Price Pinch Zaps Zimmer

Lee Memorial Health System, one of the busiest hip-replacement centers in the country, has already told TheStreet.com that it cannot make money under that scenario.

"We actually lose money on what is a massive growth business for us," Lee Memorial CEO Jim Nathan said back in early April. "It's a significant issue."

But Elliott claimed on Thursday that hospital consultants simply make such arguments because they "want to make a point" when negotiating prices with the industry.

"It's pretty easy to take apart," he insisted. "I'll stand by what I said."

Elliott attempted to shoot down three other "myths" as well. Despite what some may say, he said, the current situation is no replay of the sharp downturn that hurt the industry more than a decade ago. Nor, he said, is the "magic of diversity" -- away from joint reconstruction -- a favorable option. And ultimately, he declared, ortho stocks are not "a bad place to be."

"That's fact vs. fiction," he said when explaining one myth. "That's Zimmer reality."

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