Feb 1, 2019

Dignity Health, Catholic Health Initiatives complete merger

A hospital owned by Catholic Health Initiatives in Colorado. Photo: Craig F. Walker/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Dignity Health and Catholic Health Initiatives officially merged Friday under the new hospital system name CommonSpirit Health, after roughly 2.5 years of negotiations.

The big picture: The organization, which passed reviews from antitrust regulators and Catholic Church leaders, is now one of the largest not-for-profit health systems, with 142 hospitals, 25,000 physicians and $29 billion in annual revenue. However, CHI is still struggling financially, recording $870 million in operating losses over its past two fiscal years. And research suggests the merger won't save a lot on routine costs.

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Dave Lawler, author of World
1 hour ago - World

Special report: Trump's hopes of nuclear deal with Putin come down to the wire

Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios

A surprise offer from Vladimir Putin has the U.S. and Russia once again circling a potential pre-election nuclear deal.

The big picture: The last treaty constraining the U.S. and Russia, New START, is due to expire on Feb. 5, 2021, two weeks after the next U.S. presidential inauguration. For the first time since the height of the Cold War, the nuclear guardrails could come off.

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Margaret Talev, Alexi McCammond
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

The cliffhanger could be ... Georgia

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

It hasn't backed a Democrat for president since 1992, but Georgia's changing demographics may prove pivotal this year — not only to Trump v. Biden, but also to whether Democrats take control of the Senate.

Why it matters: If the fate of the Senate did hinge on Georgia, it might be January before we know the outcome. Meanwhile, voters' understanding of this power in the final days of the election could juice turnout enough to impact presidential results.

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Amy Harder, author of Generate
7 hours ago - Energy & Environment

Climate change goes mainstream in presidential debate

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty

The most notable part of Thursday’s presidential debate on climate change was the fact it was included as a topic and assumed as a fact.

The big picture: This is the first time in U.S. presidential history that climate change was a featured issue at a debate. It signals how the problem has become part of the fabric of our society. More extreme weather, like the wildfires ravaging Colorado, is pushing the topic to the front-burner.

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