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HCA executives are meeting Wednesday morning to discuss the possible impact and preparations.
A Community Health Systems’ spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. Universal Health Services said it was working to provide information.
Shares of HCA Healthcare and Universal Health Services were marginally higher in Wednesday’s session, each up about 0.1 percent midmorning. Community Health Systems shares were up more than 3 percent.
Damage from hurricanes Harvey and Irma in Texas, Florida and Louisiana last year showed in the hospitals’ quarterly results. The two storms cost HCA an estimated $140 million, before insurance claims, the company said in its 2017 third-quarter earnings report.
Community Health Systems said it suffered a $40 million in losses due to Harvey and Irma, while Universal Health Services lost about $12 to $13 million.
“At this point the earnings risk from Michael seems significantly lower, though many hospital companies had facilities in the path of Hurricane Florence in September as well,” said Evercore ISI analyst Michael Newshel in a research report to clients late Tuesday.
Florida Governor Rick Scott told residents early Wednesday that it was their “last chance” to evacuate before the storm hits into the state’s Gulf shore. Hurricane Michael was packing winds of up to 140 miles per hour as of Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
WATCH: Life-threatening flash floods possible from Michael
