SAN FRANCISCO (Standard&Poor's) April 11, 2006--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services assigned its 'A-1+' short-term rating to Ascension Health, Mo.'s $250 million taxable, extendible CP notes and affirmed its 'A-1+' rating on the system's traditional taxable CP notes, reflecting Ascension Health's 'AA' long-term rating, which was recently affirmed, and good levels of liquidity, including a short-term fund that provides support to the extendible CP program. "Ascension Health has committed several sources of funds, including its short-term fund and long-term fund, to support its extendible commercial paper program as well as its outstanding unenhanced variable-rate bonds," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Lisa Zuckerman. "The short-term fund has assets of approximately $529 million, and the long-term fund consists of approximately
