Fitch: Wellmont Health System to Acquire 2 Hospitals from HMA

Business Wire, June 5, 2007

NEW YORK -- Wellmont Health System (Wellmont) has executed a definitive agreement to acquire Mountain View Regional Medical Center, a 133-bed hospital located in Norton, VA, and Lee Regional Medical Center, a 50-bed hospital located in Pennington Gap, VA, from Health Management Associates, Inc. (long term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of 'BB-' by Fitch). No other details of the plan are known at this time. The transaction is scheduled to be completed on or about Aug. 1, 2007, pending regulatory approval. Fitch is withholding rating action until it meets with Wellmont's management in June 2007 and is able to assess the impact of these two acquisitions, along with (i) acquisition of Jenkins Community Hospital, a 25-bed critical access hospital located in Jenkins, KY, and (ii) affiliation of Takoma Regional Hospital, an Adventist Health System (rated 'A ' by Fitch) hospital, located in Greeneville, TN, both of which were announced in May 2007, on Wellmont's operational and financial profiles. Fitch will continue to provide updated information as it becomes available. Wellmont is currently rated 'BBB ' by Fitch with a Stable Outlook.

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