On Jan. 22, 2009, Standard&Poor's Rating Services assigned its preliminary 'B' senior unsecured debt, preliminary 'B-' subordinated debt, and preliminary 'CCC+' preferred stock ratings to Community Health Systems Inc.'s (CHS) Rule 415 shelf registration. This filing falls under the SEC's well-known seasoned issuer (WKSI) rules, which do not require a dollar amount of securities to be registered. The company expects to use proceeds from any future potential drawdowns for its operations and for other general corporate purposes, including repayment or refinancing of borrowings, working capital, capital expenditures, investments, acquisitions and the repurchase of its outstanding securities. The corporate credit rating on Franklin, Tenn.-based CHS is 'B+' and the rating outlook is stable. The rating continues to reflect its
