NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) Oct. 6, 1999--Standard&Poor's today assigned its double-'A' rating to $1.7 billion revenue bonds series 1999A and double-'A/A-1'-plus rating to $700 million variable-rate revenue bonds series 1999B issued by various issuers for Ascension Health—a new health system formed by the combination of the Daughters of Charity National Health System (DCNHS-historically rated double-'A'-plus) and the Michigan-based Sisters of St. Joseph (SSJ-four different health systems under one umbrella). The bonds are scheduled to sell Oct. 12, 1999. In addition, Standard&Poor's lowered its rating on debt formerly secured by the Daughters of Charity that is now secured by Ascension Health (see list below). Standard&Poor's double-'A' rating is the third highest long-term debt
