Money Talk
Qualify for a free subscription to HealthLeaders magazine.
Who's up and who's down
Up
Bon Secours Health System, Marriottsville, MD
Rating: A3
Outlook: Positive
Affected debt: $1.06 billion
Agency: Moody's Investors Service
Remarks: Outlook raised from stable because of favorable 2007 performance with a 3.3 percent operating margin. Improved debt service coverage after divestiture of Michigan and New Jersey assets.
Up
St. Joseph's/Candler Health System, Savannah, GA
Rating: Baa1
Outlook: Positive
Affected debt: $154 million
Agency: Moody's Investors Service
Remarks: Outlook raised from stable thanks to improved operating margins in both 2006 and 2007, as well as favorable demographic position in Savannah metro area.
Up
OhioHealth, Columbus, OH
Rating: AA
Outlook: Stable
Affected debt: $474.5 million
Agency: Standard & Poor's
Remarks: Upgraded from AA- because of its ability to maintain the balance sheet while investing in new revenue enhancing projects.
Down
Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown, PA
Rating: BBB+
Outlook: Stable
Affected debt: $66.1 million
Agency: Standard & Poor's
Remarks: Downgraded from A- because of concerns regarding the hospital's light financial profile for the higher rating, exacerbated by new debt issuance that will add $60 million of incremental debt.
-Philip Betbeze

- Survey: Many doctors plan to quit or cut back
- Health insurers offer to accept all applicants, on condition
- HCA job cuts may affect 100 employees
- What's Your Brand?
- Good Thing Hospitals Are Closing
- Ted Kennedy asks Hillary Clinton to head Senate healthcare team
- Political temperature may be just right for healthcare overhaul
- Kennedy announces plan to submit bill for universal care
- Moody's reports question health of healthcare industry
- Report: Fundamentals of Healthcare Will Change by 2020