Exhibit 99


  LifePoint Hospitals Reaches Agreement with HCA for Purchase of Four Hospitals


       BRENTWOOD, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 2006--LifePoint Hospitals,
Inc. (NASDAQ: LPNT) today announced that it had reached an agreement with HCA
(NYSE: HCA) on a modification of its previously announced agreement. Under the
terms of the modified agreement, LifePoint will acquire three hospitals in West
Virginia and one in Virginia for a purchase price of $239 million plus specific
working capital, including inventory and the assumption of paid time off, as
defined in the new agreement. The transaction is subject to certain closing
conditions and is expected to close by June 30, 2006.
       The four facilities to be acquired are 200-bed Clinch Valley Medical
Center, Richlands, Virginia; 325-bed St. Joseph's Hospital, Parkersburg, West
Virginia; 155-bed Saint Francis Hospital, Charleston, W. Virginia; and 369-bed
Raleigh General Hospital, Beckley, West Virginia. Simultaneously with the
closing of the transaction, LifePoint Hospitals will classify St. Joseph's
Hospital and Saint Francis Hospital as assets held for sale. The modified
agreement excludes 68-bed Putnam General Hospital, Hurricane, West Virginia,
which will continue to be owned by HCA.
       In commenting on the announcement, Kenneth C. Donahey, president and
chief executive officer of LifePoint Hospitals, said, "We are pleased to
announce the modification of this agreement with HCA, and we believe the new
terms of the agreement represent an excellent opportunity for LifePoint. This
transaction will provide LifePoint with additional operating synergies and
economies of scale in Virginia and West Virginia, especially given that we share
common systems with HCA. We look forward to working closely with the
administration and healthcare professionals of these hospitals to seamlessly add
these facilities to the LifePoint family in a manner benefiting LifePoint, its
shareholders and the communities served by these hospitals."
       LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. is a leading hospital company focused on
providing healthcare services in non-urban communities. Of the Company's 49
hospitals, 47 are in communities where LifePoint Hospitals is the sole community
hospital provider. LifePoint Hospitals' non-urban operating strategy offers
continued operational improvement by focusing on its five core values:
delivering compassionate, high quality patient care, supporting physicians,
creating excellent workplaces for its employees, providing community value and
ensuring fiscal responsibility. Headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, LifePoint
Hospitals is affiliated with approximately 19,000 employees.

       Important Legal Information

       This release includes forward-looking statements based on current
management expectations. Numerous factors exist which may cause results to
differ from these expectations. Many of the factors that will determine
LifePoint Hospitals' future results are beyond LifePoint Hospitals' ability to
control or predict with accuracy. Such forward-looking statements reflect the
current expectations and beliefs of the management of LifePoint Hospitals, are
not guarantees of performance of LifePoint Hospitals, and are subject to a
number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause
actual results to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements may also be subject to other risks and
uncertainties, including, without limitation, (i) the possibility that problems
may arise in successfully integrating the businesses of LifePoint Hospitals and
Province and achieving cost-cutting synergies or the ability to acquire
hospitals on favorable terms and complete budgeted capital improvements
successfully; (ii) reduction in payments to healthcare providers by government
and commercial third-party payors, as well as changes in the manner in which
employers provide healthcare coverage to their employees; (iii) the possibility
of adverse changes in, and requirements of, applicable laws, regulations,
policies and procedures, including those required by LifePoint Hospitals'
corporate integrity agreement; (iv) the ability to manage healthcare risks,
including malpractice litigation, and the lack of state and federal tort reform;
(v) the availability, cost and terms of insurance coverage; (vi) the highly
competitive nature of the healthcare business, including the competition to
recruit and retain physicians and other healthcare professionals; (vii) the
ability to attract and retain qualified management and personnel; (viii) the
geographic concentration of LifePoint Hospitals' operations; (ix) changes in the
Company's operating or expansion strategy; (x) the ability to operate and
integrate newly acquired facilities successfully; (xi) the availability and
terms of capital to fund LifePoint Hospitals' business strategies; (xii) changes
in LifePoint Hospitals' liquidity or the amount or terms of its indebtedness and
in its credit ratings; (xiii) the potential adverse impact of government
investigations and litigation involving the business practices of healthcare
providers, including whistleblowers investigations; (xiv) changes in or
interpretations of generally accepted accounting principles or practices; (xv)
volatility in the market value of LifePoint Hospitals' common stock; (xvi)
changes in general economic conditions in the markets LifePoint Hospitals
serves; (xvii) LifePoint Hospitals' reliance on information technology systems
maintained by HCA Inc.; (xviii) the costs of complying with the Americans with
Disabilities Act; (xix) possible adverse rulings, judgments, settlements and
other outcomes of pending litigation; (xx) the ability to successfully acquire,
operate and integrate the facilities anticipated to be acquired from HCA under
the modified agreement, as well as the timing of the closing of the transaction;
and (xxi) those risks and uncertainties described from time to time in LifePoint
Hospitals' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Therefore,
LifePoint Hospitals' future results may differ materially from those described
in this release. LifePoint Hospitals undertakes no obligation to update any
forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

       All references to "LifePoint Hospitals" as used throughout this release
refer to LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. and its subsidiaries.


       CONTACT: LifePoint Hospitals, Inc.
                Michael J. Culotta, 615-372-8512