Healthcare industry

In a complex multi-state issue, Catholic Health Initiatives expects to price about $1.2 billion of debt for its network of non-profit hospitals.

Arkansas lawmakers approved a plan to set aside $43 million in surplus money to limit increases in teacher health premiums.

Internal Revenue Service officials are taking a position in the tax dispute over $427.2 million of bonds issued by the Village Center Community Development District that they previously said they would not take, according to the CDD's lawyer.

Moody's Investors Service has placed Methodist Medical Center of Illinois' A2 rating on review for a potential upgrade in anticipation of the hospital becoming part of the higher rated Iowa Health System's obligated group.

Chicago plans to begin scaling back on retiree healthcare premium subsidies in its 2014 budget even though a legal challenge to its plan to phase out the subsidies for most retirees faces a legal challenge.

Catholic Health East won its second upgrade in as many weeks after its merger with Michigan-based Trinity Health as the new system prepares to come to market with $305 million of bonds.

Florida's Citrus Memorial Hospital is poised to be sold to a for-profit chain, and redeem its junk bonds with proceeds from the deal.

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded the debt of Catholic Health East to Aa2 from A2 to reflect its merger with Trinity Health.

A court ruling that overturned a freeze on retiree healthcare cost inflation in Los Angeles could be a credit negative for state and local governments, according to Fitch Ratings.

The Tuomey Healthcare System in South Carolina said it is appealing a jury verdict ordering it to pay $277.4 million for False Claims Act violations.

Moody's Investors Service revised its outlook on its A2 rating for Mount Sinai Hospital to negative from stable, reflecting "meaningful financial and integration risks" regarding its merger with Continuum Health Partners.

Moody's Investors Service revised its outlook on Illinois-based Presence Health’s issuer credit rating of Baa1 to negative from stable.

Fitch Ratings upgraded St. Peter's Health Partners to A-minus from BBB-plus.

Moody's Investors Service on Friday placed Illinois-based Proctor Hospital's speculative-grade B2 rating on review for upgrade due to its signing of an affiliation agreement with the stronger and larger Methodist Health Services Corp.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded MaineGeneral Medical Center to the speculative grade Ba1 from the investment grade Baa3.

Moody's Investors Service placed the Baa1 rating of UMass Memorial Health Care on review for downgrade, affecting $299 million in rated debt outstanding.

Fitch Ratings by Kern County, Calif. ratings on negative watch over financial woes being experienced by a county-owned hospital.

Wisconsin-based Meriter Hospital's steep losses at its affiliated for-profit health plan prompted Moody's Investors Service to downgrade its rating by one notch to A2 and the agency warned of further deterioration by assigning a negative outlook.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged the operator of Miami-Dade County, Fla.'s largest hospital with defrauding investors by failing to disclose its financial woes prior to an $83 million bond offering.

Indiana University Health, the state's largest health care system, announced Sept. 11 that it will lay off 800 employees by the end of the year to save money.