Healthcare industry

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.

S&P lowered its rating to AA-minus from AA on Berks County Municipal Authority, Pa.'s revenue refunding bonds, issued for Reading Health System.

Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore typify how the 'eds and meds' presence of universities and hospitals can boost older cities' credit profiles, said Moody's.

Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday withdrew its general obligation bond rating on Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District, Calif. citing a lack of financial information for fiscal 2013, affecting $63 million in debt.

Moody's Investors Service has raised its outlook to positive on Seattle Cancer Alliance's outstanding bonds.

The felony indictment of Texas Gov. Rick Perry covers actions he took against the Travis County District Attorney's office while its investigators looked into grants to his campaign contributors from a $3 billion cancer research bond fund.

Unable to recover from its financial woes, the Doctors Medical Center in Contra Costa County is being pressured to close or significantly downsize, which could impose a financial burden on the county, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Illinois-based OSF Healthcare System's A3 rating is stabilizing due to recent operating improvements after a tough 2013, Moody's Investors Service said.

Despite strong investment gains and other improvements, a persistent underlying weakness remained the underlying theme for the non profit health care sector in 2013, according to Standard & Poor's.

Hospitals in the 24 states that have opted against expanding Medicaid under federal healthcare reform stand to lose out on $168 billion over 10 years while states will lose out on more than $400 billion, a new report from the Urban Institute concludes.

Moody's Investors Service upgraded Cooper Health System, N.J., bonds, issued through the Camden County Improvement Authority, to Baa2 from Baa3.

A recently announced increase in state-run health insurance rates is a positive for California's non-profit hospitals, according to a report from Fitch Ratings.