hold up against facts.