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                                                                     EXHIBIT 1.2


                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

                                     (TERMS)

                             ----------------------

                                  $750,000,000

                          8.750% Senior Notes due 2010

                             ----------------------



                                 August 18, 2000

HCA - The Healthcare Company
One Park Plaza
Nashville, Tennessee 37203

Dear Sirs/Madams:

         The underwriters set forth below (the "Underwriters"), for which Chase
Securities Inc. and Goldman, Sachs & Co. are acting as Managers (the
"Managers"), understand that HCA - The Healthcare Company (f/k/a Columbia/HCA
Healthcare Corporation), a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to
issue and sell $750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 8.750% Senior
Notes due September 1, 2010 (the "Offered Securities"). The Offered Securities
will be issued pursuant to the provisions of an Indenture dated as of December
16, 1993, as supplemented (the "Indenture"), between the Company and Bank One
Trust Company, N.A. (f/k/a The First National Bank of Chicago), as trustee (the
"Trustee").

         Subject to the terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by
reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell and the Underwriters agree
to purchase, severally and not jointly, the respective principal amounts of the
Offered Securities set forth below opposite their names at a purchase price of
98.405% of the principal amount of the Offered Securities.


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                                                              Principal Amount
                                                                     of
                                                             Offered Securities
                                                             ------------------
                                                          
         Chase Securities Inc. ............................     $262,500,000
         Goldman, Sachs & Co. .............................      262,500,000
         Banc of America Securities LLC ...................       30,000,000
         Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. ....................       30,000,000
         Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated       30,000,000
         Salomon Smith Barney Inc. ........................       30,000,000
         Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. ........................       30,000,000
         Banc One Capital Markets, Inc. ...................       15,000,000
         BNY Capital Markets, Inc. ........................       15,000,000
         FleetBoston Robertson Stephens Inc. ..............       15,000,000
         SunTrust Equitable Securities Corporation ........       15,000,000
         TD Securities (USA) Inc. .........................       15,000,000
                                                                ------------
                  Total ...................................     $750,000,000
                                                                ============


         The Underwriters will pay for the Offered Securities upon delivery
thereof at the offices of Chase Securities Inc. or through the facilities of the
Depository Trust Company at 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on August 23, 2000 (the
"Closing Date").

         The Offered Securities shall have the terms set forth in the Prospectus
dated August 5, 1999, and the Prospectus Supplement dated August 18, 2000,
including the following:


                                          
         Public Offering Price:              99.530% of principal amount

         Purchase Price:                     98.405% of principal amount

         Maturity Date:                      September 1, 2010

         Interest Rate:                      8.750%

         Redemption Provisions:              The Company may, at its option,
                                             redeem the Offered Securities at
                                             any time at the price described in
                                             the Prospectus Supplement.

         Interest Payment Dates:             March 1 and September 1 of each
                                             year, commencing March 1, 2001.
                                             Interest accrues from the
                                             settlement date.

         Current Ratings:                    Standard & Poor's Ratings
                                             Service -- BB+ Moody's Investors
                                             Service, Inc. -- Ba2




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         All provisions contained in the document entitled Underwriting
Agreement Standard Provisions (Debt Securities), a copy of which is attached
hereto, are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein and shall be
deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions
had been set forth in full herein, except that (i) if any term defined in such
document is otherwise defined herein, the definition set forth herein shall
control, (ii) all references in such document to a type of security that is not
an Offered Security shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement, and
(iii) all references in such document to a type of agreement that has not been
entered into in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall not
be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.

         As evidenced by the Company's countersignature of this Agreement, the
Company hereby confirms its engagement of the services of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
as, and Goldman, Sachs & Co. hereby confirms its agreement with the Company to
render services as, a "qualified independent underwriter," within the meaning of
Section (b)(15) of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., with respect to the offering and sale of the Offered
Securities. As compensation for the services of Goldman, Sachs & Co. hereunder
as a "qualified independent underwriter," the Company agrees to pay Goldman,
Sachs & Co. $10,000 on the Closing Date. In addition, the Company agrees
promptly to reimburse Goldman, Sachs & Co. for all out-of-pocket expenses,
including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in connection
with the services to be rendered hereunder as a "qualified independent
underwriter."

         Goldman, Sachs & Co. hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees
with, the Company and the Underwriters that with respect to the offering and
sale of the Offered Securities as described in the Prospectus and Prospectus
Supplement:

         (i)      Goldman, Sachs & Co. constitutes a "qualified independent
                  underwriter" within the meaning of Section (b)(15) of Rule
                  2720 of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of
                  Securities Dealers, Inc.;

         (ii)     Goldman, Sachs & Co. has participated in the preparation of
                  the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus
                  Supplement and has exercised the usual standards of "due
                  diligence" in respect thereto;

         (iii)    Goldman, Sachs & Co. has undertaken the legal responsibilities
                  and liabilities of an underwriter under the Securities Act of
                  1933, as amended, specifically including those inherent in
                  Section 11 thereof;

         (iv)     Based upon (A) a review of the Company, including an
                  examination of the Registration Statement, information
                  regarding the earnings, assets, capital structure and growth
                  rate of the Company and other pertinent financial and
                  statistical data, (B) inquiries of and conferences with the
                  management of the Company and its counsel and independent
                  public accountants regarding the business and operations of
                  the Company, (C) consideration of the prospects for the
                  industry in which the Company competes, estimates of the
                  business potential of the Company, assessments



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                  of its management, the general condition of the securities
                  markets, market prices of the capital stock and debt
                  securities of, and financial and operating data concerning,
                  companies believed by Goldman, Sachs & Co. to be comparable to
                  the Company with debt securities of maturity and seniority
                  similar to the Offered Securities and the demand for
                  securities of comparable companies similar to the Offered
                  Securities, and (D) such other studies, analyses and
                  investigations as Goldman, Sachs & Co. has deemed appropriate,
                  and assuming that the offering and sale of the Offered
                  Securities is made as contemplated herein and in the
                  Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
                  recommends, as of the date of the execution and delivery of
                  this Agreement, that the yield on the Offered Securities be
                  not less than 8.750%, which minimum yield should in no way be
                  considered or relied upon as an indication of the value of the
                  Offered Securities; and

         (v)      Goldman, Sachs & Co. will furnish to the Underwriters at the
                  time of delivery of the Offered Securities a letter, dated the
                  time of delivery of the Offered Securities, in form and
                  substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, to the effect of
                  clauses (i) through (iv) above.

         Goldman, Sachs & Co. hereby agrees with the Company and the
Underwriters that, as part of its services hereunder, in the event of any
amendment or supplement to either the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement,
Goldman, Sachs & Co. will render services as a "qualified independent
underwriter," in accordance with Rule 2710 of the Conduct Rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., as such term is defined in Section
(b)(15) of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. with respect to the offering and sale of the Offered
Securities as described in either the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement,
as so amended or supplemented, that are substantially the same as those services
being rendered with respect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities
as described in the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement (including those
described above).

         The Company agrees to cooperate with Goldman, Sachs & Co. to enable it
to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement.




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         Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a
copy of this Underwriting Agreement in the space set forth below.


                                    Very truly yours,

                                    Chase Securities Inc.
                                    Goldman, Sachs & Co.
                                    Banc of America Securities LLC
                                    Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
                                    Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                                      Incorporated
                                    Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
                                    Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.
                                    Banc One Capital Markets, Inc.
                                    BNY Capital Markets, Inc.
                                    FleetBoston Robertson Stephens Inc.
                                    SunTrust Equitable Securities Corporation
                                    TD Securities (USA) Inc.

                                    By: Chase Securities Inc.


                                        By:    /s/ Melanie Shugart
                                               ---------------------------------
                                        Name:  Melanie Shugart
                                               ---------------------------------
                                        Title: Managing Director
                                               ---------------------------------

                                    By: Goldman, Sachs & Co.


                                               /s/ Goldman, Sachs & Co.
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                 (Goldman, Sachs & Co.)
Accepted:

HCA - The Healthcare Company



By:      /s/ David G. Anderson
         ----------------------------------
Name:    David G. Anderson
         ----------------------------------
Title:   Senior Vice President -- Finance
         and Treasurer
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