Healthcare industry

Fitch Ratings downgraded Columbus Regional Healthcare System, Ga., bonds to BB-plus from BBB following unexpected deterioration in performance.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has ordered state agencies to prepare lists of "critical state funding needs" in the event there is a government shutdown on July 1 amid an impasse over the state's fiscal 2016 budget.

Moody's Investors Service said it downgraded Westchester County Health Care Corporation, N.Y.'s (dba Westchester Medical Center) rating to Baa1 from A3, affecting approximately $447 million of bonds.

To finance a major expansion, the Texas Children’s Hospital will issue $354 million of debt, including fixed and variable rate bonds.

Standard & Poor's Rating Services said it lowered its long-term rating on the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency's series 2013F and 2009D bonds issued for the Southcoast Health System obligated group to A-minus from A.

Mercy Health, Ohio’s largest health care provider, prices $400 million of bonds this week, joining a handful of higher-rated hospitals that have started to return to the capital market after years of delaying deals.

Moody's Investors Service lowered its general obligation bond ratings for Clarendon Hospital District, S.C., to Baa2 because of its narrow cash position.

Texas Health Resources, the operator of a Dallas hospital that received international news coverage for its handling of an Ebola case, goes to market with $360 million of bonds after a Moody's upgrade.

Standard & Poor's upgraded Aspirus Inc. Obligated Group by one level to A-plus ahead of its $40 million fixed-rate issue.

Tax reform proposals to curb tax exemption for municipal securities would create uncertainty in the market, possibly lead to higher borrowing costs, and hurt infrastructure development, issuer and borrower groups warned a Senate Finance Committee working group this week.

Washington's Multicare Health System received AA-minus ratings with a stable outlook from two rating agencies ahead of plans to price $88 million of new money and a $274 million refunding bonds.

Daytona Beach, Fla.-based Halifax Hospital plans to issue about $112 million of revenue refunding bonds boosted by two rating upgrades.

New York City expects to save $3.4 billion on health care by 2018 through municipal labor agreements, said director of labor relations Robert Linn.

A day after the dedication of its new $1 billion hospital, Standard & Poor's downgraded Dallas' Parkland Health and Hospital System one notch to AA.

Craig General Hospital in northeastern Oklahoma continues to operate after filing for bankruptcy protection.

Standard & Poor's raised its rating on Silver Cross Hospital in Illinois by one level to BBB as it prepares to pull its rating at the hospital's request.

Faced with losing billions in federal funds for low income health coverage, Florida House and Senate Republicans are $4 billion apart on the 2016 state budget.

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago won an upgrade from Standard & Poor’s as it fiscal books remain on the upswing.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert called for negotiations on a plan to expand Medicaid that would be approved in a special session of the state Legislature.

Integris Health Group received more than $1 billion of orders for $200 million of refunding bonds issued through the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority, producing savings of 5.8%.