N.J. nonprofit hospitals lag U.S.

New Jersey's nonprofit hospitals are financially weaker than elsewhere in the country, with increasing competition, a growing number of patients relying on government programs and below-average cash reserves, a recent report said.

Moody's Investors Service cast a dim view of the state's hospitals in a review released this week, finding that with so much competition, there will be "more closures, payment defaults, or bankruptcy filings over the next couple of years by hospitals that cannot manage expenses and invest in long-term strategies."