Hospital owner hurt by unpaid bills

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003 | 11:14 a.m.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Shares of Tenet Healthcare Corp., owner of Lake Mead Hospital in North Las Vegas, dropped more than 13 percent to $13.32 in early trading today after the hospital chain said its third-quarter earnings would be "significantly below" analysts' expectations in part because of rising unpaid bills by uninsured patients.