Community Health Systems Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire Majority Ownership of La Porte and Knox, Indiana Hospitals

FRANKLIN, Tenn.--()--Community Health Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CYH) announced today that subsidiaries of the Company have executed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority ownership of 227-bed IU Health La Porte Hospital in La Porte and 50-bed IU Health Starke Hospital in northwestern Indiana. The subsidiaries will assume 80 percent ownership of the hospitals and Indiana University Health will have 20 percent.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Wayne T. Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Community Health Systems, Inc., said, “We will support the work of these hospitals to improve the overall health of their communities by investing capital and expanding resources for physicians and employees to deliver high quality care. Economic development efforts in Northwest Indiana between Valparaiso and South Bend and a new relationship with IU Health make these hospitals strong additions to our network of facilities.”

With the addition of La Porte and Starke hospitals, Community Health Systems affiliates will operate 11 hospitals in Indiana.

About Community Health Systems, Inc.

Community Health Systems, Inc. is one of the largest publicly-traded hospital companies in the United States and a leading operator of general acute care hospitals in communities across the country. Through its subsidiaries, the Company currently owns, leases or operates 197 affiliated hospitals in 29 states with an aggregate of approximately 30,000 licensed beds. The Company has announced plans for a spin-off transaction to create a new, publicly traded company, Quorum Health Corporation, with 38 affiliated hospitals and related outpatient services in 16 states, together with Quorum Health Resources, LLC, a subsidiary providing management and consulting services to non-affiliated hospitals. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2016. The Company’s headquarters are located in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb south of Nashville. Shares in Community Health Systems, Inc. are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CYH.” More information about the Company can be found on its website at www.chs.net.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this news release regarding expected operating results, acquisition transactions or divestitures and other events are forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties. Actual future events or results may differ materially from these statements. Readers are referred to the documents filed by Community Health Systems, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, current reports on Form 8-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. These filings identify important risk factors and other uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts

Community Health Systems, Inc.
Investor Contact:
W. Larry Cash, 615-465-7000
President of Financial Services and Chief Financial Officer
or
Media Contact:
Tomi Galin, 615-628-6607
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs

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Contacts

Community Health Systems, Inc.
Investor Contact:
W. Larry Cash, 615-465-7000
President of Financial Services and Chief Financial Officer
or
Media Contact:
Tomi Galin, 615-628-6607
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs