Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Starcher John M. Jr.
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
08/01/2013		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HEALTH MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, INC [HMA]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
HEALTH MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, INC., 5811 PELICAN BAY BOULEVARD, SUITE 500		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Interim President and CEO
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

NAPLES, FL 34108		 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 434
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Deferred Stock Award   (1) 03/01/2016 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 43,467 $ 0 D  
Deferred Stock Award   (2) 03/01/2017 Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value 36,151 $ 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Starcher John M. Jr.
HEALTH MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
5811 PELICAN BAY BOULEVARD, SUITE 500
NAPLES, FL 34108		       Interim President and CEO  

Signatures

/s/ Gary S. Bryant, Attorney-in-fact for John M. Starcher, Jr. 08/08/2013
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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) This deferred stock award granted under the Issuer's Amended and Restated 1996 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan vests equally on 3/1/14, 3/1/15 and 3/1/16 assuming Mr. Starcher's continuous employment.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in the award notice, this deferred stock award granted under the Issuer's Amended and Restated 1996 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan vests equally on 3/1/14, 3/1/15, 3/1/16, and 3/1/17 assuming Mr. Starcher's continuous employment and is subject to forfeiture if certain vesting conditions are not met.

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