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Commission action regarding applications for prior approval of transactions: Following a public comment period, the FTC has ruled on an application from the following:

The FTC has approved the application of Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation to divest the North Okaloosa Medical Center and related assets in Crestview, Florida, to Community Health Systems, Inc., of Brentwood, Tennessee. Columbia/HCA is based in Nashville. The divestiture was one of seven required under a 1995 consent order settling FTC charges over Columbia/HCA’s acquisition of Healthtrust, Inc., and is intended to restore competition allegedly injured by the merger (see April 21, 1995 news release regarding the consent order; Docket No. C-3619; Commission vote 5-0).

Copies of the documents referenced above are available from the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710. FTC news releases and other materials also are available on the Internet at the FTC’s World Wide Web site at: http://www.ftc.gov