Healthcare industry

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service has revoked the tax-exempt status of American Health Foundation Inc., raising questions about the tax-exemption of $28.96 million of refunding and revenue bonds that issuers in five states sold for three of its subordinate entities.

A bankruptcy court judge in Chicago will be asked next week to approve a $53.5 million cash offer to purchase the assets of the Clare at Water Tower continuing-care community in a deal that provides holders of the facility’s $229 million of debt with a recovery rate of at least 20 cents on the dollar, sources said.

CHICAGO — The Michigan Finance Authority is bringing $153.4 million of revenue bonds to market next week on behalf of the Oakwood Obligated Group, a four-hospital system located in the Detroit area.

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Northwest Community Hospital in suburban Chicago one notch to A2 following fiscal 2011 results that fell short of budgeted projections.

Chicago-based Mercy Health System formally joined Michigan-based Trinity Health last week.

The Illinois Finance Authority board advanced up to $875 million worth of borrowing for health care and higher education organizations, including Ascension Health Alliance's sale of up to $600 million of new-money and refunding debt and $150 million from Loyola University of Chicago.

Moody’s Investors Service on Tuesday placed the A3 rating on Tampa General Hospital’s debt on review for possible downgrade.

A group of seven Illinois safety-net hospitals last week unveiled several measures they said could trim $1.4 billion from the state’s Medicaid expenses and eliminate the need for the deeper cuts that Gov. Pat Quinn has requested.

CHICAGO — The Mayo Clinic took retail orders Tuesday on $200 million of revenue bonds and will open the sale to institutional buyers Wednesday as it finances various capital projects, including a new proton beam therapy center at its flagship campus in Rochester, Minn.

Moody’s Investors Service raised its rating to Baa1 from Baa2 on Wheaton Franciscan Services in recognition of several years of improved operations at the Wisconsin hospital and the strong results expected this year.

CHICAGO — Bids to buy the assets of an upscale continuing-care retirement community in downtown Chicago are due by April 10, with holders of its $229 million of debt hoping for a competitive auction that results in a better recovery rate than the pennies on the dollar offered by an initial bidder.

Moody’s Investors Service on Monday downgraded to B3 from Ba3 the long-term rating assigned to Weirton Medical Center in West Virginia.

Holders of $229 million of debt issued for a now-bankrupt upscale continuing care retirement community in downtown Chicago would recoup just pennies on the dollar under an initial bid for the facility.

Moody’s Investors Service affirmed the Baa1 rating assigned to Boston Medical Center’s bonds, and revised the outlook to stable from negative.

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the A1 rating on Jackson Laboratory's fixed-rate series 2007 revenue bonds, issued through the Association of Bay Area Governments Finance Authority for Nonprofit Corporations, with a stable outlook.

Moody’s Investors Service Wednesday revised the outlook on Renown Health to stable from negative, and affirmed its A3 revenue bond rating on $556 million of debt.

The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s new $300 million, 1-million square-foot outpatient facility. The hospital hopes to complete the project by 2014. The building at the hospital’s main downtown Chicago campus will also house doctors’ offices.

Standard & Poor's changed St. Peter's Hospital’s outlook to positive from stable, citing immediate benefits from the Albany hospital's recent merger.

CHICAGO — Illinois has agreed to the Illinois Medical District Commission's request that a $4.5 million capital grant be diverted to cure a debt-service coverage default and ensure bondholders receive full payment later this year on $40 million of state moral obligation-backed bonds.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The 198-bed Citrus Memorial Hospital, near the west coast of Florida, sank further into non-investment-grade territory Wednesday when Moody's Investors Service downgraded its debt to Ba3 from Ba2.