Healthcare industry

KidsPeace Children's Hospital of Schnecksville, Pa., looking to pare bond debt from $51.3 million to $24 million, filed a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition.

Fitch Ratings downgraded Temple University Health System to the speculative grade BB-plus from the investment grade BBB-minus on Tuesday afternoon.

The Tuomey Healthcare System in South Carolina Tuesday notified investors that S&P downgraded its bonds to BB because of a federal court ruling that could render it insolvent.

Moody's Investors Service has lowered Mercy Hospital's rating one level to A3 due to declines in its operating performance.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and GOP leaders have reached an agreement on spending targets for 2014, but Snyder said the $50 billion plan fails to address some long-term issues, including Medicaid and road funding.

A proposed merger between Beaumont Health System and Henry Ford Health System was cancelled Tuesday.

The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Board last week signed off on two planned hospital mergers in the Chicago area.

Chicago began notifying its retirees this week that most will lose their healthcare subsidies over the next few years as Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration seeks to shed a rising cost.

The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York has approved the sale of $2.4 billion in bonds.

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded HealthPartners Inc.'s rating one level to A2 in recognition of its improved operating performance.

Standard & Poor's has raised its rating by one notch on Riverside Health System to A-plus due to its leading market position and improved balance sheet.

Maine's sales of hundreds of millions of dollars of bonds have been delayed while the Republican governor and Democrat-controlled legislature debate how to raise $484 million owed to the state's hospitals.

University of Texas regents approved $334.5 million of university revenue bonds to fund a medical school in Austin.

Moody's Investors Service lowered Ascension Health Alliance's rating one level to Aa2 ahead of the nation's largest not-for-profit healthcare system's upcoming sale of $980 billion of refunding bonds.

The Louisiana Senate has sent a bill to the House authorizing $252 million of off-the-book lease revenue bonds for the community college system.

Fitch Ratings last week affirmed its AA-minus on $1.8 billion of debt held by Catholic Health Partners, Ohio's largest health care system.

Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service recently revised their outlooks on Methodist Medical Center of Illinois' rating to positive from stable in recognition of its improved operating performance.

Beacon Health expects strong investor response when it comes to market Wednesday with $157 million of AA-minus rated hospital bonds that marks the first borrowing for the newly created credit.

Highmark Inc., which closed on a $604 million deal to take over teetering West Penn Allegheny Health System, is now under rating agency glare.

Six months after announcing a proposed merger, Trinity Health and Catholic Health East said Thursday they've closed the deal, which will create the second-largest health care provider in the country.