EXHIBIT 99.1




HCA                                                                   NEWS
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                                                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INVESTOR CONTACT:                                              MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Kimbrough                                                 Jeff Prescott
615-344-2688                                                   615-344-5708

                    HCA PREVIEWS FOURTH QUARTER 2005 RESULTS

NASHVILLE, TENN., JANUARY 13, 2006 - HCA (NYSE: HCA) announced today it expects
its financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2005 to
approximate $0.72 to $0.76 per diluted share and $3.17 to $3.21 per diluted
share, respectively. On October 25, 2005, the Company issued guidance of $3.10
to $3.20 per diluted share for the full year 2005. In 2004, HCA reported diluted
earnings per share of $0.70 for the fourth quarter and $2.58 for the full year.

Financial results for the fourth quarter of 2005 include a pretax gain on the
sale of facilities of $49 million, or $0.04 per diluted share (October 25, 2005
guidance assumed a gain of approximately $0.05 per diluted share) and a
reduction in the Company's estimated professional liability insurance reserves
of $47 million, or $0.07 per diluted share (October 25, 2005 guidance assumed a
benefit of approximately $0.03 per diluted share).

During the fourth quarter of 2005, the Company also incurred additional expenses
of approximately $27 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, associated with
non-insured costs related to its facilities that were affected by hurricanes.
These costs (which were not reflected in our October 25, 2005 guidance) include
an increase in the reserve for doubtful accounts of $7 million for uninsured
patient accounts receivable related to our New Orleans market facilities.

The Company expects to report revenues of $6.2 billion for the fourth quarter
and $24.5 billion for the year ended December 31, 2005, compared to $5.9 billion
and $23.5 billion, respectively, in the same periods of 2004. Same facility
revenues increased approximately 4.8 percent and same facility revenue per
equivalent admission increased 4.1 percent for the fourth quarter of 2005 (8.1
percent when adjusted for uninsured discounts), compared to the prior year's
fourth quarter. The Company initiated a discount program for the uninsured which
became effective January 1, 2005.

The provision for doubtful accounts for the fourth quarter of 2005 is expected
to approximate $625 million, or 10.1 percent of revenues, compared to $626
million, or 10.5 percent of revenues in the fourth quarter of 2004. The
Company's provision for doubtful accounts, adjusted to add $235 million of
uninsured discounts to both the provision for doubtful accounts and revenues,
totaled approximately $860 million, or 13.4 percent of revenues, in the fourth
quarter of 2005. Charity care and discounts provided to the uninsured in the
fourth quarter of 2005 were $281 million and $235 million, respectively,
compared to charity care of $248 million in the prior year's fourth quarter.
Same facility uninsured admissions increased by approximately 2,900 admissions,
or approximately 15 percent, in the fourth quarter of 2005, compared to the
fourth quarter of 2004.






Preliminary volume statistics indicate that same facility equivalent admissions
increased 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2005, while same facility
admissions increased 0.3 percent. For the full year, same facility equivalent
admissions increased 1.4 percent, while same facility admissions grew
approximately 0.1 percent.

The Company repurchased 36.7 million shares of its common stock, at a total cost
of approximately $1.849 billion, during the fourth quarter of 2005. Common
shares outstanding at December 31, 2005 were 417.5 million, compared to 422.6
million at the end of 2004. Shares used for computing diluted earnings per share
approximated 440.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2005, compared to 458.5
million in the fourth quarter of 2004.

The Company's effective tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2005 approximated
36.2 percent, compared to 33.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2004.

Today, the Company reiterated its prior earnings guidance for 2006 in a range of
$3.25 to $3.45 per diluted share. The following items are included in the
Company's 2006 earnings guidance:

     -    An estimated $0.10 to $0.11 per diluted share benefit from the $1.44
          billion repurchase of 28.7 million shares completed in November 2005
          through its modified "Dutch" auction tender offer.

     -    Additional compensation costs of approximately $45 million, or $0.07
          per diluted share, due to the implementation on January 1, 2006, of
          FASB Statement No. 123(R), "Share-Based Payment".

     -    Anticipated completion of the sale of 5 hospitals to LifePoint
          Hospitals, Inc. for a gain of approximately $105 million pretax, or
          $0.15 per diluted share, during the first quarter of 2006.

     -    Revenue increase of approximately 6 to 7 percent on a same facility
          basis.

     -    Continuing increases in uninsured admissions, resulting in increases
          in the Company's provision for doubtful accounts.

Numerous other factors, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to
control or predict, will determine the Company's actual results in 2006.
Management believes the most significant of such factors are hospital inpatient
and outpatient volumes, levels of uninsured patients receiving services at the
Company's facilities, the ability to collect uninsured accounts and deductibles
and co-pay amounts for insured accounts, and the potential adverse impact from
hurricanes or other disasters.

HCA plans to report final results for its fourth quarter and full year 2005 on
February 1, 2006 and will hold a conference call and web-cast to discuss the
fourth quarter and full year 2005 results.


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              CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

         This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current
management expectations. Those forward-looking statements include all statements
other than those made solely




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with respect to historical fact, including our guidance for future periods and
our estimated results of operations for the quarter and year ended December 31,
2005, which are subject to finalization and contingencies associated with the
Company's year-end financial and accounting procedures. Numerous risks,
uncertainties and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially
from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. These factors include,
but are not limited to (i) the increased leverage resulting from the financing
of the Company's modified "Dutch" auction tender offer, (ii) increases in the
amount and risk of collectability of uninsured accounts and deductibles and
co-pay amounts for insured accounts, (iii) the ability to achieve operating and
financial targets and achieve expected levels of patient volumes and control the
costs of providing services, (iv) the highly competitive nature of the health
care business, (v) the continuing impact of hurricanes on the Company's
facilities and the ability to obtain recoveries under the Company's insurance
policies, (vi) the efforts of insurers, health care providers and others to
contain health care costs, (vii) possible changes in the Medicare, Medicaid and
other state programs that may impact reimbursements to health care providers and
insurers, (viii) the outcome of governmental investigations by the United States
Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the SEC, (ix) the ability to
attract and retain qualified management and personnel, including affiliated
physicians, nurses and medical support personnel, (x) potential liabilities and
other claims that may be asserted against the Company, (xi) fluctuations in the
market value of the Company's common stock, (xii) the impact of the Company's
charity care and uninsured discounting policy changes, (xiii) changes in
accounting practices, (xiv) changes in general economic conditions, (xv) future
divestitures which may result in charges, (xvi) changes in revenue mix and the
ability to enter into and renew managed care provider arrangements on acceptable
terms, (xvii) the availability and terms of capital to fund the expansion of the
Company's business, (xviii) changes in business strategy or development plans,
(xix) delays in receiving payments for services provided, (xx) the possible
enactment of federal or state health care reform, (xxi) the outcome of pending
and any future tax audits, appeals and litigation associated with the Company's
tax positions, (xxii) the outcome of the Company's continuing efforts to
monitor, maintain and comply with appropriate laws, regulations, policies and
procedures and the Company's corporate integrity agreement with the government,
(xxiii) changes in federal, state or local regulations affecting the health care
industry, (xxiv) the ability of the Company to successfully consummate the
hospital divestitures to LifePoint Hospitals Inc. on a timely basis and in
accordance with the definitive agreement entered into in connection therewith,
(xxv) the ability to develop and implement the payroll and human resources
information systems within the expected time and cost projections and, upon
implementation, to realize the expected benefits and efficiencies, (xxvi) the
outcome of certain class action and derivative litigation filed with respect to
the Company, and (xxvii) other risk factors detailed in the Company's filings
with the SEC. Many of the factors that will determine the Company's future
results are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict. In light of
the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements
contained herein, 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.




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