EXHIBIT 20 [LOGO OF COLUMBIA/HCA APPEARS HERE] NEWS - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE INVESTOR CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT: MARK KIMBROUGH (615)344-2688 JEFF PRESCOTT (615)344-5708 COLUMBIA/HCA FILES FORM 10 REGISTRATION WITH SEC ON PROPOSED SPIN-OFFS SPIN-OFFS TO BE NAMED LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. AND TRIAD HOSPITALS, INC. NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, DECEMBER 14, 1998 --- Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: COL) today announced that it has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission the Form 10 Registration Statements related to the proposed tax free spin-off to Columbia/HCA shareholders of LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. and Triad Hospitals, Inc., formerly known as the America and Pacific Groups, respectively. In August, the Company filed a ruling request with the Internal Revenue Service requesting approval for tax free spin-offs of the two hospital groups. LifePoint is currently comprised of 22 non-urban hospitals, and 1 non- consolidating joint venture with revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 1998 of approximately $366 million. LifePoint hospitals are located in non- urban areas in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming. Triad is currently comprised of 42 hospitals, 1 non-consolidating joint venture and 19 surgery centers with revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 1998 of approximately $1.4 billion. Triad hospitals are primarily located in the Southwestern United States, with approximately three-quarters of Triad's hospitals located in small cities. The remainder of Triad's hospitals are located in larger urban areas. Triad hospitals are located in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas. Subject to final approval from the Internal Revenue Service and various regulatory approvals, the Company anticipates that the spin-offs could be completed by the end of the first quarter or early during the second quarter of 1999. * * * This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current management expectations. Numerous factors exist which may cause results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Many of the factors that will determine the Company's future results are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and, therefore, actual results may differ materially. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management's views only as of the date hereof. 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. Readers should also carefully review the risk factors and uncertainties as detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All references to `Columbia/HCA' or `Company' refer to Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation and/or its affiliates, as applicable. LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FACILITY NAME CITY STATE LICENSED BEDS Andalusia Regional Hospital Andalusia AL 101 Bartow Memorial Hospital (1) Bartow FL 56 Barrow Medical Center Winder GA 60 Western Plains Regional Hospital (2) Dodge City KS 110 Halstead Hospital Halstead KS 177 Georgetown Community Hospital Georgetown KY 75 Pine Lake Regional Hospital Mayfield KY 106 Meadowview Regional Medical Center Maysville KY 111 Bourbon Community Hospital Paris KY 58 Logan Memorial Hospital Russellville KY 100 Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital Somerset KY 227 Riverview Medical Center Gonzales LA 104 Springhill Medical Center Springhill LA 63 Smith County Memorial Hospital Carthage TN 63 Trinity Hospital Erin TN 40 Crockett General Hospital Lawrenceburg TN 107 Livingston Regional Hospital Livingston TN 116 Hillside Hospital Pulaski TN 95 Emerald-Hodgson Hospital Sewanee TN 24 Southern Tennessee Medical Center Winchester TN 126 Castleview Hospital Price UT 84 Ashley Valley Medical Center Vernal UT 39 Riverton Memorial Hospital Riverton WY 70 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) LifePoint manages this hospital and holds a minority equity interest in a non-consolidated joint venture that is building a replacement hospital for the Bartow Memorial Hospital. (2) LifePoint holds a majority equity interest in a consolidated joint venture which owns Western Plains Regional Hospital. 2 TRIAD HOSPITALS - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FACILITY CITY STATE LICENSED BEDS Crestwood Medical Center Huntsville AL 120 DeQueen Regional Medical Center DeQueen AR 122 Medical Center of South Arkansas (1) El Dorado AR 360 Medical Park Hospital Hope AR 91 Medical Center - Phoenix Phoenix AZ 290 Paradise Valley Hospital Phoenix AZ 143 El Dorado Hospital Tucson AZ 166 Northwest Medical Center Tucson AZ 174 Paradise Valley Psychiatric Services Scottsdale AZ 19 San Leandro Hospital San Leandro CA 136 West Anaheim Community Hospital Anaheim CA 219 Healdsburg General Hospital Healdsburg CA** 43 Huntington Beach Hospital Huntington Beach CA 134 Mission Bay Hospital San Diego CA 128 Palm Drive Hospital Sebastopol CA* 49 Bethany Medical Center Kansas City KS* 415 Overland Park Regional Medical Center Overland Park KS* 360 Women & Children's Hospital Lake Charles LA 80 Independence Regional Health Center Independence MO* 366 Research Psychiatric Center (2) Kansas City MO* 100 Medical Center of Carlsbad Carlsbad NM 135 Lea Regional Hospital Hobbs NM 250 Claremore Regional Hospital Claremore OK 89 Wagoner Community Hospital (3) Wagoner OK 100 Doctors Hospital - Tulsa Tulsa OK* 199 Tulsa Regional Medical Center Tulsa OK* 462 Willamette Valley Medical Center McMinnville OR 80 Douglas Medical Center Roseburg OR 118 Alice Physicians and Surgeons Hospital Alice TX 131 Brownwood Regional Medical Center (3) Brownwood TX 218 College Station Medical Center College Station TX 119 Navarro Regional Hospital Corsicana TX 168 Doctors Hospital of Laredo Laredo TX 117 Longview Regional Medical Center Longview TX 164 Woodland Heights Medical Center Lufkin TX 127 Medical Center of Pampa Pampa TX 107 San Angelo Community Medical Center San Angelo TX 165 Community Medical Center - Sherman Sherman TX 160 Medical Center at Terrell (3) Terrell TX 130 Detar Hospital Victoria TX 217 Gulf Coast Medical Center Wharton TX 161 Beaumont Regional Medical Center Beaumont TX* 366 Silsbee Doctors Hospital Silsbee TX* 69 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Indicates facility held for sale. ** Indicates facility sold in November 1998. (1) Triad holds a fifty percent equity interest in a non-consolidated joint venture which owns the Medical Center of S. Ark. (2) Triad holds a sixty percent equity interest in a consolidated joint venture which owns the Research Psychiatric Center. (3) Triad currently leases each of these hospitals. 3