Community Health Systems, Inc. Announces Proposed Public Offering by Selling Stockholders.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2004

Community Health Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CYH) today announced that it intends to file a preliminary prospectus supplement with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering the public offering by affiliates of Forstmann Little & Co. and other stockholders of the Company, including members of management, of up to 23,400,870 shares of Common Stock. Affiliates of Forstmann Little & Co. and some of the other selling stockholders will also grant the underwriters of the proposed offering a 30-day option to purchase up to 3,510,130 shares to cover over allotments, if any. The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders.

Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Merrill Lynch & Co. will be the co-lead managers for the offering. Banc of America Securities LLC, JPMorgan, Citigroup, UBS Investment Bank and Wachovia Securities will be the co-managers for the offering.

The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus and the related prospectus supplement. When available copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from the offices of Goldman, Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, [phone], or Merrill Lynch & Co., World Financial Center - North Tower, 250 Vesey Street, New York, New York 10281, [phone].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Located in the Nashville, Tennessee suburb of Brentwood, Community Health Systems is a leading operator of general acute care hospitals in non-urban communities throughout the country. Through its subsidiaries, the Company currently owns, leases or operates 72 hospitals in 22 states. Its hospitals offer a broad range of inpatient medical and surgical services, outpatient treatment and skilled nursing care. Shares in Community Health Systems, Inc. are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CYH."