Healthcare industry

The medical community in Austin, Tex., is divided over a ballot proposition that would support a University of Texas medical school in the state capital.

Fitch Ratings downgraded $572 million in debt issued for Loma Linda University Medical Center one notch to BBB-minus, the lowest investment grade rating

Two of Michigan's largest providers Wednesday announced plans to merge to create a new $6.4 billion system, joining the growing number of providers nationally who are hoping to consolidate.

With the healthcare industry facing dramatic changes, Scottsdale Healthcare Corp. is getting a ratings lift after the sale of eight buildings under a new finance strategy.

Standard & Poor’s said the announcement of a proposed merger between health care giants Trinity Health and Catholic Health East does not affect their credit ratings yet, but that a consolidation would likely result in a credit with a weaker rating than Trinity’s AA rating.

Wyoming, Mich.-based Metro Health is seeking a strategic partner for a merger to help navigate changes in the health care industry.

A court hearing on a dispute between Highmark Inc. and West Penn Allegheny Health System Inc. over their failed $475 million merger agreement will continue Thursday in Pittsburgh.

A proposed merger between two large nonprofit healthcare systems is a credit positive for the nonprofit healthcare sector, Moody's Investors Service says.

An association representing safety-net hospitals is lobbying Congress to restore cuts that are built into the new federal health care law.

Crittenton Hospital, in an affluent suburb of Detroit, comes to market Tuesday with $108M of new-money and refunding bonds.

Fitch Ratings lowered West Penn Allegheny Health System's $737 million revenue bonds CCC from B-plus, citing uncertainty over its proposed Highmark affiliation.

Fitch placed the A rating of revenue bonds for Medford, Ore. continuing care retirement community Rogue Valley Manor on negative watch due to the potential impact of a lawsuit.

City of Hope, a Los Angeles County research hospital, received a bump from a stable to positive outlook on its A1 Moody's rating.

California Governor Jerry Brown appointed Jay Hansen to the California Health Facilities Financing Authority.

Catholic Health Initiatives of Colorado will carry $6 billion of debt after this week's issue of $1.5 billion of taxable bonds to expand its network, a fact that cost the health-care giant a downgrade from three ratings agencies.

Moody's said the ongoing wave of mergers sweeping the non-profit health care sector led to an uptick in upgrades during the third quarter and could reverse earlier expectations that downgrades would outpace upgrades for the full year.

Elgin-Ill.-based Sherman Health System has signed a letter of intent to join Illinois' largest not-for-profit health care system Oak Brook, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care.

The sudden breakup of hospital operator West Penn Allegheny's affiliation with insurer Highmark heightens uncertainty over hundreds of millions in bonds in a turnabout driven by adulterous sex and violence.

Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle Thursday unveiled a $2.9 billion spending plan that relies on the new federal health care law as well as a handful of new taxes to cure a $267 million shortfall.

West Penn Allegheny Health System countersued crosstown Pittsburgh insurer Highmark Inc. over the breakup of their proposed $475 million affiliation agreement.