Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
VUMBACCO JOSEPH V
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HEALTH MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES INC [HMA] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President and CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
HEALTH MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, INC., 5811 PELICAN BAY BOULEVARD, SUITE 500		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/01/2005
(Street)

NAPLES, FL 34108		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   M   381,300 A $ 13 765,955 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   7,500 D $ 23.7 758,455 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   5,500 D $ 23.67 752,955 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   22,100 D $ 23.66 730,855 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   67,700 D $ 23.65 663,155 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   500 D $ 23.64 662,655 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   3,100 D $ 23.63 659,555 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   8,300 D $ 23.62 651,255 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   2,000 D $ 23.61 649,255 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   6,500 D $ 23.6 642,755 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   400 D $ 23.59 642,355 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   2,000 D $ 23.58 640,355 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   50,000 D $ 23.571 590,355 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   9,500 D $ 23.57 580,855 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   4,800 D $ 23.56 576,055 D  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 12/01/2005   S   14,100 D $ 23.55 561,955 D (1)  
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value               21,463 I 401(k) Plan

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 13 12/01/2005   M     381,300 05/28/2003 05/27/2009 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 381,300 (2) $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 12.125             05/26/2004 05/25/2010 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 250,000 (2)   250,000 (2) D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 16.6             05/15/2005 05/14/2011 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 750,000 (2)   750,000 (2) D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 19.95               (3) 05/20/2012 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 100,000 (3)   100,000 (3) D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 18.56               (4) 05/19/2013 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 100,000 (4)   100,000 (4) D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 22.77               (5) 05/17/2014 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 150,000 (5)   150,000 (5) D  
Contingent Stock Award $ 0             12/04/2005 12/04/2005 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 36,404 (6)   36,404 (6) D  
Contingent Stock Award $ 0             12/04/2006 12/04/2006 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 39,788 (6)   39,788 (6) D  
Contingent Stock Award $ 0             12/03/2007 12/03/2007 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 30,905 (6)   30,905 (6) D  
Contingent Stock Award $ 0             12/08/2008 12/08/2008 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 36,749 (6)   36,749 (6) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
VUMBACCO JOSEPH V
HEALTH MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
5811 PELICAN BAY BOULEVARD, SUITE 500
NAPLES, FL 34108		   X     President and CEO  

Signatures

 Joseph V. Vumbacco   12/02/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Certain of these shares are held by First Union National Bank of Florida for the account of Mr. Vumbacco. The account is a self-directed IRA in which Mr. Vumbacco has the sole power to dispose of the shares.
(2) This employee stock option was previously reported by Mr. Vumbacco.
(3) This employee stock option was previously reported by Mr. Vumbacco. Mr. Vumbacco can exercise this option as follows: 25,000 shares on 5/21/03, 25,000 shares on 5/21/04, 25,000 shares on 5/21/05, and 25,000 shares on 5/21/06.
(4) This employee stock option was previously reported by Mr. Vumbacco. Mr. Vumbacco can exercise this option as follows: 25,000 shares on 5/20/04, 25,000 shares on 5/20/05, 25,000 shares on 5/20/06, and 25,000 shares on 5/20/07.
(5) This employee stock option was previously reported by Mr. Vumbacco. Mr. Vumbacco can exercise this option as follows: 37,500 shares on 5/18/05, 37,500 shares on 5/18/06, 37,500 shares on 5/18/07, and 37,500 shares on 5/18/08.
(6) This contingent stock incentive award under the Issuer's 1996 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan was previously reported by Mr. Vumbacco.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.