BW1995  FEB 16,1999      13:47  PACIFIC      16:47  EASTERN

( BW)(CA-TOTAL-RENAL-CARE)(TRL) Total Renal Care Files Complaint Against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida and HCFA

    Business Editors

    TORRANCE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 16, 1999--

    Company Asks Court to Lift Payment Suspension and for Other
    Relief Related to its Laboratory Subsidiary

    The Board of Directors of Total Renal Care Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TRL) unanimously decided to initiate a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against Medicare Part B carrier Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). The lawsuit was filed in connection with the previously announced suspension of payments to Total Renal Laboratories, Inc. (formerly Dialysis Laboratories, Inc.
-- DLI), the Company's Florida-based subsidiary operating a specialized End Stage Renal Disease laboratory. As previously reported, DLI is the subject of a payment suspension which relates to 99.3% of Medicare billings at DLI. DLI Medicare revenues amount to approximately 2% of consolidated TRL revenues. DLI seeks injunctive relief to lift the suspension and other declaratory relief.
    Torrance, California-based Total Renal Care Holdings, Inc. is the second largest domestic and largest independent worldwide provider of integrated dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure. The company owns and operates high-quality, freestanding kidney dialysis centers and home peritoneal dialysis programs in 34 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, Argentina and Europe, and also provides high-quality acute hemodialysis services to inpatients at approximately 290 hospitals. As of February 1, 1999, TRL operated 522 outpatient dialysis facilities and provided services to more than 40,500 patients, including approximately 2,900 patients in 35 centers under TRL management. TRL additionally operates ESRD laboratory and pharmacy facilities as well as vascular access management, transplant services and ESRD clinical research programs.

    For information on Total Renal Care Holdings, Inc., via facsimile at no cost, call 1-800-PRO-INFO and dial company code TRL.

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    CONTACT:  Total Renal Care Holdings Inc.
              Victor M.G. Chaltiel or John E. King
              310/792-2600
               or
              Financial Relations Board
              Haris Tajyar, General Information
              Moira Conlon, Investor Contact
              Marjorie Ornston, Media Contact
              310/442-0599
               or
              Kathy Brunson, Investor Contact
              312/266-7800

    KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA FLORIDA GEORGIA
    INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEDICINE