Healthcare industry

A judge has overturned a step by the State University of New York aimed at restoring financial health to the SUNY Downstate Medical Center.

Indiana University Health, one of the state's largest health care providers, announced this week it is taking "a step back" on a planned new patient tower that carried a price tag as high as $500 million.

Moody's put the Ba2 rating of Good Samaritan Hospital under review, a week after Standard & Poor's downgraded the Lebanon, Pa., system three notches to B-plus.

Some Alabama state legislators upset about the downsizing of Jefferson County, Ala.'s indigent care hospital have filed bills that would increase disclosure requirements and redirect indigent funds.

Fitch Ratings downgraded the underlying ratings on $49 million of Placerville, Calif.'s Marshall Medical Center revenue bonds to junk because of weak finances.

The University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority hits the market Wednesday with a $263 million sale that will nearly double its modest debt levels to help finance a five-year $670 million capital program that includes a new off-campus facility.

The long-term care credit market has stabilized, writes Jon Barasch of Interactive Data Corp. in this commentary.

The Illinois Finance Authority board advanced a handful of small direct or private placements for an array of not-for-profits.

The long-struggling city of Flint, which has been under emergency management for more than a year, is selling nearly $60 million of speculative-grade bonds on behalf of Hurley Medical Center, a city owned facility that serves as the local safety net provider.

Mayo Clinic will return to the taxable market for the second time in six months as low rates coupled with freedom from tax-exempt compliance issues are proving too good of an incentive to resist.

Standard & Poor's lowered by three notches its long-term rating on bonds issued for Good Samaritan Hospital of Lebanon, Pa., to B-plus from BB-plus.

Moody's Investors Service Wednesday downgraded to A2 from Aa3 a Washington hospital's limited tax general obligation bonds affecting $223.9 million in debt.

Fitch Ratings has revised its outlook to negative from stable on the A-minus rating held by Bethesda Health Group due to the balance sheet strains from low occupancy levels and flat revenue growth which heightens concerns over its aggressive debt profile.

SUNY Downstate Medical Center is planning to close one of its three hospitals in Brooklyn to deal with the center's financial problems.

Chicago has struck a tentative collective bargaining agreement with one of its smaller unions that includes pension benefit and retiree healthcare reforms that Mayor Rahm Emanuel characterized Tuesday as a possible roadmap to help solve the city's pension crisis.

Moody's Investors Service last week downgraded its underlying rating to Baa1 from A2 on Northeast Ohio Medical University.

Moody's Investors Service said it downgraded $20 billion of non-profit health care debt last year, a 213% jump from 2011 and the most since the ratings agency starting tracking the number in 1995.

Minnesota hospitals provided $509 million in uncompensated care in 2011, up from $496 million a year earlier, according to the Minnesota Hospital Association's annual community benefits report.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy's two-year, $21.5 billion budget includes $1.8 billion worth of capital funds and a bioscience initiative for UConn.

Moody's revised its outlook for West Penn Allegheny Health System bonds to developing from negative as it monitors an affiliation agreement with Highmark.