UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

Form 11-K

 

 

 

FOR ANNUAL REPORTS OF EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE, SAVINGS

AND SIMILAR PLANS PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE

 SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

(Mark One)

þ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
   
  For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011
   
or
 
¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
   
  For the transition period from                   to

 

Commission file number: 000-51251

 

Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from that of the issuer listed below:

 

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Retirement Plan

 

Name of the issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of its principal executive office:

 

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc.

103 Powell Court

Brentwood, Tennessee 37027

 

 

 

 
 

 

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Retirement Plan

 

Audited Financial Statements and Supplemental Schedules

 

For the Years Ended December 31, 2011 and 2010

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 1
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits 2
Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits 3
Notes to Financial Statements 4
Schedule H, Line 4a — Schedule of Delinquent Participant Contributions 11
Schedule H, Line 4i — Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) 12
Signatures 13
Exhibit Index 14
Exhibit 23.1 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm  

 

 
 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Plan Sponsor and Administration Committee

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Retirement Plan

 

We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of the LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Retirement Plan (the “Plan”) as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, and the related statements of changes in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Plan is not required to have, nor have we been engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of the Plan as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, and the changes in its net assets available for benefits for the years then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial statements taken as a whole. The accompanying supplemental schedules of delinquent participant contributions for the year ended December 31, 2011 and assets (held at end of year) as of December 31, 2011, are presented for purposes of additional analysis and are not a required part of the financial statements but are supplementary information required by the Department of Labor’s Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. These supplemental schedules are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. The supplemental schedules have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in our audit of the financial statements and, in our opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole.

 

  /s/ Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC

 

Brentwood, Tennessee
June 21, 2012

 

1
 

  

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS

December 31, 2011 and 2010

 

   2011   2010 
         
ASSETS          
Cash  $2,439,243   $2,350,835 
Investments, at fair value   432,255,883    422,417,636 
Notes receivable from participants   11,978,255    10,118,181 
Participants’ contributions receivable   921,867    846,060 
Employer matching contribution receivable   131,921    3,678,146 
Income receivable   444,921    681,800 
Total assets   448,172,090    440,092,658 
           
LIABILITIES          
Benefits and expenses payables   426,087    1,242,419 
Excess contributions payable   156,671    200,680 
Total liabilities   582,758    1,443,099 
           
Net assets available for benefits  $447,589,332   $438,649,559 

 

See accompanying notes.

 

2
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS

For The Years Ended December 31, 2011 and 2010

 

   2011   2010 
Additions:          
Interest and dividend income  $1,372,305   $994,204 
Interest income on notes receivable from participants   456,312    406,722 
Employer contributions   316,839    12,071,881 
Participants’ contributions   48,175,382    47,190,703 
           
Total additions   50,320,838    60,663,510 
           
Deductions:          
Benefits paid   38,772,937    33,317,211 
Administrative expenses   787,023    734,138 
           
Total deductions   39,559,960    34,051,349 
           
Net (depreciation) appreciation in fair value of investments   (1,821,105)   40,031,141 
           
Net increase in net assets available for benefits   8,939,773    66,643,302 
           
Net assets available for benefits at beginning of year   438,649,559    372,006,257 
           
Net assets available for benefits at end of year  $447,589,332   $438,649,559 

 

See accompanying notes.

 

3
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2011

 

Note 1. Description of the Plan

 

General

 

The following description of the LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. (the “Company”) Retirement Plan (the “Plan”) reflects the general conditions of participation as of December 31, 2011. Participants should refer to the Plan document for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.

 

The Plan is a defined contribution plan covering all employees of the Company who have completed 30 days of service, or 60 days of service in certain limited and union specific arrangements, as of December 31, 2011 and is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). The Plan includes an employee stock ownership plan (“ESOP”) component within the meaning of Section 4975(e)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Prior to January 1, 2009, all shares available for allocation in accordance with the ESOP component had been allocated to participant accounts.

 

Contributions

 

Each participant may elect to contribute up to 50% of his or her eligible pre-tax compensation to the Plan (“Salary Deferral Contribution”). An automatic 2% Salary Deferral Contribution is applied to all participants who do not make a contrary election. Participants who have attained age 50 before the close of the Plan year are eligible to make catch-up contributions. Participant contributions are further limited by certain provisions of the Code.

 

The Plan provides for discretionary matching contributions from the Company in an amount determined by the Company’s management, in its sole discretion, as a percentage of the participants’ Salary Deferral Contributions in the form of matching contributions (“Matching Contributions”) or in an amount, if any, determined in the sole and absolute discretion of the Company’s management in the form of profit sharing contributions (“Profit Sharing Contributions”). For the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company made Matching Contributions of $316,839 and $12,071,881, respectively. There were no Profit Sharing Contributions made for the years ended December 31, 2011 or 2010.

 

An additional contribution by the Company in an amount determined by the Company’s management to ensure that the Plan satisfies certain nondiscrimination requirements of the Code may be allocated solely to the accounts of participants who are considered non-highly compensated employees and have elected to make Salary Deferral Contributions for the Plan year (“Non-elective Employer Contributions”). Alternatively, certain highly compensated employees may be refunded a portion of their Salary Deferral Contributions in order to comply with the same nondiscrimination requirements of the Code.

 

4
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2011

 

Note 1. Description of the Plan – (continued)

 

Participant Accounts

 

Each participant’s account is credited (charged) with his or her Salary Deferral Contribution, the Company’s contributions, Plan fees and Plan earnings (losses). Allocations are based on a number of factors, as defined in the Plan document. The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant’s vested account. Contributions and allocations are subject to certain limitations under the Code. The Plan allows participants who have three or more years of credited service to diversify up to 100% of their allocated contributions of the Company’s stock made in accordance with the ESOP component of the Plan by investing in other securities available under the Plan. The Plan generally limits the percentage of an individual’s aggregate account that can be invested in the Company’s stock at 25%.

 

Payment of Benefits

 

Upon retirement, disability, death, or termination of employment, the total vested value of a participant’s account that exceeds $5,000 is distributed to the participant or his or her beneficiary, as applicable, in a lump sum of cash unless the participant or the beneficiary elects certain other forms of distribution available under the Plan. If the vested value of a participant’s account is less than $1,000, the total vested balance is distributed as an automatic lump sum payment in cash. For participant accounts greater than $1,000 but not more than $5,000, the vested value of the participant’s account may be rolled into an individual retirement account on behalf of the participant or distributed to the participant or his or her beneficiary, as applicable, in cash. Additionally, a participant may request certain in-service withdrawals, including hardship withdrawals, of all or a portion of his or her vested account balance at any time, subject to certain restrictions and limitations, as defined by the Plan Agreement.

 

Notes Receivable from Participants

 

Each participant may borrow from his or her account a minimum of $1,000 up to a maximum amount equal to the lesser of $50,000 or one-half of the respective participant’s vested account balance. Loan terms range from six months to five years or up to ten years if the loan is used for the purchase of a primary residence. The loans are secured by the vested balance in the respective participant’s account and bear interest at a rate commensurate with local prevailing rates, ranging from 4.25% to 9.25 % as of December 31, 2011, as determined by the Plan’s administrator. Principal and interest are paid by the participant ratably through payroll deductions.

 

Vesting and Forfeitures

 

Participants are immediately and fully vested in their Salary Deferral Contributions, Non-elective Employer Contributions, rollover contributions and investment earnings (losses) arising from these contributions. Participants are fully vested in Matching Contributions and Profit Sharing Contributions after two years of service.

 

Participants’ interests in their accounts become fully vested and nonforfeitable without regard to their credited years of service if they retire on or after age 65, incur a total and permanent disability or die while employed by the Company.

 

If a participant who is not fully vested terminates employment with the Company, the participant is entitled to the vested portion of his or her account. The non-vested portion is forfeited and is used to reduce future Company contributions, pay administrative expenses of the Plan or is reallocated to participants in the Plan, as defined in the Plan document. During the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company utilized forfeitures of $138,392 and $1,578,200, respectively, to reduce the Company’s Matching Contributions. Unused forfeitures available for use at December 31, 2011 were $400,068.

 

5
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2011

 

Note 1. Description of the Plan – (continued)

 

Plan Termination

 

Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company has the right under the Plan document to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan. In the event of Plan termination, participants will receive the vested and non-vested portions of their accounts.

 

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Accounting

 

The financial statements of the Plan are prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires Plan management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of net assets available for benefits, changes therein and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Valuation of Investments

 

The Plan’s investments are stated at fair value in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 820-10, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820-10”). The Plan’s investments are further discussed in Note 3.

 

Income Recognition

 

Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

 

Benefit Payments

 

Benefits are recorded when paid.

 

Administrative Expenses

 

Administrative expenses, including legal and participant accounting expenses and all expenses directly relating to the investments, are charged to and paid by the Plan.

 

Note 3. Investments at Fair Value

 

The Plan’s investments are held, and transactions are executed, by The Charles Schwab Trust Company (the “Trustee”). The Plan accounts for its investments in accordance with ASC 820-10. ASC 820-10 establishes a framework for measuring fair value and establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value.

 

6
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2011

  

Note 3. Investments at Fair Value - (continued)

 

The tiers are as follows:

 

Level 1 –defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets;

 

Level 2 –defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and

 

Level 3 –defined as observable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.

 

The following provides a description of the valuation methodologies used to value the Plan’s assets measured at fair value in accordance with ASC 820-10 and certain additional information:

 

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Common Stock: Valued at the last reported sales price on the last business day of the Plan year reported by the active market in which the securities are traded.

 

Mutual Funds: Valued at the last reported sales prices on the last business day of the Plan year reported by the active markets in which the individual funds are traded.

 

Self-directed Brokerage Accounts: Valued at the last reported sales prices of the underlying investments on the last business day of the Plan year reported by the active markets in which the individual underlying investments are traded.

 

Money Market Funds: Valued at quoted prices in markets that are not active by a combination of inputs, including but not limited to dealer quotes who are market makers in the underlying funds and other directly and indirectly observable inputs.

 

Collective Trusts: Valued at the net asset value (“NAV”), inclusive of net investment gains or losses, based on information provided by the Trustee and using the audited financial statements of the collective trusts at year-end. The investment objectives of the funds included in this class of investments are to approximate as closely as practicable, before expenses, the performance of certain widely observed indices over the long term, while providing participants the ability to purchase and redeem units at will. Generally, neither of the individual investment funds that comprise this class of investment contain redemption restrictions that would prevent or considerably delay a participant from redeeming his or her investment at any point of participation in the fund. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, there were no unfunded obligations with respect to any of the funds in this investment category.

 

The fair values, within the fair value hierarchy in accordance with ASC 820-10, of the Plan’s investments at December 31, 2011 are as follows:

 

   Level 1   Level 2   Level 3   Total 
LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Common Stock  $68,234,297   $   $   $68,234,297 
Mutual Funds (Growth Funds)   89,342,010            89,342,010 
Self-directed Brokerage Accounts   7,131,590            7,131,590 
Money Market Funds (Fixed Income Funds)       62,435,131        62,435,131 
Collective Trusts (Index Funds)       205,112,855        205,112,855 
   $164,707,897   $267,547,986   $   $432,255,883 
7
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2011

  

Note 3. Investments at Fair Value - (continued)

 

The fair values, within the fair value hierarchy in accordance with ASC 820-10, of the Plan’s investments at December 31, 2010 are as follows:

 

   Level 1   Level 2   Level 3   Total 
LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Common Stock  $74,724,951   $   $   $74,724,951 
Mutual Funds (Growth Funds)   91,793,262            91,793,262 
Self-directed Brokerage Accounts   7,124,349            7,124,349 
Money Market Funds (Fixed Income Funds)       61,360,526        61,360,526 
Collective Trusts (Index Funds)       187,414,548        187,414,548 
   $173,642,562   $248,775,074   $   $422,417,636 

 

The fair value of individual investments that represent 5% or more of the Plan’s net assets at December 31, 2011 and 2010 are as follows:

 

   2011   2010 
State Street S&P 500 Index Fund  $128,945,870   $121,767,345 
State Street Passive Bond Market Index Fund   76,166,985    65,647,203 
LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Common Stock   68,234,297    74,724,951*
Federated Prime Cash Obligations   62,045,688    61,064,481 
American Funds EuroPacific Growth Fund   52,470,434    53,748,255 
Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap A Fund   36,871,576    38,045,007 

 

 

*Includes non-participant directed investments. As of December 31, 2011, all investments in LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Common Stock were participant directed.

 

For the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Plan’s investments, including investments purchased, sold and held during the year, appreciated (depreciated) as follows:

 

   2011   2010 
LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Common Stock  $891,813   $9,067,874 
Mutual Funds   (9,656,189)   11,004,794 
Self-directed Brokerage Accounts   (778,503)   794,450 
Collective Trusts   7,721,774    19,164,023 
   $(1,821,105)  $40,031,141 

 

Note 4. Non-participant Directed Investments

 

As of December 31, 2011, all of the Plan’s investments were participant directed. The fair value of non-participant directed investments at December 31, 2010 were as follows:

 

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Common Stock:     
      
Number of shares   22,484 
      
Cost  $637,797 
      
Fair Value  $826,287 
      
Total fair value of non-participant directed investments  $826,287 
8
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2011

  

Note 4. Non-participant Directed Investments – (continued)

 

Changes in the net assets related to the non-participant directed investments for the years end December 31, 2011 and 2010 are as follows:

 

   2011   2010 
Non-participant directed investments at beginning of year  $826,287   $2,497,458 
Change in net assets:          
Release of restriction and transfer to participant directed investments   (830,784)   (1,880,605)
Net appreciation in fair value   4,497    209,434 
Non-participant directed investment at end of year  $   $826,287 

 

Each participant is entitled to exercise voting rights attributable to the Company’s common stock allocated to his or her account. Participants are notified by the Company’s transfer agent of this ability prior to the time that such rights are to be exercised. Prior to January 1, 2012, the Company’s discretionary trustee voted any unallocated shares on behalf of the collective best interest of the Plan’s participants and its beneficiaries.

 

Note 5. Risks and Uncertainties

 

The Plan invests in various investment securities. Investment securities are exposed to various risks such as interest rate, market and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such changes could materially affect participants’ account balances and the amounts reported in the statements of net assets available for benefits.

 

Note 6. Income Taxes

 

The Plan has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), dated March 20, 2012, stating that the Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and that the related trust is exempt from taxation. The Plan is required to operate in conformity with the Code to maintain its qualification.

 

GAAP requires the Plan’s management to evaluate tax positions taken by the Plan and recognize a tax liability or asset if the Plan has taken an uncertain position that more likely than not would not be sustained by the applicable taxing authorities upon examination. The Plan’s administrator has analyzed the tax positions taken by the Plan, and has concluded that as of December 31, 2011, there are no uncertain positions taken or expected to be taken that would require recognition of a liability or asset or disclosure in the financial statements. The Plan is subject to routine audits by taxing jurisdictions, however, there are currently no audits for any tax periods in progress. The Plan’s administrator believes it is no longer subject to income tax examinations for years prior to December 31, 2008.

 

Note 7. Party-In-Interest Transactions

 

The Plan holds investments in the form of notes receivable from participants and in shares of LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Common Stock as well as pays administrative expenses to the Plan’s trustee and recordkeeper. All of these transactions qualify as party-in-interest transactions that are permissible under specific exemptions included in ERISA and the Code.

 

The Plan paid $787,023 and $734,138 in administrative expenses to the Plan’s trustee and recordkeeper during the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Additionally, the Company provided the Plan with certain management and administrative services for which no fees were charged.

9
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2011

   

Note 8. Reconciliation of Financial Statements to Form 5500

 

The following is a reconciliation of net assets available for benefits per the financial statements to the Form 5500 at December 31, 2011 and 2010:

 

   2011   2010 
Net assets available for benefits per the financial statements  $447,589,332   $438,649,559 
Less deemed distributions of notes receivable from participants   (350,602)   (555,226)
Net assets available for benefits per the Form 5500  $447,238,730   $438,094,333 

 

The following is a reconciliation of the change in net assets available for benefits per the financial statements to the Form 5500 for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010:

 

   2011   2010 
Net increase in net assets available for benefits per the financial statements  $8,939,773   $66,643,302 
Add deemed distributions of notes receivable from participants at beginning of year   555,226    216,113 
Less deemed distributions of notes receivable from participants at end of year   (350,602)   (555,226)
Net increase in net assets available for benefits per the Form 5500  $9,144,397   $66,304,189 

 

Note 9. Subsequent Events

 

In accordance with the provisions of ASC 855-10, “Subsequent Events,” the Plan evaluated all material events occurring subsequent to the balance sheet date for events requiring disclosure or recognition in the Plan’s financial statements.

  

10
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

EIN: 20-1538254 Plan No.: 001
Schedule H, Line 4a

 

Schedule of Delinquent Participant Contributions

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2011

 

Check here if late participant loan repayments are included:  ¨

 

Participant contributions
transferred late to Plan
  Total that constitutes nonexempt prohibited transactions     
Amount   Original payroll
withholding date
  Contributions
not corrected
   Contributions
corrected
outside VFCP
   Contributions
corrected in
VFCP
   Total fully corrected
under VFCP and
PTE 2002-51
 
$10   12/16/2011  $   $10*  $   $ 

 

 

 

*As a result of the conversion of payroll systems for an acquisition the Company made in November 2011, participant contributions for one participant were reported incorrectly for the payroll period ending December 16, 2011 and were not remitted to the Plan until February 10, 2012. The Company corrected the lost investment earnings to the applicable participant Plan account in 2012. The correction did not have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

11
 

 

LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS, INC. RETIREMENT PLAN

 

EIN: 20-1538254 Plan No.: 001
Schedule H, Line 4i

 

Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)

 

December 31, 2011

 

(a)    (b)
Identity of Issue,
Borrower, Lessor
or Similar Party
   (c)
Description of Investment
Including Maturity Date,
Rate
of Interest, Collateral, Par
or Maturity Value
   (d)
Cost
   (e)
Current Value
 
   State Street S&P 500 Index Fund   Collective Trust   **   $128,945,870 
   State Street Passive Bond Market Index   Collective Trust     **    76,166,985 
*   LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Common Stock   Common Stock     **    68,234,297 
   Federated Prime Cash   Money Market Fund    **    62,045,688 
   American Funds EuroPacific Growth Fund   Mutual Fund    **    52,470,434 
   Oppenheimer Main Street Small Cap A Fund   Mutual Fund    **    36,871,576 
*   Notes Receivable from Participants   Interest rates range from 4.25% to 9.25%    **    11,978,255 
   Self-directed Brokerage Accounts   Various Investments    **    7,131,590 
   Government Obligations   Money Market Fund    **    389,135 
   Federated Capital Reserves   Money Market Fund    **    308 
                 
              $444,234,138 

 

 

 

*Indicates a party-in-interest to the Plan.
**Not required for participant-direct investments.

 

12
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

The Plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the trustees have duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

  LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. Retirement Plan
     
  By: /s/ John P. Bumpus
    John P. Bumpus
    Executive Vice President and
    Chief Administrative Officer

 

Date: June 21, 2012

 

13
 

  

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

Number

  Description of Exhibits
23.1 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
14