Butler Health System lost more than 43 million dollars in the last fiscal year. Its merger partner, Excela Health, lost 36 million. Combined, what is now Independence Health System more than doubled last year’s losses. System leaders blame pandemic aftershocks, inflation, low reimbursements from Medicaid and Medicare and an aging population. The Tribune-Review reports Independence is cutting jobs, reducing its use of agency nurses, moving to more generic drugs and reevaluating supply chain contracts and vendors.