Kindred Healthcare Ranked 477 on Fortune 500 List for 2010 and Paul Diaz Named One of the Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare

Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (the "Company”) (NYSE:KND) today announced that it has been ranked 477 on the 2010 FORTUNE 500 list based on revenues of $4.3 billion. The full list and related stories appear in the May 3 issue of Fortune magazine. The annual FORTUNE 500 list ranks all U.S. companies by revenue. More information is available at www.fortune.com/500.

In addition, the Company announced that Paul J. Diaz, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, has been named one of the 2010 Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare magazine.

Modern Healthcare is a national trade publication that covers the healthcare industry. The April 19 issue features a list of the Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare. Recipients are selected based on leadership, showing the ability or power to effect change in the healthcare industry, demonstrating a willingness to share expertise with others in the field, serving as a role model or mentor to other minority healthcare executives, and assuming a leadership position in the industry outside of the candidate’s own organization or company.

Mr. Diaz has served as Kindred’s Chief Executive Officer since January 1, 2004 and as President since January 2002. Mr. Diaz served as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer from January 2002 to December 31, 2003.

About Kindred Healthcare

Kindred Healthcare, Inc., a top-200 private employer in the United States, is a FORTUNE 500 healthcare services company based in Louisville, Kentucky with annual revenues of over $4 billion and approximately 54,100 employees in 41 states. At December 31, 2009, Kindred through its subsidiaries provided healthcare services in 621 locations, including 83 long-term acute care hospitals, 222 nursing and rehabilitation centers and a contract rehabilitation services business, Peoplefirst rehabilitation services, which served 316 non-affiliated facilities. Ranked one of Fortune magazine’s Most Admired Healthcare Companies in 2009 and 2010, Kindred’s mission is to promote healing, provide hope, preserve dignity and produce value for each patient, resident, family member, customer, employee and shareholder we serve. For more information, go to www.kindredhealthcare.com.