Healthcare industry

S&P lowered its ratings to A-minus from A on bonds sold for Shands Teaching Hospital at the University of Florida, citing an upcoming $250M deal.

San Francisco-based Dignity Health plans to issue $1.4 billion worth of debt through several private placement deals and a taxable bond issuance up to $888 million in the first two weeks of October.

Washington State University has been authorized to sell up to $16.25 million of revenue bonds for a new health clinic at its Spokane, Wash. campus.

Citing weak debt coverage, Standard & Poor's downgraded Arizona Health Network's revenue bonds to BBB from BBB-plus and retained a negative outlook.

Illinois-based Presence Health has finalized a deal to sell one of its Chicago hospitals that has strained the system's books with losses.

Fitch Ratings lowered Southeast Missouri Hospital Association’s ratings two levels to BBB-minus over its operating losses.

Moody's Investors Service has revised Minnesota-based Fairview Health Services' outlook on its A3 rating to positive from stable in recognition of steady operating improvements.

Standard & Poor's on Friday revised its outlook on University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics' AA rating to negative from stable over the potential strains of its big capital plans.

Standard & Poor's has put the ratings of two double-A level not-for-profit health systems in Illinois, Advocate and NorthShore, on Credit Watch with positive credit implications following their announcement to join forces.

Pennsylvania opting in to Medicaid expansion is a credit positive for hospitals in the state, according to Wells Fargo Securities.

A recent announcement that Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle will end one of its contracts in 2016 poses certain credit risks, but has no immediate impact on its ratings, according to Standard & Poor's.

Denver's highly-regarded National Jewish Health system has lost its Standard & Poor's investment-grade rating, falling to BB-plus from BBB-minus.

Three Detroit hospitals announced that they have closed a merger that creates a $3.8 billion system that's the largest health care provider in southeast Michigan.

The Treasury Department's 2014-2015 priority guidance plan includes new projects to both update guidance on management contracts that impact private-activity bonds, and ensure PAB rules don't conflict with a new type of arrangement promoted by President Obama's health care reform law.

Mount Sinai and NYU Langone became the first hospitals to advertise on MetroCards, New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority said.

Two Illinois based not-for-profit healthcare systems -- Northwestern Memorial Healthcare and Cadence Health – said they plan to complete their merger on Sept. 1.

KeyBanc Capital Markets has hired Zachary Kau to work as a managing director in the San Francisco office heading its healthcare finance business in the Public Finance Group.

The federal government's review of Medicaid reimbursements will not affect Connecticut's AA general obligation bond rating for now, said Standard & Poor's.

New York City has reached tentative seven-year, four-month contract agreements with SEIU Local 300 and the United Probation Officers Association, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

New York City's Department of Education failed to recoup a cumulative $356 million in federal Medicaid funds between fiscal 2012 and 2014, said city Comptroller Scott Stringer.