Health Management to partner with five Oklahoma hospitals

Health Management Associates, Inc. (NYSE: HMA) today announced that it has executed a definitive agreement to joint venture five Oklahoma hospitals. The transaction is subject to normal and customary regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed by March 1, 2012.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with Integris Health and broaden our network of services in Oklahoma”

The Oklahoma hospitals to be joint ventured include: 53-bed Integris Blackwell Regional Hospital, located in Blackwell; 64-bed Integris Clinton Regional Hospital, located in Clinton; 25-bed Integris Marshall County Medical Center, located in Madill; 52-bed Integris Mayes County Medical Center, located in Pryor; and 32-bed Integris Seminole Medical Center, located in Seminole. Combined, these five hospitals total 226 licensed beds and generated approximately $95 million of revenue over the last twelve months. Under the joint venture, Health Management will own an 80% controlling interest in these five hospitals and will manage their operations.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with Integris Health and broaden our network of services in Oklahoma," said Gary D. Newsome, President and Chief Executive Officer of Health Management. "We are looking forward to working together with the physicians, medical professionals, and hospitals staffs to continue their more than 50 year history of delivering high quality health care to Oklahomans throughout the state. We will work together with Integris to enhance patient outcomes, improve access and enable America's best local health care in each of these respective hospitals."

Health Management enables America's best local health care by providing the people, processes, capital and expertise necessary for its hospital and physician partners to fulfill their local missions of delivering superior health care services. Health Management, through its subsidiaries, upon completion of this transaction, will operate 71 hospitals, with approximately 10,700 licensed beds, in non-urban communities located throughout the United States.

All references to "Health Management" and the "Company" used in this release refer to Health Management Associates, Inc. and its affiliates.