CHICAGO, August 5, 2004 - GE Healthcare Financial Services, a unit of GE Commercial Finance, continues to enhance its position in senior housing by structuring an innovative $200 million senior secured facility for Atria Senior Living Group, the nation's fourth-largest assisted living provider. Atria, which operates 134 properties in 26 states, plans to use the five-year revolving line of credit to refinance debt and to provide capital for future refinancings and investments in its senior housing portfolio.

GE Healthcare Financial Services' financing arrangement with Atria illustrates its understanding of the senior housing market and its drive to tailor customer-focused financing agreements. For Atria, GE created a five-year revolver backed by a pool of properties rather than a typical real estate-backed term loan. Under this arrangement, Atria can swap properties within its real estate pool without having to pay off the revolver, likely reducing future refinancings and accompanying fees.

"GE Healthcare Financial Services has proven to be a reliable resource for us in difficult situations and has evolved into a very important financing partner for our business" said Atria Chief Executive Officer John Moore. Atria Chief Financial Officer Mark Jessee added "GE is also a lender that offers certainty of execution. We got the deal we signed up for, and we closed on time, thanks to GE Healthcare Financial Services' commitment to being a reliable and dependable lender."

It is just this type of creative, client-focused approach, financial strength, and commitment to the senior housing market throughout all market cycles that has made GE Healthcare Financial Services a leader in senior housing lending. In fact, seven of the 10 largest assisted living providers, as ranked by Provider magazine, are GE Healthcare Financial Services' clients, including Sunrise Senior Living, Emeritus, Assisted Living Concepts and Leisure Care.

"After working with senior housing operators during the recent downturn, GE Healthcare Financial Services is poised to capitalize on the industry's nascent recovery," said John Cobb, managing director of long-term care for GE Healthcare Financial Services. "We will continue developing innovative, customized financing arrangements that help operators achieve their business objectives."

GE Healthcare Financial Services, a unit of GE Commercial Finance, is a provider of capital, financial solutions, and related services for the global healthcare market. With over $13 billion of capital committed to the healthcare industry, GE Healthcare Financial Services offers a full range of capabilities from equipment financing and real estate financing to working capital lending, vendor programs, and practice acquisition financing. With its knowledge of all aspects of healthcare from hospitals and long-term care facilities to physicians' practices and life sciences, GE Healthcare Financial Services works with customers to create tailored financial solutions that help them improve their productivity and profitability. For more information, visit .

Media Contacts

Deia Campanelli
GE Healthcare Financial Services
312-441-6169