HEALTHSOUTH CORP
PRE 14A, 1999-04-05
SPECIALTY OUTPATIENT FACILITIES, NEC
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                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ]

Check the appropriate box:
[X] Preliminary Proxy Statement
[ ]  CONFIDENTIAL,  FOR  USE  OF THE  COMMISSION  ONLY  (AS  PERMITTED  BY  RULE
     14A-6(E)(2))
[ ]  Definitive Proxy Statement
[ ]  Definitive Additional Materials
[ ]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12


                             HEALTHSOUTH CORPORATION
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)


                             HEALTHSOUTH CORPORATION
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement)


Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[X]  No fee required.
[ ]  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)14) and 0-11.

     (1)  Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
          N/A
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     (2)  Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
          N/A
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     (3)  Per unit  price  or other  underlying  value of  transaction  computed
          pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:
          N/A
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (4)  Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
          N/A
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (5)  Total fee paid: N/A
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------


[ ]  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ ]  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
     0-11(a)(2)  and identify the filing for which the  offsetting  fee was paid
     previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
     or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

     (1)  Amount previously paid:
          N/A
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (2)  Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
          N/A
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (3)  Filing Party:
          N/A
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (4)  Date Filed:
          N/A
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>


                                PRELIMINARY COPY

                             HEALTHSOUTH CORPORATION

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS


                                                               April ____, 1999

     The  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  of  HEALTHSOUTH   Corporation  (the
"Company")  will be held at One HealthSouth  Parkway,  Birmingham,  Alabama,  on
Thursday, May 20, 1999, at 2:00 p.m., C.D.T., for the following purposes:

          1.   To elect twelve  Directors to serve until the next Annual Meeting
               of Stockholders  and until their  successors are duly elected and
               qualified.

          2.   To approve the 1999 Exchange Stock Option Plan of the Company.

          3.   To approve the 1999 Executive Equity Loan Plan of the Company.

          4.   To vote upon a stockholder  proposal submitted by the Amalgamated
               Bank of New York LongView Collective Investment Fund.

          5.   To transact  such other  business as may properly come before the
               Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

     Stockholders  of record  at the close of  business  on April 1,  1999,  are
entitled  to notice of, and to vote at,  the Annual  Meeting or any  adjournment
thereof.

     IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING IN PERSON,  PLEASE DATE AND EXECUTE
THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY AND RETURN IT PROMPTLY TO THE COMPANY.  IF YOU ATTEND THE
ANNUAL MEETING, YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR PROXY AND VOTE IN PERSON IF YOU DESIRE TO DO
SO, BUT ATTENDANCE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING DOES NOT OF ITSELF SERVE TO REVOKE YOUR
PROXY.

                                                               ANTHONY J. TANNER
                                                               Secretary

<PAGE>



                                PRELIMINARY COPY

                             HEALTHSOUTH CORPORATION

                                 PROXY STATEMENT

                                  INTRODUCTION

     This Proxy Statement is furnished to the holders of Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share,  of HEALTHSOUTH  Corporation  (the "Company") in connection with
the  solicitation  of Proxies by and on behalf of the Board of  Directors of the
Company for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 20, 1999
or any  adjournment  thereof.  A form of Proxy for use at the Annual  Meeting is
also enclosed. Any such Proxy may be revoked by a stockholder at any time before
it is  exercised  by either  giving  written  notice of such  revocation  to the
Secretary of the Company or submitting a later-dated  Proxy to the Company prior
to the Annual Meeting. A stockholder attending the Annual Meeting may revoke his
Proxy and vote in person if he desires to do so,  but  attendance  at the Annual
Meeting will not of itself revoke the Proxy.

     The Company's  principal  executive  offices are located at One HealthSouth
Parkway,  Birmingham,  Alabama 35243.  The Company's  telephone  number is (205)
967-7116.

     Proxy  materials  will be mailed to  stockholders  by the management of the
Company  on or about  April __,  1999.  The  Company  has  retained  ChaseMellon
Shareholder  Services,  L.L.C.  to  solicit  Proxies  on its behalf and will pay
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. a fee of $_____ for those services. The
Company  will   reimburse   ChaseMellon   Shareholder   Services,   L.L.C.   for
out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with such solicitation. Additional
solicitation  may be made by mail,  telephone  or  telegram  by the  officers or
regular  employees of the Company,  who will receive no additional  compensation
therefor.  Arrangements  will also be made with  brokerage  houses,  custodians,
nominees and fiduciaries for the forwarding of proxy materials to the beneficial
owners of Common  Stock held of record by such  persons,  and the  Company  will
reimburse  such  brokerage  houses,  custodians,  nominees and  fiduciaries  for
reasonable  out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection therewith. The
entire expense of solicitation,  including the cost of preparing, assembling and
mailing the proxy materials, will be borne by the Company.

     The purposes of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders are to (a) elect a Board
of Directors to serve until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders, (b) approve
the 1999  Exchange  Stock  Option  Plan of the  Company,  (c)  approve  the 1999
Executive Equity Loan Plan of the Company and (d) vote upon a proposal submitted
by the Amalgamated Bank of New York LongView Collective Investment Fund relating
to the  composition  of the Board of  Directors  of the Company  (the  "LongView
Proposal"). The Company is not aware at this time of any other matters that will
come before the Annual  Meeting.  If any other matters  properly come before the
Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons designated as proxies to vote
in  accordance  with their  judgment  on such  matters.  Shares  represented  by
executed and  unrevoked  Proxies will be voted in accordance  with  instructions
contained  therein or, in the absence of such  instructions,  in accordance with
the recommendations of the Board of Directors.  Abstentions and broker non-votes
will not be counted for purposes of  determining  whether any given proposal has
been approved by the stockholders of the Company.  Accordingly,  abstentions and
broker  non-votes  will not  affect  the  votes to be taken on the  election  of
Directors,  the approval of the 1999 Exchange Stock Option Plan, the approval of
the 1999 Executive Equity Loan Plan or the LongView Proposal,  which require for
approval  the  affirmative  vote of a  majority  of the  shares of Common  Stock
present or represented and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

     As to all matters that may come before the Annual Meeting, each stockholder
will be entitled to one vote for each share of Common  Stock of the Company held
by him at the close of business  on April 1, 1999.  The holders of a majority of
the  shares of Common  Stock of the  Company  present  in person or by proxy and
entitled to vote will constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and
broker


<PAGE>



non-votes will be counted for purposes of determining  the presence of a quorum.
At April 1, 1999, the record date for the Annual Meeting, there were 414,904,331
shares of Common Stock  outstanding,  exclusive of shares held by the Company as
treasury stock.


DISSENTERS' RIGHTS OF APPRAISAL

     There are no dissenters' rights of appraisal in connection with any vote of
stockholders to be taken at the 1999 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.


PROPOSALS BY STOCKHOLDERS

     Any proposals by  stockholders  of the Company  intended to be presented at
the 2000  Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  must be  received by the Company for
inclusion in the Company's  Proxy  Statement and form of Proxy by December ____,
1999.


                             ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR

     At the Annual Meeting,  twelve  Directors are to be elected.  The Bylaws of
the Company  permit the Board of Directors to determine  the number of Directors
of the Company. Unless other instructions are specified, the enclosed Proxy will
be voted in favor of the  persons  named  below to serve  until the next  Annual
Meeting of Stockholders  and until their successors shall have been duly elected
and qualified.  The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Common Stock
present or  represented  and entitled to vote at the Annual  Meeting is required
for the election of each  Director.  In the event any of the  nominees  shall be
unable to serve as a Director,  it is the intention of the persons designated as
proxies to vote for substitutes selected by the Board of Directors. The Board of
Directors of the Company has no reason to believe that any of the nominees named
below will be unable to serve if elected.

     The following  table sets forth certain  information  concerning the twelve
nominees for Director of the Company:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                                                 AND ALL POSITIONS                A DIRECTOR
           NAME               AGE                 WITH THE COMPANY                  SINCE
- - --------------------------   -----   -----------------------------------------   -----------
<S>                          <C>     <C>                                         <C>
Richard M. Scrushy            46     Chairman of the Board                          1984
                                     and Chief Executive Officer and Director
James P. Bennett              41     President and Chief Operating Officer          1993
                                     and Director
Phillip C. Watkins, M.D.      57     Physician, Birmingham, Alabama,                1984
                                     and Director
George H. Strong              72     Private Investor, Locust, New Jersey,          1984
                                     and Director
C. Sage Givens                42     General Partner,                               1985
                                     Acacia Venture Partners,
                                     and Director
Charles W. Newhall III        54     Partner, New Enterprise                        1985
                                     Associates Limited Partnerships,
                                     and Director
Anthony J. Tanner             50     Executive Vice President --                    1993
                                     Administration and Secretary
                                     and Director
P. Daryl Brown                44     President -- HEALTHSOUTH Outpatient            1995
                                     Centers and Director
</TABLE>

                                       2

<PAGE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
                                               AND ALL POSITIONS                A DIRECTOR
          NAME              AGE                 WITH THE COMPANY                  SINCE
- - ------------------------   -----   -----------------------------------------   -----------
<S>                        <C>     <C>                                         <C>
John S. Chamberlin          70     Private Investor,                              1993
                                   Princeton, New Jersey,
                                   and Director
Joel C. Gordon              69     Chairman, Cardiology Partners                  1996
                                   of America, Inc.,
                                   Consultant to the Company
                                   and Director
Michael D. Martin           38     Executive Vice President                       1998
                                   and Chief Financial Officer
                                   and Director
Larry D. Striplin, Jr.      69     Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,          1999
                                   Nelson-Brantley Glass Contractors, Inc.,
                                   and Director
</TABLE>

     Richard M. Scrushy, one of the Company's management founders, has served as
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since 1984, and
also served as President of the Company from 1984 until March 1995. From 1979 to
1984, Mr.  Scrushy was with Lifemark  Corporation,  a publicly owned  healthcare
corporation,  serving in  various  operational  and  management  positions.  Mr.
Scrushy is also a director of  MedPartners,  Inc., a publicly  traded  physician
practice management company,  for which he also served as Acting Chief Executive
Officer from January 16 through March 18, 1998 and as Chairman of the Board from
January 16 through December 1, 1998.

     Phillip C. Watkins, M.D., FACC, is and has been for more than five years in
the  private  practice of medicine  in  Birmingham,  Alabama.  A graduate of The
Medical College of Alabama,  Dr. Watkins is a Diplomate of the American Board of
Internal Medicine. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and
the Subspecialty Board of Cardiovascular Disease.

     George H.  Strong  retired as senior  vice  president  and chief  financial
officer of Universal Health Services,  Inc. in December 1984, a position he held
for more than six years.  Mr. Strong is a private  investor and continued to act
as a director of Universal  Health  Services,  Inc., a publicly  traded hospital
management  corporation,  until 1993.  Mr. Strong is also a director of Balanced
Care  Corporation  and Integrated  Health  Services,  Inc., both publicly traded
healthcare corporations, and AmeriSource, Inc., a large drug wholesaler.

     C. Sage Givens is a general partner of Acacia Venture  Partners,  a private
venture capital fund capitalized at $66,000,000. From 1983 to June 30, 1995, Ms.
Givens  was a general  partner  of First  Century  Partners,  a private  venture
capital  fund  capitalized  at  $100,000,000.  Ms.  Givens  managed  the  fund's
healthcare investments.  Ms. Givens serves on the boards of directors of PhyCor,
Inc., a publicly  traded  healthcare  corporation,  and several  privately  held
healthcare companies.

     Charles W. Newhall III is a general  partner and founder of New  Enterprise
Associates Limited Partnerships,  Baltimore, Maryland, where he has been engaged
in the venture  capital  business  since 1978. Mr. Newhall is also a director of
Integrated Health Services,  Inc., MedPartners,  Inc. and Opta Food Ingredients,
Inc., all of which are publicly traded corporations.

     James P.  Bennett  joined the Company in May 1991 as Director of  Inpatient
Operations,  was promoted to Group Vice  President  -- Inpatient  Rehabilitation
Operations in September 1991, again to President and Chief Operating  Officer --
HEALTHSOUTH  Rehabilitation  Hospitals in June 1992, to President -- HEALTHSOUTH
Inpatient  Operations in February  1993,  and to President  and Chief  Operating
Officer of the  Company in March  1995.  Mr.  Bennett  was elected a Director in
February  1993.  From August 1987 to May 1991,  Mr. Bennett was employed by Russ
Pharmaceuticals,  Inc.,  Birmingham,  Alabama,  as Vice President -- Operations,
Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and director. Mr. Bennett served as certified
public accountant on the audit staff of the Birmingham,  Alabama office of Ernst
& Whinney (now Ernst & Young LLP) from October 1980 to August 1987.

                                       3

<PAGE>



     Anthony J. Tanner,  Sc.D., a management  founder,  serves as Executive Vice
President  --  Administration  and  Secretary  of the  Company and was elected a
Director in  February  1993.  From 1980 to 1984,  Mr.  Tanner was with  Lifemark
Corporation  in  the  Shared  Services   Division  as  director,   clinical  and
professional programs (1982-1984) and director,  quality assurance and education
(1980-1982),  where he was responsible for the development of clinical  programs
and marketing programs.

     P. Daryl Brown  joined the Company in April 1986 and served until June 1992
as Group  Vice  President  --  Outpatient  Operations.  He became  President  --
HEALTHSOUTH  Outpatient  Centers in June 1992,  and was elected as a Director in
March 1995.  From 1977 to 1986,  Mr.  Brown  served with the American Red Cross,
Alabama  Region,  in  several  positions,  including  Chief  Operating  Officer,
Administrative Director for Financing and Administration and Controller.

     John S. Chamberlin retired in 1988 as president and chief operating officer
of Avon Products, Inc., a position he had held since 1985. From 1976 until 1985,
he served as chairman and chief executive officer of Lenox, Incorporated,  after
22 years in various  assignments  for General  Electric.  From 1990 to 1991,  he
served as chairman and chief executive  officer of New Jersey Publishing Co. Mr.
Chamberlin is chairman of the board of Sports Holding Company and WNS, Inc., and
is a director of Imagyn Medical  Technologies,  Inc. He is a member of the Board
of Trustees of the Medical  Center at Princeton  and is a trustee of the Woodrow
Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

     Joel C. Gordon  served as Chairman  of the Board of  Directors  of Surgical
Care Affiliates,  Inc. ("SCA") from its founding in 1982 until January 17, 1996,
when SCA was acquired by the Company.  Mr. Gordon also served as Chief Executive
Officer of SCA from 1987 until  January  17,  1996.  Mr.  Gordon is  Chairman of
Cardiology  Partners of America,  Inc.  and serves on the boards of directors of
Genesco, Inc., an apparel manufacturer, and SunTrust Bank of Nashville, N.A.

     Michael D. Martin joined the Company in October 1989 as Vice  President and
Treasurer,  and was named  Senior Vice  President  -- Finance and  Treasurer  in
February 1994 and Executive Vice President -- Finance and Treasurer in May 1996.
In October  1997,  he was  additionally  named  Chief  Financial  Officer of the
Company,  and in March 1998,  he was named a Director of the  Company.  In March
1999, he ceased serving as Treasurer of the Company. From 1983 through September
1989,  Mr.  Martin  specialized  in  healthcare  lending with AmSouth Bank N.A.,
Birmingham,  Alabama, where he was a Vice President immediately prior to joining
the Company. Mr. Martin is a director of MedPartners, Inc.

     Larry D. Striplin, Jr. has been the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Nelson-Brantley Glass Contractors, Inc. and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Clearview  Properties,  Inc. since  December  1995.  Until December 1995, Mr.
Striplin had been  Chairman of the Board and Chief  Executive  Officer of Circle
"S" Industries, Inc., a privately owned bonding wire manufacturer.  Mr. Striplin
is a member of the boards of  directors of Kulicke & Suffa  Industries,  Inc., a
publicly traded manufacturer of electronic  equipment,  The Banc Corporation and
MedPartners, Inc.

     Directors hold office until the next Annual Meeting of  Stockholders of the
Company and until their  successors  are elected  and  qualified.  Officers  are
elected  annually by the Board of Directors  and serve at the  discretion of the
Board of Directors.


MANAGEMENT MATTERS

     There are no  arrangements or  understandings  known to the Company between
any of the Directors, nominees for Director or executive officers of the Company
and any other  person  pursuant  to which any of such  persons  was elected as a
Director or an executive officer,  except the Employment  Agreements between the
Company and Richard M. Scrushy, James P. Bennett,  Michael D. Martin, Anthony J.
Tanner and P. Daryl Brown (see "Executive  Compensation and Other Information --
Audit and  Compensation  Committee  Report on  Executive  Compensation  -- Chief
Executive Officer  Compensation;  Developments in 1998" and " -- Other Executive
Employment  Agreements and Related  Developments"),  and except that the Company
initially  agreed to appoint Mr.  Gordon to the Board of Directors in connection
with the SCA merger.  There are no family  relationships  between any Directors,
nominees  for  Director  or  executive  officers  of the  Company.  The Board of
Directors of the Corporation held a total of 11 meetings during 1998.


                                       4

<PAGE>



     The Company is a party to Employment Agreements with the executive officers
named in the Summary Compensation Table under "Executive  Compensation and Other
Information -- Executive  Compensation  -- General".  Except for such Employment
Agreements  and  except  for the  broad-based  retirement  plans of the  Company
described  under  "Executive  Compensation  and Other  Information -- Retirement
Investment Plan" and "Executive  Compensation and Other  Information -- Employee
Stock Benefit Plan" and the Executive Deferred  Compensation Plan of the Company
described  under  "Executive  Compensation  and Other  Information  --  Deferred
Compensation Plan", there are no compensatory plans or arrangements with respect
to any such executive  officer which result or will result from the  resignation
or  retirement  of such  executive  officer  or any  other  termination  of such
executive  officer's  employment with the Company and its subsidiaries or from a
change in control of the  Company or from a change in such  executive  officer's
responsibilities following a change in control of the Company.

     The Audit  and  Compensation  Committee  of the  Board is  responsible  for
reviewing all reports from the Company's auditors,  monitoring internal controls
and reviewing the Company's  compensation  program, as well as administering the
Company's stock option plans. On May 21, 1998, C. Sage Givens,  George H. Strong
and Phillip C. Watkins, M.D., all of whom are outside Directors,  were appointed
to serve on this  committee  for a period of one year or until their  successors
are appointed.  They continue to serve in such capacity. This committee held two
meetings and acted twice by unanimous written consent during 1998.

     On  August  14,  1997,  the  Board of  Directors  established  a  Corporate
Compliance  Committee  of the  Board  of  Directors,  which is  responsible  for
establishing  and  reviewing  the  Company's  Corporate  Compliance  Program and
otherwise  ensuring that the  Corporation  operates in compliance  with federal,
state and local laws and regulations. At that time, Richard M. Scrushy, Chairman
of the Board and Chief  Executive  Officer  of the  Company,  James P.  Bennett,
President  and Chief  Operating  Officer of the Company,  and Anthony J. Tanner,
Executive Vice  President --  Administration  and Secretary of the Company,  and
John S. Chamberlin,  Joel C. Gordon, and Charles W. Newhall III, all of whom are
outside  Directors,  were appointed to serve on this committee,  with Mr. Tanner
appointed as Chairman and Compliance Officer. Members of the committee serve for
a period of one year or until their successors are appointed.  The above members
were reappointed on May 21, 1998 and continue to serve. This committee conducted
its business during regular Board of Directors meetings in 1998 and did not meet
separately from the Board of Directors.

     The  Company  has no  other  standing  audit,  nominating  or  compensation
committees of the Board of Directors.


SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP COMPLIANCE

     Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Company's
officers  and  Directors,  and persons who  beneficially  own more than 10% of a
registered  class  of the  Company's  equity  securities,  to  file  reports  of
ownership and changes in ownership with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission
and the New York Stock Exchange.  Officers,  Directors and beneficial  owners of
more than 10% of the Company's  Common Stock are required by SEC  regulations to
furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms that they file. Based
solely on review  of the  copies of such  forms  furnished  to the  Company,  or
written  representations  that no reports on Form 5 were  required,  the Company
believes that for the period from January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998, all
of its officers,  Directors and greater-than-10% beneficial owners complied with
Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to them.


                                       5

<PAGE>



                         1999 EXCHANGE STOCK OPTION PLAN

GENERAL

     The Company's Board of Directors has adopted the 1999 Exchange Stock Option
Plan (the  "Exchange  Plan") for  certain key  employees  of the Company and its
subsidiaries  who hold existing  stock options under other stock option plans of
the Company which are significantly  out-of-the-money  (i.e., where the exercise
price of such options is substantially higher than current market prices for the
Company's Common Stock).  The Exchange Plan is intended to advance the Company's
interests  by  providing  such  persons the  opportunity  to  exchange  Eligible
Exchanging  Options (as defined below) for options  covering a smaller number of
shares of Common Stock at a lower exercise price.

     Management  believes  that the  Exchange  Plan will  benefit the Company by
restoring incentive to holders of Eligible Exchanging Options to work to enhance
stockholder  value.  The implicit value of Eligible  Exchanging  Options to such
holders  has  significantly  diminished  due  to a  substantial  decline  in the
Company's stock price,  which management  believes largely reflects industry and
general  market  factors  and not factors  within the  control of such  holders.
Accordingly,  management  believes  that it is important to provide such holders
with the opportunity to regain meaningful  incentive.  Further,  the exchange of
Eligible  Exchanging Options for options under the Exchange Plan will reduce the
total  number of shares of Common Stock  subject to  outstanding  options,  thus
eliminating  a  portion  of  market  "overhang"  associated  with the  Company's
existing stock options.

     For purposes of the Exchange Plan,  "Eligible Exchanging Option" shall mean
any stock option held by any employee of the Company  (other than  Directors and
executive officers) (i) which is issued under any other stock option plan of the
Company, excluding those stock option plans which were assumed by the Company in
connection  with the  acquisition  of other  entities,  (ii) which is  currently
outstanding,  whether  or not  vested or  exercisable,  and  (iii)  which has an
exercise  price  equal to or greater  than  $16.00 per share.  Options  covering
approximately  3,333,600  shares of Common  Stock will be eligible  for exchange
under the Exchange  Plan.  Directors and executive  officers of the Company will
not be eligible to  participate  in the Exchange  Plan, and options held by such
persons shall not be deemed to be Eligible Exchanging Options.

     It should be noted that each  employee of the  Company  who holds  Eligible
Exchanging Options has, by reason of being eligible to receive options under the
Exchange  Plan,  an interest in seeing that the Exchange  Plan is adopted by the
stockholders.

     Set forth below is a summary of the major  features of the  Exchange  Plan.
This summary does not purport to be a complete  statement of all the  provisions
of the  Exchange  Plan,  and is  qualified  in its  entirety  by the text of the
Exchange  Plan  attached to this Proxy  Statement as Appendix A. See  "Executive
Compensation  and  Other  Information  --  Stock  Option  Plans"  in this  Proxy
Statement  for  information  with  respect to stock  options  granted to certain
Directors  and  executives  of the Company under the other stock option plans of
the Company described herein.


NATURE OF OPTIONS TO BE GRANTED PURSUANT TO THE EXCHANGE PLAN

     The Exchange Plan provides for the grant of  non-qualified  stock  options.
The Plan does not provide for the grant of "incentive  stock  options",  as such
term is used under  Section  422(b) of the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as
amended (the "Code").


COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO THE EXCHANGE PLAN

     The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Exchange Plan
is 2,750,000  shares.  Shares issued upon exercise of options under the Exchange
Plan may be either  authorized but unissued shares or shares  re-acquired by the
Company.  If, on or prior to the  termination  of the Exchange  Plan,  an option
granted  thereunder  expires or is terminated for any reason without having been
exercised in full,  the  unpurchased  shares  covered  thereby shall cease to be
reserved for issuance  under the Exchange Plan and shall revert to the status of
authorized but unissued shares. The maximum number of shares of


                                       6

<PAGE>



Common Stock for which any individual may be granted  options under the Exchange
Plan during any  calendar  year shall be equal to the  largest  number of shares
eligible for  issuance to any one  optionholder  based upon the exchange  ratios
described in the Exchange Plan.

     The purchase  price for the shares of Common  Stock  covered by each option
granted  under the Exchange Plan will be at least 100% of the fair market value,
but in no event  less than the par value,  per share of the Common  Stock at May
20, 1999, the date of the 1999 Annual Meeting of  Stockholders.  For purposes of
the Exchange Plan, such fair market value shall be conclusively deemed to be the
closing  price  per share of the  Common  Stock on the New York  Stock  Exchange
Composite Transactions Tape on such date. Options issued under the Exchange Plan
shall be deemed to have been granted on May 20, 1999.

     The  Exchange  Plan  prohibits  any  reduction  of the  exercise  price  of
outstanding  options  granted  under the plan except by reason of an  adjustment
pursuant to a stock split,  merger,  business  combination,  recapitalization or
similar change in the capitalization of the Company.  The Exchange Plan likewise
prohibits the cancellation of outstanding  options accompanied by the reissuance
of substitute options at a lower exercise price.


ADMINISTRATION OF THE EXCHANGE PLAN

     The Exchange Plan is administered by the Audit and  Compensation  Committee
of the Board of Directors (the "Committee"),  each member of which is an outside
Director.  The Committee has full and exclusive authority to determine the grant
of options under the Exchange Plan.


GRANT OF OPTIONS UNDER THE EXCHANGE PLAN

     Options may be granted  under the  Exchange  Plan only in exchange  for the
surrender and cancellation of Eligible Exchanging  Options.  Such exchange shall
be based upon the  following  ratios:  (i) if the exercise  price of an Eligible
Exchanging  Option is at least  $16.00  but less than  $22.00  per  share,  such
Eligible  Exchanging  Option may be  surrendered in exchange for an option under
the Exchange  Plan  covering two shares of Common Stock for each three shares of
Common Stock covered by the surrendered  Eligible Exchanging Option; and (ii) if
the  exercise  price of an  Eligible  Exchanging  Option is $22.00  per share or
greater,  such Eligible  Exchanging Option may be surrendered in exchange for an
option under the Exchange  Plan  covering  three shares of Common Stock for each
four  shares of Common  Stock  covered by the  surrendered  Eligible  Exchanging
Option.

     Each  optionholder   surrendering  Eligible  Exchanging  Options  shall  be
required to retain  Eligible  Exchanging  Options  covering 10% of the aggregate
number of shares covered by the total number of Eligible Exchanging Options held
by such  optionholder  (the "10%  Holdback").  The 10% Holdback shall consist of
those Eligible Exchange Options having the lowest exercise price.  Optionholders
desiring to participate in the Exchange Plan must surrender not less than all of
their  Eligible  Exchanging  Options,  less only the 10%  Holdback.  The  shares
represented by surrendered  Eligible Exchanging Options shall not be restored to
the stock option plan under which they were issued,  but instead shall revert to
the status of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock.

     Each option  granted under the Exchange  Plan shall be granted  pursuant to
and subject to the terms and  conditions  of a stock option  agreement (a "Stock
Option  Agreement") to be entered into between the Company and the  optionholder
at the time of such grant. Any such Stock Option Agreement shall  incorporate by
reference  all of the terms and  provisions of the Exchange Plan as in effect at
the time of grant and may contain  such other terms and  provisions  as shall be
approved and adopted by the Committee.

     The  expiration  date of an option granted under the Exchange Plan shall be
identical to the expiration date of the Eligible  Exchanging Option  surrendered
in exchange therefor,  provided that each such option shall expire not more than
ten years  after the date such  option is  granted.  Each  option  shall  become
exercisable in whole,  in part or in  installments  at such time or times as the
Committee may  prescribe  and specify in the Stock Option  Agreement at the time
the option is granted.  Unless otherwise  expressly provided in the Stock Option
Agreement, each option granted under the Exchange Plan shall be deemed


                                       7

<PAGE>



to be vested  and  exercisable  in the same  proportion  to the total  number of
shares covered thereby as the relevant Eligible  Exchanging Option was so vested
and  exercisable  at the time of  surrender,  and any  unvested  portion of such
option  shall  vest and  become  exercisable  at the  same  time and in the same
proportions to the total number of shares covered thereby as previously provided
with respect to the relevant Eligible Exchanging Option.

     In the event of a "Change in Control" (as defined), of the Company, options
granted  under the  Exchange  Plan which are,  by their  terms,  exercisable  in
installments, will become immediately exercisable in full. A "Change in Control"
is defined to include the acquisition of more than 25% of the outstanding voting
securities of the Company by a single person or group, the election to the Board
of Directors of persons  constituting  a majority of the Board of Directors  who
are not "Incumbent  Directors" (as defined), or the approval by the stockholders
of the  Company of (i) a merger,  reorganization  or similar  transaction  which
results in the then-current  stockholders of the Company owning less than 75% of
the  combined  voting  power  of the  reorganized  or  merged  entity,  (ii) the
liquidation  or  dissolution  of  the  Company,  or  (iii)  the  sale  of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company. These provisions of the Exchange
Plan may have some deterrent effect on certain  mergers,  tender offers or other
takeover  attempts,  thereby having some potential  adverse effect on the market
price of the Company's Common Stock.

     The exercise price for options  granted under the Exchange Plan may be paid
in any of the following ways, which may be combined for any given exercise:  (a)
the exercise  price may be paid in cash;  (b) the exercise  price may be paid by
tendering outstanding shares of Common Stock having a fair market value equal to
the aggregate exercise price for the options being exercised;  or (c) subject to
applicable  requirements of the Exchange Act, the  optionholder may deliver with
his exercise notice irrevocable  instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to
the Company an amount of sale or loan  proceeds  sufficient  to pay the exercise
price.

     Options granted under the Exchange Plan shall be assignable or transferable
only by will or pursuant to the laws of descent and  distribution,  and shall be
exercisable during the optionholder's lifetime only by the optionholder,  except
for certain  permitted  transfers to family members,  trusts or partnerships for
the benefit of family members, or tax-exempt charities.  No holder of any option
shall have any rights to dividends or other rights of a stockholder with respect
to shares  subject  to an  option  prior to the  purchase  of such  shares  upon
exercise of the option.


TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT, DEATH OR DISABILITY OF OPTIONHOLDER

     With respect to an option which,  by its terms,  is not exercisable for one
year from the date on which it is granted,  if an optionholder's  employment by,
or other  relationship  with, the Company or any of its subsidiaries  terminates
for any reason  other than death  within one year after the date an  unexercised
option is granted  under the Exchange  Plan,  the option shall  terminate on the
date of termination of such  employment or other  relationship.  With respect to
all options granted under the Exchange Plan, if an optionholder's employment by,
or other  relationship  with,  the Company is terminated by reason of his death,
the option shall  terminate one year after the date of death,  unless the option
otherwise  expires.  If an optionholder's  employment by, or other  relationship
with, the Company  terminates for any other reason,  or at any other time, other
than as set forth above,  the option shall terminate three months after the date
of  termination  of such  employment  or other  relationship,  unless the option
earlier  expires,  provided  that:  (a) if the  optionholder  dies  within  such
three-month  period,  the option shall  terminate one year after the date of his
death, unless the option earlier expires; (b) the Board of Directors may, at any
time prior to any termination of such employment or other relationship under the
circumstances covered herein,  determine in its discretion that the option shall
terminate on the date of termination of such  employment or other  relationship;
and (c) the exercise of any option after termination of such employment or other
relationship  shall be subject to satisfaction of the conditions  precedent that
the optionholder refrain from engaging,  directly or indirectly, in any activity
which is competitive with any activity of the Company or any subsidiary and from
otherwise  acting,  either prior to or after  termination of such  employment or
other relationship, in any manner inimical or in any way contrary to the best


                                       8

<PAGE>



interests of the Company and that the  optionholder  furnish to the Company such
information  with  respect  to  the  satisfaction  of the  foregoing  conditions
precedent as the Board of Directors shall reasonably request.


EXPIRATION, TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT OF THE EXCHANGE PLAN

     The Exchange Plan will terminate on the earliest of (a) September 30, 1999,
(b) the date on which all shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the
Exchange  Plan shall have been  acquired  through  exercise  of options  granted
thereunder,  or (c) such earlier time as the Board of Directors  may  determine.
Any option  outstanding  under the Exchange Plan at the time of its  termination
shall remain in effect in accordance  with its terms and conditions and those of
the Exchange Plan.

     The  Exchange  Plan may, at any time or from time to time,  be  terminated,
modified or amended by the  stockholders of the Company by the affirmative  vote
of the holders of a majority of the outstanding  shares of Common Stock entitled
to vote. The Board of Directors  may,  insofar as permitted by law, from time to
time with  respect  to any  shares of Common  Stock at the time not  subject  to
options,  suspend or discontinue  the Exchange Plan or revise or amend it in any
respect  whatsoever,  except that,  without  approval of the stockholders of the
Company,  no such  revision or  amendment  shall  increase  the number of shares
subject to the Exchange Plan,  permit exercise of options unless full payment is
made at the time of exercise (except as provided in the Exchange Plan), decrease
the price at which  options  may be  granted,  extend  the period  during  which
options may be exercised,  or change the provisions relating to adjustment to be
made upon changes in capitalization.  Subject to the provisions described above,
the  Board  of  Directors  has the  power  to amend  the  Exchange  Plan and any
outstanding  options  granted  thereunder  in  such  respects  as the  Board  of
Directors shall, in its sole discretion,  deem advisable in order to incorporate
in the Exchange Plan or any such option any new provision or change  designed to
comply with or take advantage of requirements or provisions of the Code or other
statute,  or rules or  regulations  of the  Internal  Revenue  Service  or other
federal or state  governmental  agency enacted or promulgated after the adoption
of the Exchange Plan.


FEDERAL TAX CONSEQUENCES

     Pursuant to the Code,  upon the  exercise of an option  under the  Exchange
Plan, the Company is generally entitled to a tax deduction in an amount equal to
the difference  between the option price and the fair market value of the Common
Stock on the date the option is exercised.  For federal tax purposes, the person
exercising  the option must pay personal  income taxes on an amount equal to the
difference  between  the option  price and the fair  market  value of the Common
Stock on the  date the  option  is  exercised.  The  basis of the  Common  Stock
obtained by exercising  the option will be the option price paid plus the amount
equal to the  difference  between the option  price and the fair market value of
the Common Stock on the date the option is  exercised,  which amount was subject
to federal  income  tax.  A  subsequent  sale of the Common  Stock by the person
exercising the option will result in a long- or short-term  capital gain or loss
depending  on the total period of time that the shares of Common Stock are held.
Generally,  no taxable  event  occurs under the Code upon the grant of an option
under the Exchange Plan.


NEW PLAN BENEFITS

     No options have been granted under the Exchange  Plan. The number of shares
covered  by  particular  options to be granted  under the  Exchange  Plan is not
determinable at this time.


VOTE REQUIRED; RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     Management  recommends a vote FOR the adoption of the 1999  Exchange  Stock
Option  Plan.  The  affirmative  vote  of  the  holders  of a  majority  of  the
outstanding  shares of the Common Stock present or  represented  and entitled to
vote at the Annual  Meeting will be necessary  for  stockholder  approval of the
1999 Exchange Stock Option Plan.


                                       9

<PAGE>




                         1999 EXECUTIVE EQUITY LOAN PLAN

GENERAL

     The Company's Board of Directors has adopted the 1999 Executive Equity Loan
Plan (the "Loan Plan") for the Company's  executives  and other key employees of
the  Company  and its  subsidiaries.  The Loan Plan is  intended  to advance the
Company's  interests by providing  such persons with  additional  incentive  for
future endeavor and to align the interests of the  Corporation's  management and
its  stockholders  by providing a mechanism  to enhance  ownership of the Common
Stock  by such  executives  and key  employees,  through  the  making  of  loans
("Loans") to such  executives and key employees to purchase shares of the Common
Stock.  Loans made under the Plan may only be used for the purpose of purchasing
Common Stock of the Company.

     It should be noted that each  officer and  employee of the Company  has, by
reason of being  eligible to receive  Loans under the Loan Plan,  an interest in
seeing that the Loan Plan is adopted by the stockholders.

     Set forth below is a summary of the major  features of the Loan Plan.  This
summary does not purport to be a complete statement of all the provisions of the
Loan  Plan,  and is  qualified  in its  entirety  by the text of the  Loan  Plan
attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix B.


MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF LOANS UNDER THE LOAN PLAN

     Loans may be made under the Loan Plan in such  amounts as are  approved  by
the Committee (as defined below),  provided that the maximum aggregate principal
amount  of  Loans  outstanding  under  the  Plan at any time  shall  not  exceed
$50,000,000.  If, on or prior to the termination of the Loan Plan, the principal
amount of any Loan  under the Loan Plan  shall  have been  repaid in whole or in
part, the principal amount so repaid shall again become available for the making
of Loans  under the Plan,  subject to the  foregoing  limitation  on the maximum
aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time.


ADMINISTRATION OF THE LOAN PLAN

     The Loan Plan is  administered by the Audit and  Compensation  Committee of
the Board of  Directors  (the  "Committee"),  each member of which is an outside
Director. The Committee has full and exclusive authority to make Loans under the
Loan Plan; provided, however, that the Committee may delegate responsibility for
all or part of the  administration  of the Loan Plan to appropriate  officers of
the Company,  but no such officers  shall have the power to make Loans under the
Loan Plan, amend,  waive or modify any provision of the Loan Plan or forgive any
Loans,  in whole or in part,  without the express  approval of the  Committee in
each case.


LOANS UNDER THE LOAN PLAN

     Each Loan made under the Loan Plan shall be granted pursuant to and subject
to the terms and  conditions  of a loan  agreement  (a "Loan  Agreement")  to be
entered into between the Company and the optionholder at the time of such award.
Any such Loan  Agreement  shall  incorporate  by reference  all of the terms and
provisions  of the Loan Plan as in  effect at the time of grant and may  contain
such  other  terms  and  provisions  as shall be  approved  and  adopted  by the
Committee.

     Loans made under the Loan Plan shall be subject to the following  terms and
conditions:

          (a) The proceeds of Loans may be used only for purchases of the Common
     Stock in open-market transactions, block trades or negotiated transactions.
     Such purchases must be effected through a broker approved by the Company.

          (b) Loans  shall have a maturity  date of seven years from the date of
     the Loan,  subject to acceleration  and termination as provided in the Loan
     Plan.  Such maturity date may be extended for up to one additional  year by
     the Committee,  acting in its discretion.  The unpaid principal  balance of
     each Loan shall bear  interest  at a rate equal to the  effective  interest
     rate on the average outstanding


                                       10

<PAGE>



     balance under the Company's  principal  credit  agreement for each calendar
     quarter, adjustable as of the end of each calendar quarter, which effective
     interest  rate  shall  be  determined  by the  Controller  of the  Company.
     Interest shall be compounded annually.  Subject to the terms and conditions
     set forth in the Loan Plan,  repayment  of  principal  and  interest may be
     deferred until final maturity of the Loan.

          (c) Each Loan  shall be  secured  by a pledge of all of the  shares of
     Common Stock purchased with the proceeds thereof ("Loan Shares"),  pursuant
     to which the  participant  shall grant the Company a first priority lien on
     and security  interest in the Loan Shares.  The Loan Shares may not be sold
     for one year after the date on which they were acquired  (the  "Acquisition
     Date"). Thereafter, one-third of the aggregate number of Loan Shares may be
     sold  during  each  of  the  second,  third  and  fourth  years  after  the
     Acquisition  Date,  with any unsold portion  carrying  forward from year to
     year. The proceeds from any such sale must be used to repay a percentage of
     the  principal  amount of the Loan equal to the  percentage  of Loan Shares
     sold,  less any  amounts  withheld  for taxes  (the  "Mandatory  Prepayment
     Amount").  Any proceeds in excess of the Mandatory  Prepayment Amount shall
     be retained by the participant.

          (d)  Notwithstanding  any  contrary  provision in the Loan Plan or any
     Loan  Agreement,  a Loan shall  immediately  mature,  and all principal and
     accrued but unpaid  interest  thereon  shall be due and payable,  within 30
     days  after the  effective  date of any  termination  of the  participant's
     employment by the Company,  whether  voluntary or involuntary,  or upon the
     death or disability of the participant.  Without limiting the generality of
     the  foregoing,  the Company may, but shall not be required to,  repurchase
     the Loan Shares of a participant at such participant's original acquisition
     cost  if  the  participant's  employment  is  terminated,   voluntarily  or
     involuntarily  or by reason of death or disability,  within the first three
     years after the Acquisition Date, according to the following schedule:


                                      PERCENTAGE OF LOAN SHARES
              YEAR BEGINNING ON         SUBJECT TO REPURCHASE
          ------------------------   --------------------------
            Acquisition Date                    100 %
            First Anniversary of
              the Acquisition Date               66 2/3%
            Second Anniversary of
              the Acquisition Date               33 1/3%


     The terms of such  repurchase  shall be as set forth in the Loan Agreement.
     In the event of any such  repurchase,  the purchase  price of the shares so
     repurchased shall be credited against the outstanding principal balance and
     accrued  but unpaid  interest  on the Loan,  and the  participant  shall be
     responsible for the payment of any deficiency.

          (e)  Certificates  evidencing  Loan shares  shall bear an  appropriate
     restrictive legend. The Company may require such certificates to be held in
     a custodial account with a bank or other financial institution, or may hold
     such certificates itself.

          (f) Loans shall be made with full recourse, and each participant shall
     be required to repay all principal and accrued but unpaid interest upon the
     maturity  of  the  Loan  (or  its  earlier  acceleration  or  termination),
     irrespective of whether the participant has sold Loan Shares or whether the
     proceeds  of any such  sale were  sufficient  to repay  all  principal  and
     interest  with  respect  to the  Loan.  If,  at  any  time,  the  Committee
     determines in its reasonable  discretion  that the value of the Loan Shares
     pledged as security for the Loan is less than the indebtedness evidenced by
     the Loan, the Committee  shall require the  participant to post  additional
     security  (which  may  be  shares  of  Common  Stock  or  other  collateral
     acceptable to the  Committee,  in its  reasonable  discretion) in an amount
     sufficient to fully secure the indebtedness of the Loan.

     In the event of a "Change in  Control"  (as  defined) of the  Company,  any
restrictions on sale of Loan Shares shall  terminate,  but the Loan Shares shall
remain  subject to the pledge in favor of the Company.  A "Change in Control" is
defined to include the  acquisition of more than 25% of the  outstanding  voting
securities of the Company by a single person or group, the election to the Board
of Directors of persons


                                       11

<PAGE>



constituting  a  majority  of the  Board  of  Directors  who are not  "Incumbent
Directors" (as defined),  or the approval by the  stockholders of the Company of
(i) a  merger,  reorganization  or  similar  transaction  which  results  in the
then-current  stockholders  of the Company  owning less than 75% of the combined
voting  power of the  reorganized  or merged  entity,  (ii) the  liquidation  or
dissolution of the Company, or (iii) the sale of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Company. These provisions of the Loan Plan may have some deterrent
effect on certain  mergers,  tender offers or other takeover  attempts,  thereby
having some potential adverse effect on the market price of the Company's Common
Stock.


EXPIRATION, TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT OF THE LOAN PLAN

     The Loan Plan will terminate on the earlier of (a) May 19, 2009 or (b) such
earlier time as the Board of Directors may determine. Any Loan outstanding under
the  Loan  Plan  at the  time of its  termination  shall  remain  in  effect  in
accordance with its terms and conditions and those of the Loan Plan.

     The Loan  Plan  may,  at any  time or from  time to  time,  be  terminated,
modified or amended by the  stockholders of the Company by the affirmative  vote
of the holders of a majority of the outstanding  shares of Common Stock entitled
to vote. The Board of Directors  may,  insofar as permitted by law, from time to
time suspend or  discontinue  the Loan Plan or revise or amend it in any respect
whatsoever, except that, without approval of the stockholders of the Company, no
such revision or amendment shall increase the maximum aggregate principal amount
of Loans made under the Loan Plan.


FEDERAL TAX CONSEQUENCES

     In general,  the making or receipt of Loans and the  repayment of principal
will not be a taxable event or have other tax effects with respect to either the
Company or the participant.  The payment of interest on Loans will ordinarily be
taxable  income to the Company,  but will not be deductible by the  participant.
The sale of Loan Shares will ordinarily constitute a long- or short-term capital
gain or loss,  depending  on the period of time for which the Loan  Shares  were
held and the price at which they were purchased.


NEW PLAN BENEFITS

     No awards have been made under the Loan Plan. The principal amount of Loans
to be made under the Loan Plan is not determinable at this time.


VOTE REQUIRED; RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     Management  recommends  a vote  FOR the  adoption  of the  Loan  Plan.  The
affirmative  vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding  shares of the
Common Stock present or  represented  and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
will be necessary for stockholder approval of the Loan Plan.


                              STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL

THE LONGVIEW PROPOSAL

     Amalgamated  Bank of New York LongView  Collective  Investment  Fund, 11-15
Union Square, New York, New York 10003,  claiming beneficial ownership of 55,100
shares of the Company's Common Stock, has submitted the proposal set forth below
(the "LongView Proposal", as defined above):


                             "SHAREHOLDER RESOLUTION

     "RESOLVED that the shareholders request the Board of Directors to amend the
articles of incorporation  and/or bylaws to the extent necessary to provide that
at least three-quarters of all Board members are `independent'.  For purposes of
this resolution, an independent director shall be considered as one who:

     o    has not been employed by  HEALTHSOUTH  or an affiliate in an executive
          capacity;


                                       12

<PAGE>



     o    has  not  been a  member  of a  corporation  or  firm  that  is one of
          HEALTHSOUTH's paid advisers or consultants;

     o    has not been  employed  by a  significant  customer  of or supplier to
          HEALTHSOUTH;

     o    has not had personal services contracts with HEALTHSOUTH or one of its
          affiliates;

     o    has not been  employed by a foundation  or  university  that  receives
          significant grants or endowments from HEALTHSOUTH;

     o    is  not a  relative  of an  executive  of  HEALTHSOUTH  or  one of its
          affiliates;

     o    has not been part of an  interlocking  directorate in which the CEO or
          other executive officer of HEALTHSOUTH  serves on the board of another
          corporation that employs that director; and

     o    does  not   have   any   personal,   financial   and/or   professional
          relationships  with  the CEO or other  executive  officer  that  could
          interfere with the exercise of independent judgment by such director.


                              "SUPPORTING STATEMENT

     "This proposal seeks to establish a level of  independence  that we believe
will permit clear and objective  decision-making  in the best long-term interest
of all shareholders.

     "Five of  HEALTHSOUTH's 12 Directors are company  insiders.  A sixth is the
CEO of  MedPartners,  and  HEALTHSOUTH's  CEO,  Richard  M.  Scrushy,  is former
Chairman and current director of MedPartners'  Board of Directors.  As a result,
HEALTHSOUTH  falls  short  of  the  level  of  independence   proposed  in  this
resolution.

     "In  our  view,  Board  dominance  by  insiders  and  people  having  other
significant  ties to  management  can raise  questions  about whether a Board is
giving priority to management's interest at the expense of the shareholders.  As
a committee of the Business Roundtable put it:

     `Boards of Directors at large publicly-held corporations should be composed
     predominately   of  independent   directors  who  do  not  hold  management
     responsibilities within the corporation. . . . In order to underscore their
     independence,  non-management  directors  should  not be  dependent  on the
     companies on whose boards they serve.'

     "We believe that greater board  independence is  particularly  important at
this time. After years of growth,  HEALTHSOUTH's stock price has plummeted since
late 1997.  The  company's  performance  for the past five years now lags behind
that of the S&P 500 index.

     "We  also  believe  that  greater   independence  is  needed  in  light  of
HEALTHSOUTH's  record on executive  compensation.  Our CEO was recently named as
one of ten `executive pay anti-heroes' by Graef Crystal,  an expert on executive
pay, in a report prepared for the Council of Institutional Investors.  Crystal's
conclusion was based in part on Mr.  Scrushy's  drawing a base salary 350% above
the  market;  a salary  and bonus  592%  above the  market;  and a total  direct
compensation that is 225% above the market.

     "We urge you to vote FOR this resolution."


RESPONSE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     The Board of Directors recommends a vote AGAINST the LongView Proposal, for
the reasons set forth below.

     The Company's Board of Directors  agrees that the management of the Company
should be vested in a Board of Directors consisting of a majority of independent
directors.  For that  reason,  the  Company  has always  maintained  just such a
majority  on its  Board.  The Board of  Directors  currently  consists  of seven
outside Directors and five inside Directors.  The outside directors comprise two
of the  nation's  leading  healthcare  venture  capitalists,  the  former  chief
financial  officer of a large  hospital  chain,  a veteran  of senior  executive
positions with large retail and manufacturing enterprises, one of Alabama's most


                                       13

<PAGE>



successful  entrepreneurs,  a  leading  physician  and  a  healthcare  executive
identified  by  HealthcareBusiness  magazine  as  having  been  involved  in the
start-up of over 15 healthcare companies. The Company's current inside Directors
comprise two founders of the Company,  as well as its Chief  Operating  Officer,
its Chief  Financial  Officer  and the Chief  Operating  Officer of its  largest
division.  Only one  member  of the  Company's  Board of  Directors  is paid for
consulting  services,  and that member,  Joel C. Gordon,  founded  Surgical Care
Affiliates,  a pioneering  company in the outpatient  surgery  business that was
acquired  by the  Company  in 1996.  The Board of  Directors  believes  that its
current  composition  affords it a combination of  independence,  experience and
knowledge of the healthcare  industry and the Company's business that has served
the Company and its stockholders well.

     Each outside  director meets the definition of independence  adopted by the
New York Stock Exchange,  which excludes any director who has "any  relationship
that,  in the  opinion  of the  Board of  Directors,  would  interfere  with the
exercise of independent judgment". Further, each outside director other than Mr.
Gordon meets the more  stringent test of being an "outside  director"  under the
regulations  promulgated  under Section  162(m) of the Internal  Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (which regulations provide, among other things, that an outside
director cannot be a current employee, a former employee receiving  compensation
for prior services (subject to certain exceptions),  a current or former officer
of the  corporation,  or a person  who  receives  (or is  entitled  to  receive)
remuneration from the corporation in any capacity other than as a director).

     The Board of Directors  believes that the  requirements  proposed under the
LongView  Proposal are arbitrary,  unnecessary and inappropriate in that, unlike
the standards  imposed by the New York Stock  Exchange and the Internal  Revenue
Code,  such  requirements  would,  for example,  presume that a director was not
independent  because that  director was an employee of a company that engaged in
arm's-length  commercial transactions with the Company in the ordinary course of
business,  or of a foundation or university  that received  grants or endowments
from the Company.  The Company operates in all 50 states, the United Kingdom and
Australia,  and as a consequence has customer or supplier  relationships  with a
wide range of other  companies  around  the world  which may or may not meet the
undefined and subjective standard of being "significant".  Likewise,  as part of
its policy of corporate stewardship, the Company provides support to a number of
charitable  foundations and  educational  institutions  around the country.  The
arbitrary requirements contained in the LongView Proposal would, without further
inquiry into the substantive  independence of the directors,  automatically  bar
any  employees  of such  companies,  foundations  and  institutions  from  being
considered  as  independent  directors,  potentially  depriving the Committee of
knowledgeable  and  experienced  insight into the matters  facing it. Thus,  for
example,  current or former  executives of such  companies as General  Electric,
Delta  Airlines  and  Wal-Mart,  and current and former  administrators  of such
institutions  as  Vanderbilt  University,  the  University  of  Virginia  or the
Arthritis Foundation, would not be regarded as "independent" directors under the
LongView proposal.

     In support of its proposal, LongView attributes an industry-wide decline in
stock prices to the  performance  of the  Company's  board  notwithstanding  the
Company's  continuing  record of earnings growth,  and makes a gratuitous attack
upon the Company's  Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive  Officer,  who has
voluntarily  forgone his own salary  during the decline in the  Company's  stock
price.  In  addition,   the  LongView   supporting   statement   indicates  that
MedPartners'  Chief Executive Officer serves on the Company's Board, which is no
longer  correct.  LongView  offers these  dubious  rationales in the face of the
performance that the Company has seen under its existing Board structure,  under
which the Company:

     *    has become the only healthcare services provider to operate facilities
          in all 50 states

     *    has  met  or  exceeded  analysts'   expectations  for  50  consecutive
          quarters;

     *    has become part of the S&P 500 only 13 years after inception; and

     *    has  become  one  of  the  few  publicly  traded  healthcare  services
          companies to maintain  investment grade ratings with Standard & Poor's
          and Moody's;

all while  becoming  the nation's  largest  provider of  outpatient  surgery and
rehabilitative  healthcare  services.  The  Board  believes  that  its  existing
policies with respect to membership have served the Company and its stockholders
well, and that the LongView Proposal is unnecessary and inadvisable.


                                       14

<PAGE>



VOTE REQUIRED; RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     The Board of Directors recommends a vote AGAINST the LongView Proposal. The
affirmative  vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding  shares of the
Common Stock present or  represented  and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
will be necessary for stockholder approval of the LongView Proposal.














                                       15

<PAGE>



                  EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND OTHER INFORMATION

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION -- GENERAL

     The following  table sets forth  compensation  paid or awarded to the Chief
Executive Officer and each of the other four most highly  compensated  executive
officers  of the Company  (the  "Named  Executive  Officers")  for all  services
rendered to the Company and its subsidiaries in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             ANNUAL COMPENSATION              LONG-TERM COMPENSATION
                                   ---------------------------------------   -------------------------
                                                             BONUS/ANNUAL       STOCK       LONG-TERM           ALL
                                                               INCENTIVE        OPTION      INCENTIVE       OTHER COM-
   NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION      YEAR        SALARY           AWARD          AWARDS       PAYOUTS       PENSATION(1)
- - --------------------------------   ------   -------------   --------------   -----------   -----------   ----------------
<S>                                <C>      <C>             <C>              <C>           <C>           <C>
Richard M. Scrushy                 1996      $3,391,775      $ 8,000,000      1,500,000        --           $  34,286(2)
Chairman of the Board              1997       3,398,999       10,000,000      1,300,000        --              21,430
and Chief Executive Officer(3)     1998       2,777,829               --      1,500,000        --              72,352

James P. Bennett                   1996         496,590          800,000        200,000        --              32,106(2)
President and Chief                1997         639,161        1,500,000        700,000        --              10,158
Operating Officer                  1998         670,000               --        300,000        --              10,092

Michael D. Martin                  1996         281,644          750,000        120,000        --              31,586(2)
Executive Vice President           1997         359,672        2,000,000        450,000        --               9,700
and Chief Financial Officer        1998         415,826               --        260,000        --               9,665

P. Daryl Brown                     1996         335,825          400,000        100,000        --              11,181
President -- HEALTHSOUTH           1997         370,673          450,000        250,000        --              10,737
Outpatient Centers                 1998         386,212               --         75,000        --              10,981

Anthony J. Tanner                  1996         298,078          350,000        100,000        --               7,763
Executive Vice President --        1997         371,114          450,000        450,000        --               9,817
Administration and Secretary       1998         388,422               --        250,000        --              11,197
</TABLE>

- - ----------
(1)  Includes  car  allowances  of $500 per month for Mr.  Scrushy  and $350 per
     month for the other Named  Executive  Officers  in 1996 and 1997,  use of a
     Company-owned automobile by Mr. Scrushy in 1998, and car allowances of $500
     per month for Mr. Scrushy and $450 per month for the other Named  Executive
     Officers through  September 1998. Also includes (a) matching  contributions
     under the Company's  Retirement  Investment  Plan for 1996,  1997 and 1998,
     respectively,  of: $708, $791 and $1,450 to Mr. Scrushy; $1,425, $1,425 and
     $1,499 to Mr.  Bennett;  $1,371,  $1,324 and $1,395 to Mr.  Martin;  $1,897
     $1,319  and  $1,415 to Mr.  Brown;  and  $1,290,  $1,215  and $1,308 to Mr.
     Tanner;  (b) awards under the  Company's  Employee  Stock  Benefit Plan for
     1996,  1997 and 1998,  respectively,  of  $3,389,  $2,889 and $2,882 to Mr.
     Scrushy;  $3,387,  $2,889 and  $2,882 to Mr.  Bennett;  $3,386,  $2,889 and
     $2,882 to Mr. Martin;  $3,389,  $2,889 and $2,882 to Mr. Brown; and $1,276,
     $2,889  and  $2,882 to Mr.  Tanner;  and (c)  split-dollar  life  insurance
     premiums  paid in 1996,  1997 and 1998 of $2,312,  $11,750 and $45,187 with
     respect to Mr.  Scrushy;  $1,217,  $1,644 and  $1,661  with  respect to Mr.
     Bennett; $752, $1,287 and $1,338 with respect to Mr. Martin; $1,695, $2,329
     and $2,634  with  respect to Mr.  Brown;  and $997,  $1,513 and $2,957 with
     respect to Mr. Tanner. See "Executive Compensation and Other Information --
     Retirement Investment Plan" and "-- Employee Stock Benefit Plan".

(2)  In addition to the amounts  described in the preceding  footnote,  includes
     the  forgiveness  of loans in the  amount of  $21,877  each owed by Messrs.
     Scrushy, Bennett and Martin in 1996.

(3)  Salary  amounts for Mr.  Scrushy  include  monthly  incentive  compensation
     amounts  payable upon  achievement  of certain  budget  targets.  Effective
     November 1, 1998, Mr.  Scrushy  voluntarily  suspended  receipt of his base
     salary and monthly incentive compensation.  See "Executive Compensation and
     other  Information -- Audit and Compensation  Committee Report on Executive
     Compensation  -- Chief  Executive  Officer  Compensation;  Developments  in
     1998".


                                       16

<PAGE>



STOCK OPTION GRANTS IN 1998

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    INDIVIDUAL GRANTS
                       -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       % OF TOTAL
                                         OPTIONS
                        NUMBER OF      GRANTED TO       EXERCISE
                         OPTIONS      EMPLOYEES IN       PRICE       EXPIRATION        GRANT DATE
        NAME             GRANTED       FISCAL YEAR     PER SHARE        DATE        PRESENT VALUE(1)
- - --------------------   -----------   --------------   -----------   ------------   -----------------
<S>                    <C>           <C>              <C>           <C>            <C>
Richard M. Scrushy      1,500,000          29.9%       $  10.00      10/22/08         $11,355,000
James P. Bennett          300,000           6.0%          10.00      10/22/08           2,271,000
Michael D. Martin         260,000           5.2%          10.00      10/22/08           1,968,200
P. Daryl Brown             75,000           1.5%          10.00      10/22/08             567,750
Anthony J. Tanner         250,000           5.0%          10.00      10/22/08           1,892,500
</TABLE>

- - ----------
(1)  Based on the Black-Scholes  option pricing model adapted for use in valuing
     executive stock options. The actual value, if any, an executive may realize
     will depend upon the excess of the stock price over the  exercise  price on
     the date the option is  exercised,  so that there is no assurance  that the
     value  realized by an executive  will be at or near the value  estimated by
     the Black-Scholes model. The estimated values under that model are based on
     arbitrary assumptions as to certain variables, including the following: (i)
     stock price  volatility is assumed to be 76%;  (ii) the  risk-free  rate of
     return is assumed to be 6.01%; (iii) dividend yield is assumed to be 0; and
     (iv) the time of  exercise  is  assumed  to be 7.3  years  from the date of
     grant.


STOCK OPTION EXERCISES IN 1998 AND OPTION VALUES AT DECEMBER 31, 1998

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 NUMBER                                                            VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                                OF SHARES                    NUMBER OF UNEXERCISED OPTIONS         IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
                                ACQUIRED                        AT DECEMBER 31, 1998(1)          AT DECEMBER 31, 1998(2)
                                   ON           VALUE       -------------------------------   ------------------------------
            NAME                EXERCISE       REALIZED      EXERCISABLE     UNEXERCISABLE     EXERCISABLE     UNEXERCISABLE
- - ----------------------------   ----------   -------------   -------------   ---------------   -------------   --------------
<S>                            <C>          <C>             <C>             <C>               <C>             <C>
Richard M. Scrushy .........         --              --      12,672,524              --        $97,144,849             --
James P. Bennett ...........         --              --       1,610,000              --          4,945,175             --
Michael D. Martin. .........         --              --         860,000          30,000          1,643,750       $213,750
P. Daryl Brown .............    198,000      $2,458,802         915,000              --          5,386,450             --
Anthony J. Tanner ..........         --              --       1,190,000              --          5,026,325             --
</TABLE>

- - ----------
(1)  Does not reflect any options  granted and/or  exercised  after December 31,
     1998.  The net effect of any such grants and  exercises is reflected in the
     table appearing under "Principal Stockholders".

(2)  Represents  the  difference  between  market price of the Company's  Common
     Stock and the  respective  exercise  prices of the options at December  31,
     1998. Such amounts may not necessarily be realized. Actual values which may
     be realized, if any, upon any exercise of such options will be based on the
     market price of the Common Stock at the time of any such  exercise and thus
     are dependent upon future performance of the Common Stock.


STOCKHOLDER RETURN COMPARISON (1)

     Set  forth  below  is a line  graph  comparing  the  total  returns  of the
Company's  Common  Stock,  the  Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) Index and a peer
group  index  ("Rehab  Index")  compiled  by the  Company,  consisting  of Tenet
Healthcare Corporation and NovaCare,  Inc., publicly traded healthcare companies
whose businesses are similar in some respects to that of the Company.  The graph
assumes $100 invested on December 31, 1993, in HEALTHSOUTH Common Stock and each
of the indices. The Rehab Index has been weighted for market capitalization, and
the Company assumes reinvestment of dividends for purposes of the graph.


                                    [Graph]



                                       17

<PAGE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 DECEMBER 31,    HEALTHSOUTH     S&P 500     REHAB INDEX
- - -------------   -------------   ---------   -------------
<S>             <C>             <C>         <C>
     1993           100           100            100
     1994           144           101             85
     1995           231           140            128
     1996           306           172            149
     1997           440           230            222
     1998           245           295            175
</TABLE>

- - ----------
(1)  In previous  Proxy  Statements  of the  Company,  the Rehab Index  included
     Continental Medical Systems, Inc. ("CMS"). In May 1995, CMS was acquired by
     Horizon Healthcare Corporation,  which was the surviving corporation in the
     merger.  Because  CMS  was  not  publicly  traded  during  all of  1995  or
     thereafter,  data relating to CMS has been deleted from the Rehab Index for
     all periods.


STOCK OPTION PLANS

     Set forth below is information concerning the various stock option plans of
the Company at December 31,  1998.  All share  numbers and exercise  prices have
been adjusted to reflect the Company's March 1997 two-for-one stock split.

1984 Incentive Stock Option Plan

     The  Company  had a 1984  Incentive  Stock  Option  Plan (the "ISO  Plan"),
intended to qualify under Section  422(b) of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the  "Code"),  covering an  aggregate of 4,800,000  shares of Common
Stock.  The ISO Plan expired on February 28, 1994, in accordance with its terms.
As of December 31, 1998,  there were  outstanding  under the ISO Plan options to
purchase 15,202 shares of the Company's  Common Stock at $3.7825 per share.  All
such options remain in full force and effect in accordance  with their terms and
the ISO  Plan.  Under  the ISO  Plan,  which  was  administered  by the Board of
Directors,  key employees  could be granted options to purchase shares of Common
Stock at 100% of fair market  value on the date of grant (or 110% of fair market
value  in the  case of a 10%  stockholder/  grantee).  The  outstanding  options
granted  under the ISO Plan must be exercised  within ten years from the date of
grant,  are  cumulatively  exercisable with respect to 25% of the shares covered
thereby  after the  expiration  of each of the first  through  the fourth  years
following the date of grant, are  nontransferable  except by will or pursuant to
the laws of descent and distribution,  are protected against dilution and expire
within three months after termination of employment,  unless such termination is
by reason of death.

1988 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan

     The  Company  also had a 1988  Non-Qualified  Stock  Option Plan (the "NQSO
Plan")  covering a maximum of 4,800,000  shares of Common  Stock.  The NQSO Plan
expired on February 28, 1998, in accordance  with its terms.  As of December 31,
1998,  there were  outstanding  under the NQSO Plan  options to  purchase  7,300
shares of the Company's  Common Stock at $16.25 per share.  Under the NQSO Plan,
which was administered by the Audit and  Compensation  Committee of the Board of
Directors,  provides that Directors,  executive officers and other key employees
could be granted  options  to  purchase  shares of Common  Stock at 100% of fair
market value on the date of grant.  The outstanding  options granted pursuant to
the NQSO Plan have a ten-year  term,  are  exercisable  at any time  during such
period,  are  nontransferable  except by will or pursuant to the laws of descent
and distribution,  are protected against dilution and expire within three months
of termination  of association  with the Company as a Director or termination of
employment, unless such termination is by reason of death.

1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1997 Stock Option Plans

     The Company  also has a 1989 Stock  Option Plan (the "1989  Plan"),  a 1990
Stock Option Plan (the "1990 Plan"), a 1991 Stock Option Plan (the "1991 Plan"),
a 1992 Stock Option Plan (the "1992 Plan"),  a 1993 Stock Option Plan (the "1993
Plan"),  a 1995 Stock Option Plan (the "1995 Plan") and a 1997 Stock Option Plan
(the "1997 Plan"),  under each of which  incentive  stock  options  ("ISOs") and
non-qualified stock options


                                       18

<PAGE>



("NQSOs") may be granted.  The 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1995 Plans cover
a maximum of 2,400,000 shares,  3,600,000 shares,  11,200,000 shares,  5,600,000
shares, 5,600,000 shares, 18,929,658 (to be increased by 0.9% of the outstanding
Common Stock of the Company on each January 1, beginning January 1, 1996) shares
and  5,000,000  shares,  respectively,  of the  Company's  Common  Stock.  As of
December 31, 1998,  there were  outstanding  options to purchase an aggregate of
29,938,700  shares of the  Company's  Common  Stock under such Plans at exercise
prices ranging from $2.52 to $28.0625 per share. An additional  3,825,091 shares
were reserved for future grants under such Plans.  Each of the 1989, 1990, 1991,
1992,  1993,  1995 and 1997 Plans is administered in the same manner as the NQSO
Plan and provides that Directors, executive officers and other key employees may
be granted  options to  purchase  shares of Common  Stock at 100% of fair market
value on the date of grant.  The 1989,  1990,  1991,  1992,  1993, 1995 and 1997
Plans terminate on the earliest of (a) October 25, 1999,  October 15, 2000, June
19,  2001,  June 16,  2002,  April 19,  2003,  June 5, 2005 and April 30,  2007,
respectively,  (b) such time as all shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance
under the  respective  Plan have been  acquired  through the exercise of options
granted  thereunder,  or (c) such earlier times as the Board of Directors of the
Company may determine. Options granted under these Plans which are designated as
ISOs contain  vesting  provisions  similar to those contained in options granted
under the ISO Plan and have a ten-year  term.  NQSOs  granted  under these Plans
have a ten-year  term.  Options  granted  under these Plans are  nontransferable
except by will or pursuant to the laws of descent and  distribution  (except for
certain  permitted  transfers to family  members or  charities),  are  protected
against  dilution  and  will  expire  within  three  months  of  termination  of
association with the Company as a Director or termination of employment,  unless
such termination is by reason of death.

1993 Consultants' Stock Option Plan

     The  Company  also has a 1993  Consultants'  Stock  Option  Plan (the "1993
Consultants'  Plan"),  under which  NQSOs may be granted,  covering a maximum of
3,500,000  shares  of  Common  Stock.  As  of  December  31,  1998,  there  were
outstanding  under the 1993  Consultants'  Plan  options to  purchase  1,620,633
shares of Common Stock at prices  ranging from $3.375 to $28.0625 per share.  An
additional  120,000  shares were reserved for grants under such Plans.  The 1993
Consultants'  Plan,  which is administered  by the Board of Directors,  provides
that certain  non-employee  consultants who provide significant  services to the
Company may be granted options to purchase shares of Common Stock at such prices
as are determined by the Board of Directors or the  appropriate  committee.  The
1993  Consultants' Plan terminates on the earliest of (a) February 25, 2003, (b)
such time as all shares of Common Stock  reserved  for  issuance  under the 1993
Consultants'  Plan have been  acquired  through the exercise of options  granted
thereunder,  or (c) such  earlier  time as the Board of Directors of the Company
may determine.  Options granted under the 1993 Consultants' Plan have a ten-year
term.  Options  granted  under the 1993  Consultants'  Plan are  nontransferable
except  by  will or  pursuant  to the  laws of  descent  and  distribution,  are
protected  against  dilution and expire  within three months of  termination  of
association  with the Company as a  consultant,  unless such  termination  is by
reason of death.

Other Stock Option Plans

     In connection with certain of its major  acquisitions,  the Company assumed
certain existing stock option plans of the acquired  companies,  and outstanding
options  to  purchase  stock of the  acquired  companies  under  such plans were
converted into options to acquire Common Stock of the Company in accordance with
the exchange ratios applicable to such mergers. At December 31, 1998, there were
outstanding  under these assumed plans options to purchase  2,838,710  shares of
the Company's  Common Stock at exercise  prices ranging from $1.6363 to $40.7042
per share. No additional options are being granted under any such assumed plans.


1998 RESTRICTED STOCK PLAN

     The Company has a 1998 Restricted Stock Plan (the "Restricted Stock Plan"),
covering  a maximum of  3,000,000  shares of the  Company's  Common  Stock.  The
Restricted  Stock  Plan,  which is  administered  by the Audit and  Compensation
Committee of the Board of  Directors,  provides  that  executives  and other key
employees of the Company and its  subsidiaries  may be granted  restricted stock
awards vesting over a period


                                       19

<PAGE>



of not less  than one year and no more than ten  years,  as  determined  by such
Committee.  The Restricted  Stock Plan terminates on the earliest of (a) May 28,
2008, (b) the date on which awards  covering all shares of Common Stock reserved
for issuance  thereunder have been granted and are fully vested  thereunder,  or
(c) such earlier  time as the Board of  Directors of the Company may  determine.
Awards under the  Restricted  Stock Plan are  nontransferable  except by will or
pursuant to the laws of dissent and distribution  (except for certain  permitted
transfers to family members) are protected  against dilution and are forfeitable
upon  termination  of a  participant's  employment to the extent not vested.  No
awards have been made under the Restricted Stock Plan.


RETIREMENT INVESTMENT PLAN

     Effective  January 1, 1990, the Company adopted the HEALTHSOUTH  Retirement
Investment Plan (the "401(k) Plan"), a retirement plan intended to qualify under
Section  401(k)  of the  Code.  The  401(k)  Plan is open to all  full-time  and
part-time  employees  of the  Company  who are over the age of 21, have one full
year of service with the Company and have at least 1,000 hours of service in the
year in which  they  enter the  401(k)  Plan.  Eligible  employees  may elect to
participate in the 401(k) Plan on January 1 and July 1 in each year.

     Under the 401(k) Plan,  participants  may elect to defer up to 15% of their
annual  compensation  (subject to  nondiscrimination  rules under the Code). The
deferred  amounts  may be  invested  among four  options,  at the  participant's
direction:  a money market fund, a bond fund, a guaranteed insurance contract or
an equity fund.  The Company will match a minimum of 15% of the amount  deferred
by each participant, up to 4% of such participant's total compensation, with the
matched amount also directed by the participant.

     Michael D. Martin,  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
the Company,  and Anthony J. Tanner,  Executive Vice President -- Administration
and  Secretary  of the Company,  serve as Trustees of the 401(k) Plan,  which is
administered by the Company.


EMPLOYEE STOCK BENEFIT PLAN

     Effective   January  1,  1991,   the  Company   adopted   the   HEALTHSOUTH
Rehabilitation  Corporation  and  Subsidiaries  Employee Stock Benefit Plan (the
"ESOP"),  a  retirement  plan  intended  to qualify  under  sections  401(a) and
4975(e)(7)  of the  Code.  The  ESOP  is  open to all  full-time  and  part-time
employees  of the  Company  who are  over the age of 21,  have one full  year of
service with the Company and have at least 1,000 hours of service in the year in
which they begin participation in the ESOP on the next January 1 or July 1 after
the date on which such employee satisfies the aforementioned conditions.

     The ESOP was  established  with a  $10,000,000  loan from the Company,  the
proceeds of which were used to purchase 1,655,172 shares of the Company's Common
Stock. In 1992, an additional  $10,000,000  loan was made to the ESOP, which was
used to purchase an additional 1,666,664 shares of Common Stock. Under the ESOP,
a Company  Common Stock account (a "company stock  account") is established  and
maintained for each eligible employee who participates in the ESOP. In each plan
year,  such  account is credited  with such  employee's  allocable  share of the
Common Stock held by the ESOP and allocated with respect to such plan year. Each
employee's  allocable  share for any given plan year is determined  according to
the ratio  which such  employee's  compensation  for such plan year bears to the
compensation of all eligible participating employees for the same plan year.

     Eligible employees who participate in the ESOP and who have attained age 55
and have completed 10 years of  participation in the ESOP may elect to diversify
the assets in their company stock account by directing the plan administrator to
transfer  to the 401(k)  Plan a portion  of their  company  stock  account to be
invested,  as the eligible  employee  directs,  in one or more of the investment
options available under the 401(k) Plan.

     Richard M. Scrushy,  Chairman of the Board and Chief  Executive  Officer of
the Company,  Michael D. Martin,  Executive Vice  President and Chief  Financial
Officer of the  Company,  and Anthony J.  Tanner,  Executive  Vice  President --
Administration  and  Secretary  of the  Company,  serve as Trustees of the ESOP,
which is administered by the Company.


                                       20

<PAGE>



STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

     In order to further  encourage  employees to obtain equity ownership in the
Company,  the Company's  Board of Directors  adopted an Employee  Stock Purchase
Plan (the "Stock  Purchase  Plan")  effective  January 1, 1994.  Under the Stock
Purchase Plan, participating employees may contribute $10 to $200 per pay period
toward the purchase of the Company's  Common Stock in open-market  transactions.
The Stock Purchase Plan is open to regular full-time or part-time  employees who
have been  employed  for six  months  and are at least 21 years  old.  After six
months of  participation  in the Stock Purchase Plan, the Company will provide a
10% matching  contribution  to be applied to purchases  under the Stock Purchase
Plan. The Company also pays all fees and brokerage  commissions  associated with
the  purchase  of the  stock.  The  Stock  Purchase  Plan is  administered  by a
broker-dealer firm not affiliated with the Company.


DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

     In 1997, the Board of Directors adopted an Executive Deferred  Compensation
Plan  (the  "Deferred   Compensation  Plan"),  which  allows  senior  management
personnel to elect,  on an annual basis,  to defer receipt of up to 50% of their
base salary and up to 100% of their annual  bonus,  if any (but not less than an
aggregate  of $2,400  per year) for a minimum  of five  years from the date such
compensation  would otherwise have been received.  Amounts  deferred are held by
the Company  pursuant to a "rabbi trust"  arrangement,  and amounts deferred are
credited with earnings at an annual rate equal to the Moody's Average  Corporate
Bond Yield Index (the  "Moody's  Rate"),  as adjusted  from time to time, or the
Moody's Rate plus 2% if a  participant's  employment  is terminated by reason of
retirement,  disability  or death or within 24 months of a change in  control of
the Company.  Amounts deferred may be withdrawn upon retirement,  termination of
employment or death, upon a showing of financial  hardship,  or voluntarily with
certain  penalties.  The  Deferred  Compensation  Plan  is  administered  by  an
Administrative  Committee,  currently consisting of Michael D. Martin, Executive
Vice  President  and Chief  Financial  Officer of the  Company,  and  Anthony J.
Tanner, Executive Vice President -- Administration and Secretary of the Company.


BOARD COMPENSATION

     Directors who are not also employed by the Company are paid Directors' fees
of $10,000 per annum, plus $3,000 for each meeting of the Board of Directors and
$1,000  for  each  Committee  meeting  attended.  In  addition,   Directors  are
reimbursed  for all  out-of-pocket  expenses  incurred in connection  with their
duties as Directors.  The Directors of the Company,  including Mr. Scrushy, have
been granted  non-qualified  stock  options to purchase  shares of the Company's
Common Stock. Under the Company's existing stock option plans, each non-employee
Director is granted an option covering 25,000 shares of such Common Stock on the
first  business day in January of each year.  See  "Executive  Compensation  and
Other Information -- Stock Option Plans" above.


AUDIT AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

General

     The  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company  has an Audit  and  Compensation
Committee  (the  "Committee"),  consisting  of Ms.  Givens,  Mr.  Strong and Dr.
Watkins.  The Committee is charged by the Board of Directors with establishing a
compensation  plan which will enable the Company to compete  effectively for the
services  of  qualified  officers  and key  employees,  to give  such  employees
appropriate incentive to pursue the maximization of long-term stockholder value,
and to recognize  such  employees'  success in achieving  both  qualitative  and
quantitative  goals  for  the  benefit  of  the  Company.  The  Committee  makes
recommendations  to the full  Board of  Directors  as to  appropriate  levels of
compensation  for  specific  individuals,  as well as  compensation  and benefit
programs for the Company as a whole.

     The following  sections  discuss the  Committee's  general  philosophy  and
policies concerning  compensation for executive officers of the Company, as well
as  providing  information  concerning  the  specific   implementation  of  such
policies.  In addition,  the Committee's  report with respect to 1998 focuses on
the response of management to the impact of the Balanced  Budget Act of 1997 and
increasing pressure from


                                       21

<PAGE>



managed care payors on pricing.  In response to such pressures,  and in order to
provide  leadership  for all of the Company's  personnel,  the  Company's  Chief
Executive  Officer  voluntarily  chose to forgo receipt of his salary and target
bonus  beginning in November 1998, and all other senior  officers of the Company
voluntarily  took  salary  reductions  of 10%  to 25%  beginning  in  1999.  The
Committee  believes  that  these  actions  provide an  excellent  example of the
stewardship of corporate resources by the Company's management team.

Compensation Philosophy and Policies for Executive Officers

     As its first  principle,  the  Committee  believes  that  executives of the
Company  should be rewarded  based upon their  success in meeting the  Company's
operational  goals,  improving its earnings,  maintaining its leadership role in
the healthcare services field, and generating returns for its stockholders,  and
the Committee strives to establish levels of compensation that take such factors
into  account and  provide  appropriate  recognition  for past  achievement  and
incentive  for future  success.  The  Committee  recognizes  that the demand for
executives  with expertise and  experience in the  healthcare  services field is
intense.  In order to  attract  and  retain  qualified  persons,  the  Committee
believes that the Company must offer current  compensation at levels  consistent
with those of other  publicly  traded  healthcare  companies.  In addition,  the
Committee   believes  that  it  is  in  the  best  interests  of  the  Company's
stockholders  to offer its executives  meaningful  equity  participation  in the
Company, in order that those executives' interests will be aligned with those of
the Company's  stockholders.  The Committee  feels that the historic mix of cash
compensation and equity  participation has proven to be effective in stimulating
the Company's  executives to meet both  long-term and  short-term  goals and has
been a major factor in limiting turnover among senior executives.

     The  Company's  compensation  program  has three  distinct  elements:  base
salary;  incentive compensation,  including both cash incentive compensation and
equity-based  compensation;  and  retirement  compensation.  These  elements are
discussed below.

     Base Salary:  While the demand for  experienced  managers in the healthcare
industry  continues to grow, the Company has been very  successful in attracting
and retaining key executives,  many of whom have been with the Company since its
early  days.  The  Company  believes  that  its  compensation  package  has been
instrumental in such success.  The Committee  endeavors to establish base salary
levels for those key  executives  which are  consistent  with those provided for
similarly  situated  executives of other publicly traded  healthcare  companies,
taking  into  account  each  executive's  areas  and  level  of  responsibility,
historical performance and tenure with the Company. In establishing such levels,
the Company  considers  compensation  for  executives of other  publicly  traded
providers of healthcare services,  as well as other publicly traded companies of
similar size and with a similar  growth  rate.  Compensation  decisions  are not
targeted to specific levels in the range of compensation paid by such companies,
nor does the  Company  maintain a record of where its  compensation  stands with
respect  to such  other  companies.  However,  the  Committee  and the  Board of
Directors  take  such  levels  of  compensation   into  account  in  determining
appropriate levels of compensation for the Company's executives.

     Incentive   Compensation:   In  addition  to  base  salary,  the  Committee
recommends to the Board of Directors cash incentive  compensation for executives
of the Company,  based upon each such executive's success in meeting qualitative
and quantitative performance goals on an annual basis. The total incentive bonus
pool available for the Company's  executives and management  personnel is capped
at the lesser of (a) the amount by which the Company's annual net income exceeds
the budgeted annual net income established by the Board of Directors and (b) 10%
of the  Company's  annual net income.  No bonuses are payable  unless annual net
income exceeds  budgeted net income.  Individual  incentive  bonuses within such
bonus pool are not  determined in a formulary  manner,  but are  determined on a
basis that takes into account each executive's success in achieving standards of
performance,  which may or may not be quantitative,  established by the Board of
Directors and such executive's  superiors.  Bonus  determinations  are made on a
case-by-case basis, taking into account appropriate quantitative and qualitative
factors, and there is no fixed relationship  between any particular  performance
factor  and the amount of a given  executive's  bonus.  Historically,  incentive
compensation has been a major component of the Company's executive compensation,
and the Committee  believes that placing executives at risk for such a component
has been effective in motivating such executives to achieve such goals.


                                       22

<PAGE>



     In 1994, the Committee initially engaged William M. Mercer, Inc. ("Mercer")
as a  consultant  to  perform a study of the  Company's  executive  compensation
programs.  The 1994 Mercer report concluded that the Company's  compensation mix
was significantly more highly-leveraged,  at risk and  performance-focused  than
other  companies  selected by Mercer for  comparison,  with 41% of the Company's
cash  compensation  for  executive  officers  being  at-risk,  performance-based
compensation,  compared to 29% for the other companies  reviewed by Mercer.  The
Company has continued to utilize Mercer's  services in connection with analyzing
and structuring its compensation programs in recent years.

     In  addition  to cash  incentive  compensation,  as a growth  company,  the
Company  has always  utilized  equity-based  compensation,  in the form of stock
options,  as a tool to encourage its executives to work to meet its  operational
goals and  maximize  long-term  stockholder  value.  Because  the value of stock
options granted to an executive is directly related to the Company's  success in
enhancing its market value over time, the Committee  feels that its stock option
programs have been very  effective in aligning the  interests of management  and
stockholders.

     The Committee  determines  stock option grants under the Company's  various
stock  option  plans,   all  of  which  are  described  above  under  "Executive
Compensation and Other  Information -- Stock Option Plans".  Specific grants are
determined  taking into  account an  executive's  current  responsibilities  and
historical performance, as well as the executive's perceived contribution to the
Company's  results of  operations.  Options are also used to give  incentive  to
newly-promoted  officers  at the time  that  they are  asked to  assume  greater
responsibilities,  and, in some cases, to executives who have joined the Company
through  acquisitions and have assumed  significant  leadership roles within the
Company.  In evaluating  option grants,  the Board of Directors  considers prior
grants and shares currently held, as well as the recipient's  success in meeting
operational goals and the recipient's level of responsibility. However, no fixed
formula is utilized to determine  particular grants. The Committee believes that
the opportunity to acquire a significant equity interest in the Company has been
a strong  motivation  for the  Company's  executives  to  pursue  the  long-term
interests of the Company and its  stockholders,  and has promoted  longevity and
retention of key  executives.  Information  relating to stock options granted to
the five most highly-compensated  executive officers of the Company is set forth
elsewhere in this Proxy Statement.

     In  connection  with the  Company's  use of stock  options as a significant
component of  compensation,  the 1994 Mercer study  referred to above  indicated
that  most  companies  in  Mercer's  long-term  incentive  survey  utilized  two
long-term  incentive  plans,  while the Company  used stock  options as its only
long-term  incentive plan. The 1994 Mercer study noted that the Company's use of
stock options was very  consistent  with the practices of high-growth  companies
that wished to increase the ownership  stake of executives in the company and to
conserve cash by using stock rather than cash in long-term plans.

     Retirement  Compensation:  As described under  "Executive  Compensation and
Other Information -- Retirement  Investment Plan", in 1991 the Company adopted a
401(k)  retirement plan in order to give all full-time  employees an opportunity
to provide for their retirement on a  tax-advantaged  basis. In order to further
tie  employees'  interests to the  long-term  market  value of the Company,  the
Company adopted an Employee Stock Benefit Plan (the "ESOP") in 1991, which gives
all full-time  employees an opportunity to invest a portion of their  retirement
funds in Common Stock of the Company on a  tax-advantaged  basis.  The Committee
believes that the ESOP provides  additional  incentive to executives to maximize
stockholder  value over the long term.  See  "Executive  Compensation  and Other
Information -- Employee Stock Benefit Plan". Additionally,  in 1997, the Company
adopted a Deferred  Compensation  Plan, which gives senior management  employees
the opportunity to elect to defer receipt of a portion of their salary and bonus
in exchange  for a variable  rate of interest  on the amounts so  deferred.  See
"Executive Compensation and Other Information -- Deferred Compensation Plan".

Chief Executive Officer Compensation; Developments in 1998

     The Company is party to an Employment Agreement,  dated April 1, 1998, with
Richard M. Scrushy,  pursuant to which Mr. Scrushy,  a management founder of the
Company, is employed as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the
Company  for  a  five-year  term  expiring  on  April  1,  2003.  Such  term  is
automatically  extended  for an  additional  year on each  April  1  unless  the
Agreement is terminated as provided therein. In addition, the Company has agreed
to use its best efforts to cause Mr. Scrushy to be


                                       23

<PAGE>



elected as a Director  of the  Company  during  the term of the  Agreement.  The
Agreement  provides for Mr. Scrushy to receive an annual base salary of at least
$1,200,000,  as well as an "Annual  Target Bonus" equal to at least  $2,400,000,
based  upon  the  Company's  success  in  meeting  certain  monthly  and  annual
performance  standards  determined by the Committee.  The Annual Target Bonus is
earned at the rate of $200,000  per month if the monthly  performance  standards
are met, provided that if any monthly performance  standards are not met but the
annual  performance  standards  are met,  Mr.  Scrushy  will be  entitled to any
payments  which  were  withheld  as a result  of  failure  to meet  the  monthly
performance  standards.  The  Agreement  further  provides  that Mr.  Scrushy is
eligible for  participation in all other management bonus or incentive plans and
stock option,  stock purchase or equity-based  incentive  compensation  plans in
which other senior executives of the Company are eligible to participate.  Under
the Agreement, Mr. Scrushy is entitled to receive long-term disability insurance
coverage,  a  non-qualified  retirement  plan  providing  for annual  retirement
benefits  equal  to  60%  of  his  base  compensation,  use  of a  Company-owned
automobile,  certain personal security  services,  and certain other retirement,
insurance  and  fringe  benefits,  as well as to  generally  participate  in all
employee benefit programs maintained by the Company.

     The  Agreement  may be  terminated  by Mr.  Scrushy  for "Good  Reason" (as
defined),  by  the  Company  for  "Cause"  (as  defined),   upon  Mr.  Scrushy's
"Disability"  (as  defined) or death,  or by either party at any time subject to
the  consequences  of such  termination  as described in the  Agreement.  If the
Agreement is terminated by Mr. Scrushy for Good Reason,  the Company is required
to pay him a lump-sum severance payment equal to the discounted value of the sum
of his then-current  base salary and Annual Target Bonus over the remaining term
of the Agreement and to continue  certain  employee and fringe  benefits for the
remaining term of the  Agreement.  If the Agreement is terminated by Mr. Scrushy
otherwise  than for Good  Reason,  the Company is required to pay him a lump-sum
severance  amount  equal to the  discounted  value of two  times  the sum of his
then-current base salary and Annual Target Bonus. If the Agreement is terminated
by the Company  for Cause,  Mr.  Scrushy is not  entitled  to any  severance  or
continuation  of  benefits.  If the  Agreement  is  terminated  by reason of Mr.
Scrushy's  Disability,  the Company is  required to continue  the payment of his
then-current  base  salary and  Annual  Target  Bonus for three  years as if all
relevant performance  standards had been met, and if the Agreement is terminated
by Mr. Scrushy's death,  the company is required to pay his  representatives  or
estate a  lump-sum  payment  equal to his  then-current  base  salary and Annual
Target Bonus. In the event of a voluntary termination by Mr. Scrushy following a
Change in Control (as defined) of the Company, other than for Cause, the Company
is required to pay Mr. Scrushy an additional lump-sum severance payment equal to
his then-current base salary and Annual Target Bonus. The Agreement provides for
the Company to indemnify Mr. Scrushy against certain "parachute  payment" excise
taxes which may be imposed upon  payments  under the  Agreement.  The  Agreement
restricts Mr. Scrushy from engaging in certain  activities  competitive with the
business of the Company  during,  and for 24 months  after  termination  of, his
employment with the Company,  unless such  termination  occurs after a Change in
Control.

     The   Committee   reports  to  the  Board  of  Directors  on   compensation
arrangements  with Mr.  Scrushy,  and  recommends  to the Board of Directors the
level  of  incentive  compensation,   both  cash  and  equity-based,   which  is
appropriate for Mr. Scrushy with respect to each fiscal year of the Company.  In
making such  recommendation,  the  Committee  takes into  account the  Company's
performance in the marketplace,  its success in meeting  strategic goals and its
success  in  meeting  monthly  and annual  budgets  established  by the Board of
Directors.  Again, ultimate  compensation  decisions are not made in a formulary
manner,  but in a manner  which  takes into  account the  Company's  competitive
position,   its  position  in  the  financial   markets,   and  the  significant
contributions  made by Mr. Scrushy to the success of the Company.  In making its
decisions with respect to Mr.  Scrushy's  compensation,  the Committee  believes
that it is  appropriate  to  recognize  that,  as a  management  founder  of the
Company, Mr. Scrushy has played an instrumental role in establishing the Company
as the industry leader in outpatient and rehabilitative  healthcare services and
that,  under his  leadership,  the  Company  continues  to grow in  assets,  net
revenues and income.

     In 1997,  the  Committee  asked  Mercer to review  certain  information  in
connection with the Committee's  evaluation of Mr. Scrushy's performance and the
Company's compensation arrangements with Mr. Scrushy. In that connection, Mercer
reviewed the Company's  rankings on 14 performance  measures for the fiscal year
1996 and the twelve-month period ending September 30, 1997 against three


                                       24

<PAGE>



comparison groups: (a) 1,160 companies with 1996 revenues between $1,000,000,000
and  $10,000,000,000,  (b) 33  publicly  held  healthcare  companies  with  1996
revenues over $1,000,000,000,  and (c) 62 companies from The Wall Street Journal
350 Study of CEO  Compensation  with 1996 revenues  between  $2,000,000,000  and
$8,000,000,000  and  1996  market  capitalizations  between  $4,000,000,000  and
$8,000,000,000.  Mercer  determined  that the Company  performed  above the 90th
percentile on more than  two-thirds of the performance  measurements  and had an
average rank in the 99th  percentile  on the combined  measures of (i) sales and
net income growth and total  shareholder  return and (ii) sales and earnings per
share growth and total shareholder return.

     Further,  in the period since  December 31,  1993,  the Company,  under Mr.
Scrushy's   leadership,   has  grown  from  the   fourth-largest   provider   of
rehabilitative  healthcare services to the largest provider,  and since 1995 has
established  itself as the  nation's  largest  provider  of  outpatient  surgery
services and one of the largest providers of outpatient  diagnostic services and
occupational  medicine  services  through  a series of  strategic  acquisitions.
During that same period,  the Company has expanded its  operations to 50 states,
the  United  Kingdom  and  Australia  and has been  named  to the S&P  500.  The
Committee  believes  that Mr.  Scrushy's  leadership  has been  essential to the
Company's  success and growth. In view of these  accomplishments,  the Committee
believes  that it is important to ensure that,  if Mr.  Scrushy is successful in
leading  the  Company to achieve  the goals set by the Board of  Directors,  his
compensation  will be at a level  commensurate  with  that  of  chief  executive
officers of  similarly-performing  public companies and that he will continue to
have the opportunity to obtain a significant equity interest in the Company.

     Despite the Company's historic success,  however, the Company's stock price
fell  substantially  in the  latter  part of 1998,  both as a result of  general
conditions  in  the  capital  markets  and  market  perceptions  concerning  the
healthcare  industry and following the Company's public  announcement  about the
potential  future  impact of changes in  reimbursement  and managed care pricing
pressure.  The Company has  continued  to grow in revenues  and income,  and the
Committee  believes that the downward  pressure on the Company's stock price was
largely a result of external factors beyond management's  control. In connection
with those factors,  including the impact of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and
managed  care pricing  pressure,  the Company  heightened  its efforts to reduce
corporate overhead and manage expenses. In order to lead by example, Mr. Scrushy
voluntarily  chose to forgo  receipt of his base salary and Annual  Target Bonus
after  October 31, 1998.  Through that date,  all monthly  performance  standard
required  to be met for  payment of monthly  installments  of his Annual  Target
Bonus had been met.  At some  point in the  future,  Mr.  Scrushy  may choose to
resume  receipt  of some  portion of his  compensation  package.  The  Committee
believes  that this  voluntary  decision  by Mr.  Scrushy  reflects a  continued
example of his leadership and his stewardship of the Company's resources.

Other Executive Employment Agreements and Related Developments

     The Company is also party to  Employment  Agreements,  dated April 1, 1998,
with James P. Bennett, President and Chief Operating Officer, Michael D. Martin,
Executive  Vice  President  and Chief  Financial  Officer,  Anthony  J.  Tanner,
Executive Vice  President --  Administration  and  Secretary,  Thomas W. Carman,
Executive Vice President -- Corporate Development,  Robert E. Thomson, President
- - -- HEALTHSOUTH  Inpatient Operations,  P. Daryl Brown,  President -- HEALTHSOUTH
Outpatient  Centers,  and Patrick A. Foster,  President --  HEALTHSOUTH  Surgery
Centers,  pursuant to which each of such persons is employed in such  capacities
for a three-year  term expiring on April 1, 2001.  Such terms are  automatically
extended  for an  additional  year on each  April 1 unless  the  Agreements  are
terminated as provided therein.  In addition,  the Company has agreed to use its
best efforts to cause Messrs. Bennett, Tanner, Martin and Brown to be elected as
Directors of the Company  during the term of their  respective  Agreements.  The
Agreements provide for the payment of an annual base salary of at least $650,000
to Mr. Bennett,  $400,000 to Mr. Martin, $375,000 to Mr. Tanner, $325,000 to Mr.
Carman,  $300,000 to Mr.  Thomson,  $370,000 to Mr.  Brown,  and $240,000 to Mr.
Foster.  The Agreements  further  provide that each such officer is eligible for
participation in all management bonus or incentive plans and stock option, stock
purchase or  equity-based  incentive  compensation  plans in which other  senior
executives of the Company are eligible to  participate,  and provide for certain
specified fringe benefits, including car allowances of $500 per month.


                                       25

<PAGE>



     If the  Agreements  are  terminated by the Company other than for Cause (as
defined),  Disability (as defined) or death, the Company is required to continue
the  officers'  base  salary in effect for a period of two years (in the case of
Messrs.  Bennett,  Martin,  Tanner and  Brown) or one year (in each other  case)
after termination,  as severance  compensation.  In addition,  in the event of a
voluntary  termination  of employment  by the officer  within six months after a
Change in Control (as  defined),  the Company is also  required to continue  the
officer's salary for the same period. The Agreements  restrict the officers from
engaging  in certain  activities  competitive  with the  business of the Company
during  their  employment  with the Company and for any period  during which the
officer is receiving  severance  compensation,  unless such  termination  occurs
after a Change in Control.

     Notwithstanding  the  terms of  those  employment  agreements,  each of the
affected officers voluntarily agreed to a 25% reduction in base salary effective
January 1, 1999 until otherwise agreed between the Company and any such officer.
The Committee believes that this voluntary  agreement by the officers represents
a significant example of leadership for the Company.

     In addition to the  foregoing,  the Company  took other steps to respond to
potential  future effects of pricing  pressure in the healthcare  industry.  The
Company  discontinued  the payment of car  allowances to all officers in October
1998, and the Committee  determined  that no management  bonuses above the field
operations level would be awarded with respect to 1998. Further, senior officers
not covered by the employment agreements described above have voluntarily agreed
to a 10%  reduction  in base salary  beginning  January 1, 1999.  The  Committee
believes  that these steps  reflect the  continued  commitment  of the Company's
Board of Directors and management to fiscally responsible compensation policies.

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code

     The Omnibus Budget  Reconciliation  Act of 1993 contains a provision  under
which a publicly traded corporation is sometimes precluded from taking a federal
income tax deduction for  compensation  in excess of $1,000,000  that is paid to
the  chief  executive  officer  and  the  four  other  most   highly-compensated
executives of the corporation  during a corporation's tax year.  Compensation in
excess  of  $1,000,000  continues  to be  deductible  if  that  compensation  is
"performance  based" within the meaning of that term under Section 162(m) of the
Internal  Revenue  Code.  Certain  transition  rules apply with respect to stock
option plans which were  approved  prior to December 20, 1993,  pursuant to Rule
16b-3(b) under the Exchange Act.

     The  Company  believes  that  its  employee  stock  option  plans  meet the
requirements of Section 162(m) as performance-based plans. The Committee and the
Board of Directors  have  currently  made a decision not to amend the  Company's
cash  compensation  programs to meet all  requirements of Section 162(m) because
such  a  decision   would  not  be  in  the  best  interests  of  the  Company's
stockholders.  The Committee  believes that, in establishing bonus and incentive
awards,  certain  subjective  factors must be taken into  account in  particular
cases,  based upon the experienced  judgment of the Committee members as well as
on  factors  which  may  be  objectively  quantified.  The  preservation  of tax
deductibility of all compensation is an important  consideration.  However,  the
Committee  believes that it is important that the Company retain the flexibility
to reward superior effort and  accomplishment  even where all cash  compensation
may  not be  fully  deductible.  The  Committee  will  continue  to  review  the
requirements  for  deductibility   under  Section  162(m)  and  will  take  such
requirements  into account in the future as it deems appropriate and in the best
interests  of  the  Company's  stockholders.  Approximately  $1,850,000  of  Mr.
Scrushy's  compensation  paid  with  respect  to 1998  will  not be  deductible;
however,  the Company  believes  that all other  compensation  paid to executive
officers will be fully deductible.

Conclusion

     The Committee believes that the levels and mix of compensation  provided to
the Company's  executives  during 1998 were appropriate and were instrumental in
the  achievement  of the  Company's  goals  for  1998.  It is the  intent of the
Committee  to  ensure  that the  Company's  compensation  programs  continue  to
motivate its  executives  and reward them for being  responsive to the long-term
interests of the Company and its stockholders.


                                       26

<PAGE>



     The  foregoing  report  is  submitted  by the  following  Directors  of the
Company, constituting all of the members of the Audit and Compensation Committee
of the Board of Directors:


                                 C. Sage Givens
                                George H. Strong
                       Phillip C. Watkins, M.D., Chairman















                                       27

<PAGE>



                             PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

     The following  table sets forth certain  information  regarding  beneficial
ownership of the Company's Common Stock as of March 15, 1999, (a) by each person
who is known by the Company to own  beneficially  more than 5% of the  Company's
Common Stock,  (b) by each of the  Company's  Directors and (c) by the Company's
five most highly  compensated  executive officers and all executive officers and
Directors as a group.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     PERCENTAGE
               NAME AND                     NUMBER OF SHARES             OF
           ADDRESS OF OWNER              BENEFICIALLY OWNED (1)     COMMON STOCK
- - -------------------------------------   ------------------------   -------------
<S>                                     <C>                        <C>
Richard M. Scrushy                             14,187,658 (2)           3.31%
John S. Chamberlin                                312,000 (3)              *
C. Sage Givens                                    412,100 (4)              *
Charles W. Newhall III                            580,846 (5)              *
George H. Strong                                  468,582 (6)              *
Phillip C. Watkins, M.D.                          644,254 (7)              *
James P. Bennett                                1,890,500 (8)              *
Anthony J. Tanner                               1,471,358 (9)              *
P. Daryl Brown                                  1,219,736 (10)             *
Joel C. Gordon                                  2,886,905 (11)             *
Michael D. Martin                                 957,008 (12)             *
Larry D. Striplin, Jr.                             20,000                  *
FMR Corp.                                      24,397,084 (13)          5.88%
 82 Devonshire Street
 Boston, Massachusetts 02109
All Executive Officers and Directors
 as a Group (17 persons)                       28,131,863 (14)          6.38%
</TABLE>

- - ----------
(1)  The persons named in the table have sole voting and  investment  power with
     respect to all shares of Common Stock shown as beneficially  owned by them,
     except as otherwise indicated.

(2)  Includes  6,000  shares held by trusts for Mr.  Scrushy's  minor  children,
     10,000 shares held by a charitable  foundation  of which Mr.  Scrushy is an
     officer and director and 13,522,524 shares subject to currently exercisable
     stock options.

(3)  Includes 200,000 shares subject to currently exercisable stock options.

(4)  Includes  2,100  shares  owned by Ms.  Givens's  spouse and 410,000  shares
     subject to currently exercisable stock options.

(5)  Includes 460 shares owned by members of Mr. Newhall's  immediate family and
     460,000 shares subject to currently  exercisable stock options. Mr. Newhall
     disclaims  beneficial  ownership of the shares owned by his family  members
     except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.

(6)  Includes  121,693  shares owned by trusts of which Mr.  Strong is a trustee
     and claims shared voting and investment power and 300,000 shares subject to
     currently exercisable stock options.

(7)  Includes 490,000 shares subject to currently exercisable stock options.

(8)  Includes 1,810,000 shares subject to currently exercisable stock options.

(9)  Includes  60,000  shares held in trust by Mr.  Tanner for his  children and
     1,340,000 shares subject to currently exercisable stock options.

(10) Includes 990,000 shares subject to currently exercisable stock options.

(11) Includes  364,340  shares owned by his spouse and 434,520 shares subject to
     currently exercisable stock options.

(12) Includes 950,000 shares subject to currently exercisable stock options.

(13) Shares held by various  investment  funds for which affiliates of FMR Corp.
     act as investment advisor.  FMR Corp. or its affiliates claim sole power to
     vote  1,012,734  of the  shares  and sole  power to  dispose  of all of the
     shares.

(14) Includes  25,380,844 shares subject to currently  exercisable stock options
     held by executive officers and Directors.

*    Less than 1%


                                       28

<PAGE>



                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

     The Company  purchases  computer  equipment and related  technology  from a
variety of vendors.  During 1998, the Company paid  $12,837,000 for the purchase
of new NCR computer  equipment from GG  Enterprises,  a value-added  reseller of
computer  equipment which is owned by Gerald  Scrushy,  the father of Richard M.
Scrushy,  Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company,  and
Gerald P. Scrushy,  Senior Vice President -- Physical  Resources of the Company.
Such purchases were made in the ordinary course of the Company's  business.  The
price paid for this  equipment was more favorable to the Company than that which
could have been obtained from an independent third-party seller.

     Horizon/CMS is party to an agreement  with AMI Aviation II, L.L.C.  ("AMI")
with respect to the use of an airplane  owned by AMI. Neal M.  Elliott,  who was
Chairman,  President and Chief  Executive  Officer of  Horizon/CMS  prior to its
acquisition  by the Company in October  1997 and who served as a Director of the
Company from October 1997 until his death in February 1998, was Managing  Member
of AMI, a position which is now held by a trust of which Mr.  Elliott's widow is
a trustee.  Mr. Elliott  owned,  and such trust now owns, a 99% interest in AMI.
Under the use  agreement,  Horizon/CMS  is  obligated  to pay  $43,000 per month
through  December 1999 and $57,600 per month from January 2000 through  December
2004 for up to 30 hours per month of utilization  of the airplane,  plus certain
operating  expenses  of the  airplane.  The Company  has caused  Horizon/CMS  to
continue  to honor such use  agreement,  and is  currently  exploring  available
options with respect to continued use of the airplane.

     In November  1997,  the Company  agreed to lend up to  $10,000,000  to 21st
Century Health Ventures L.L.C.  ("21st Century"),  an entity formed to sponsor a
private equity investment fund investing in the healthcare industry.  Richard M.
Scrushy,  Chairman of the Board and Chief  Executive  Officer of the Company and
Michael D. Martin,  Executive Vice President and Chief  Financial  Officer and a
Director of the  Company,  along with  another  individual  not  employed by the
Company,  were the  principals of 21st  Century.  The purpose of the loan was to
facilitate certain investments by 21st Century prior to the establishment of its
proposed  private equity fund, in which it was anticipated  that the Company and
third-party  investors  would invest.  Investment by the Company in such private
equity fund was expected to allow the Company to benefit from the opportunity to
participate  in investments  in healthcare  businesses  that are not part of the
Company's core businesses,  but which the Company believes provide opportunities
for  growth.  Amounts  outstanding  under the loan bore  interest at 1% over the
prime  rate  announced  from time to time by AmSouth  Bank of  Alabama  and were
repayable upon demand by the Company. During 1997 and 1998, 21st Century drew an
aggregate of $2,841,310  under the $10,000,000  commitment,  of which $1,500,000
was used to purchase 576,924 shares of Series B Preferred  Convertible Preferred
Stock in Summerville  Healthcare  Group, Inc.  ("Summerville"),  a developer and
operator of assisted living  facilities,  and the remainder of which was used to
make an  investment  in  Pathology  Partners,  Inc.,  a provider  of  management
services to pathology groups.  The Company owns an aggregate of 3,361,539 shares
of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock of Summerville, which it acquired in two
transactions in July and November 1997. In connection with the July transaction,
Mr.  Scrushy  and Mr.  Martin  were  appointed  to the  Board  of  Directors  of
Summerville. 21st Century repaid the principal and the interest allocated to the
purchase of the  Summerville  stock during 1998.  In the first  quarter of 1999,
21st Century  determined that, due to adverse changes in the markets for private
equity  funds  specializing  in the  healthcare  industry,  it was  advisable to
dissolve 21st Century.  In connection  with the dissolution of the 21st Century,
21st Century  transferred to  HEALTHSOUTH  675,005 shares of Series A Cumulative
Preferred Stock and 1,440,010 shares of Series B Convertible  Preferred Stock of
Pathology Partners, Inc, in satisfaction of the principal and interest allocable
to the loan relating to the Pathology  Partners,  Inc.  investment.  The Company
believes that the value of the stock so received is equal to or greater than the
indebtedness of 21st Century to the Company.

     On December 31, 1998,  the Company  completed  the sale through a leveraged
recapitalization  of a majority interest in one of its subsidiaries  which acted
as a  holding  company  for  its  temporary  physician  staffing  and  therapist
placement  businesses   ("CompHealth").   These  non-strategic  businesses  were
acquired  by the  Company in  connection  with  certain  of its major  strategic
acquisitions.  The  Company  retained  approximately  15% of the  equity in such
holding company. Net proceeds to the Company were


                                       29

<PAGE>



approximately  $34,100,000.  The purchasers comprised a group of venture capital
funds,  including  funds  affiliated  with C. Sage Givens and Charles W. Newhall
III,  both outside  Directors of the Company,  as well as venture  capital funds
controlled by  unaffiliated  third parties.  The Company  solicited  offers from
third parties to purchase the business over a period of several months,  and the
Company  believes that the purchase price and terms of the transaction  effected
with the venture  capital  funds were more  favorable  to the Company than those
available from other purchasers. In connection with the transaction, the Company
entered  into certain  "preferred  vendor"  arrangements  with  CompHealth,  and
Michael D. Martin,  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial  Officer of the
Company, was named to the Board of Directors of CompHealth.

     At various  times,  the  Company  has made loans to  executive  officers to
assist them in meeting  financial  obligations  at certain  times when they were
requested  by the  Company  to refrain  from  selling  Common  Stock in the open
market.  At January 1, 1998, loans in the following  original  principal amounts
were  outstanding:  $460,000 to Larry R. House,  a former  Director and a former
executive  officer,  $500,000  to  Aaron  Beam,  Jr.,  formerly  Executive  Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer and a Director,  and $140,000 and $350,000
to William T. Owens,  Group Senior Vice  President and  Controller.  Outstanding
principal  balances at December 31, 1998 were $210,000 for Mr.  House,  $400,000
for Mr. Beam and an  aggregate  of $476,000  for Mr.  Owens.  During  1998,  the
Company also made loans of $400,000 to P. Daryl Brown,  President -- HEALTHSOUTH
Outpatient  Centers and a Director,  and  $750,000  to Russell H.  Maddox,  then
President -- HEALTHSOUTH  Diagnostic Centers, both of which remained outstanding
at December 31, 1998. In  connection  with Mr.  Beam's  retirement,  the Company
agreed  to  forgive  his loan over a period of five  years in  exchange  for his
provision of  consulting  services to the Company  over such period.  Such loans
bear  interest  at the rate of 1-1/4% per annum  below the prime rate of AmSouth
Bank of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, and are payable on demand.


                                RELATIONSHIP WITH
                         INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

     Ernst & Young LLP,  Birmingham,  Alabama,  has been engaged by the Board of
Directors of the Company as independent  public  accountants for the Company and
its subsidiaries for the fiscal year 1998 and it is expected that such firm will
serve in that  capacity  for the 1999 fiscal  year.  Management  expects  that a
representative  of Ernst & Young LLP will be present  at the  Annual  Meeting to
make a  statement  if he or she desires to do so and to be  available  to answer
appropriate questions posed by stockholders.


                              FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     The  Company's  audited  financial  statements  for the  fiscal  year ended
December 31, 1998,  "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and  Results of  Operations"  and other  selected  information  are  included in
Appendix C to this Proxy Statement.



                                       30

<PAGE>



                                  OTHER MATTERS

     As of the date of this  Proxy  Statement,  the  Board of  Directors  of the
Company does not know of any business which will be presented for  consideration
at the  Annual  Meeting  other than that  specified  herein and in the Notice of
Annual Meeting of  Stockholders,  but if other matters are presented,  it is the
intention of the persons  designated as proxies to vote in accordance with their
judgment on such matters.

     A COPY OF THE  COMPANY'S  ANNUAL  REPORT  ON FORM  10-K FOR THE YEAR  ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 1998,  INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS AND FINANCIAL  STATEMENT
SCHEDULE THERETO, AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION,  WILL BE
FURNISHED  WITHOUT  CHARGE TO ANY  STOCKHOLDER  OF THE  COMPANY  WHOSE  PROXY IS
SOLICITED BY THE FOREGOING PROXY STATEMENT, UPON THE WRITTEN REQUEST OF ANY SUCH
PERSON ADDRESSED TO ANTHONY J. TANNER, SECRETARY,  HEALTHSOUTH Corporation,  ONE
HEALTHSOUTH PARKWAY, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 35243. SUCH A REQUEST FROM A BENEFICIAL
OWNER OF THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK MUST CONTAIN A GOOD-FAITH  REPRESENTATION BY
SUCH  PERSON  THAT,  AS OF  APRIL  1,  1999,  HE WAS A  BENEFICIAL  OWNER OF THE
COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK.

     Please SIGN and RETURN the enclosed Proxy promptly.



                                             By Order of the Board of Directors:

                                             ANTHONY J. TANNER
                                             Secretary

April __, 1999




                                       31

<PAGE>




                                                                      APPENDIX A

                             HEALTHSOUTH CORPORATION

                         1999 EXCHANGE STOCK OPTION PLAN

     1. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN.  The purpose of the 1999 Exchange Stock Option Plan
(hereinafter  called  the  "Plan")  of  HEALTHSOUTH   Corporation,   a  Delaware
corporation (hereinafter called the "Corporation"),  is to provide incentive for
future  endeavor  and to  advance  the  interests  of the  Corporation  and  its
stockholders  by encouraging  ownership of the Common Stock,  par value $.01 per
share (hereinafter  called the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation by certain of
its key employees, upon whose judgment,  interest and continuing special efforts
the  Corporation  is  largely  dependent  for  the  successful  conduct  of  its
operations,  through  the grant of  non-qualified  options  (hereinafter  called
"Options")  to  purchase  shares  of  the  Common  Stock  on a  basis  providing
meaningful incentive for such employees.

     2. PARTICIPANTS;  ELIGIBLE EXCHANGING  OPTIONS.  (a) Options may be granted
under the Plan to such key  employees  of the  Corporation  who  currently  hold
Eligible  Exchanging  Options (as defined below) and who surrender such Eligible
Exchanging Options as provided herein; provided, however, that (i) no Option may
be granted to any  person if such grant  would  cause the Plan to cease to be an
"employee benefit plan" as defined in Rule 405 of Regulation C promulgated under
the Securities Act of 1933; and (ii) no Option may be granted to any Director or
executive officer of the Corporation.

     (b) For purposes of the Plan,  "Eligible  Exchanging Option" shall mean any
stock option held by any employee of the  Corporation  who is eligible under the
terms of Section 2(a) above to be granted options  hereunder (i) which is issued
under the terms of any other  stock  option plan of the  Corporation,  excluding
those stock  option plans which were assumed by the  Corporation  in  connection
with the  acquisition of other  entities,  (ii) which is currently  outstanding,
whether or not vested or  exercisable,  and (iii)  which has an  exercise  price
equal to or greater than $16.00 per share.

     3. TERM OF THE PLAN.  The Plan shall  become  effective as of May 20, 1999,
subject to the approval by the holders of a majority of the shares of issued and
outstanding Common Stock of the Corporation present in person or by proxy at the
1999 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation. The Plan shall terminate
on the earliest of (a) September 30, 1999, (b) such time as all shares of Common
Stock  reserved  for  issuance  under the Plan have been  acquired  through  the
exercise of Options  granted  under the Plan,  or (c) such  earlier  time as the
Board of Directors of the  Corporation  may  determine.  Any Option  outstanding
under  the  Plan at the  time of its  termination  shall  remain  in  effect  in
accordance  with its terms and conditions and those of the Plan. No Option shall
be granted under the Plan after September 30, 1999.

     4. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.  Subject to the provisions of Section 13, the
aggregate  number of shares of Common  Stock for which  Options  may be  granted
under the Plan shall not exceed  2,750,000  shares,  and the  maximum  number of
shares of Common Stock for which any individual may be granted Options under the
Plan during any calendar year is shall be equal to the largest  number of shares
eligible for issuance to any one  optionholder  pursuant to Section 6(b). If, on
or prior to the  termination  of the Plan as  provided  in  Section 3, an Option
granted under the Plan shall have expired or terminated  for any reason  without
having been exercised in full,  the  unpurchased  shares  covered  thereby shall
cease to be reserved  for issuance  hereunder  and shall revert to the status of
authorized but unissued shares.

     The shares to be delivered upon exercise of Options under the Plan shall be
made  available,  at the  discretion  of the  Board of  Directors,  either  from
authorized but  previously  unissued  shares as permitted by the  Certificate of
Incorporation of the Corporation or from shares  re-acquired by the Corporation,
including  shares of Common Stock purchased in the open market,  and shares held
in the treasury of the Corporation.

     5.  ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall be administered by the Audit
and  Compensation  Committee  of the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Corporation
(hereinafter  called the "Committee").  The acts of a majority of the Committee,
at any  meeting  thereof  at which a quorum is  present,  or acts  reduced to or
approved in writing by a majority of the members of the Committee,  shall be the
valid acts of the Committee.


                                       A-1

<PAGE>



     The  interpretation and construction of any provision of the Plan or of any
Option granted under it by the Committee shall be final,  conclusive and binding
upon all parties, including the Corporation, its stockholders and Directors, and
the executives and employees of the Corporation and its subsidiaries.  No member
of the Board of Directors or the Committee  shall be liable to the  Corporation,
any  stockholder,  any  optionholder  or any employee of the  Corporation or its
subsidiaries for any action or determination  made in good faith with respect to
the Plan or any Option granted under it. No member of the Board of Directors may
vote on any Option to be granted to him.

     The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Corporation.

     6. GRANT OF OPTIONS.  (a) Options may be granted under the Plan at any time
prior to the  termination  of the Plan. All such Options shall be deemed to have
been granted on May 20, 1998.

     (b)  Options  may be  granted  under  the  Plan  only in  exchange  for the
surrender and cancellation of Eligible Exchanging  Options.  Such exchange shall
be based upon the  following  ratios:  (i) if the exercise  price of an Eligible
Exchanging  Option is at least  $16.00  but less than  $22.00  per  share,  such
Eligible  Exchanging Option may be surrendered in exchange for an Option granted
under this Plan  covering  two shares of Common  Stock for each three  shares of
Common Stock covered by the surrendered  Eligible Exchanging Option; and (ii) if
the  exercise  price of an  Eligible  Exchanging  Option is $22.00  per share or
greater,  such Eligible  Exchanging Option may be surrendered in exchange for an
Option  granted under this Plan  covering  three shares of Common Stock for each
four  shares of Common  Stock  covered by the  surrendered  Eligible  Exchanging
Option.  Each  participant  surrendering  Eligible  Exchanging  Options shall be
required to retain  Eligible  Exchanging  Options  covering 10% of the aggregate
number of shares covered by the total number of Eligible Exchanging Options held
by such  participant  (the "10%  Holdback").  The 10% Holdback  shall consist of
those Eligible Exchanging Options held by such participant which have the lowest
exercise  price.   Participants  desiring  to  receive  Options  hereunder  must
surrender not less than all of their Eligible Exchanging Options,  less only the
10% Holdback.  No Options covering  fractional  shares will be issued hereunder,
and any  fractional  shares  resulting  from the  application  of the  foregoing
exchange  ratios  will be deemed to be  surrendered  and  canceled.  The  shares
represented by surrendered  Eligible Exchanging Options shall not be restored to
the stock option plan under which they were issued,  but instead shall revert to
the status of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock.

     (c) Each  Option  granted  under the Plan shall be granted  pursuant to and
subject to the terms and  conditions  of a stock option  agreement to be entered
into between the  Corporation  and the  optionholder  at the time of such grant.
Each such stock option  agreement shall be in a form from  time-to-time  adopted
for use under the Plan by the Committee  (such form being  hereinafter  called a
"Stock Option Agreement").  Any such Stock Option Agreement shall incorporate by
reference  all of the terms and  provisions of the Plan as in effect at the time
of grant and may contain  such other terms and  provisions  as shall be approved
and adopted by the Committee.

     7.  OPTION  PRICE.  (a) The  purchase  price of the shares of Common  Stock
covered by each Option granted under the Plan shall be at least 100% of the fair
market value (but in no event less than the par value) of such shares at May 20,
1999.

     (b) For  purposes  of the  Plan,  the fair  market  value  per share of the
Corporation's  Common Stock at May 20, 1999 shall be  conclusively  deemed to be
the closing  price per share of the Common Stock on the New York Stock  Exchange
Composite Transactions Tape on such date.

     (c) The  exercise  price of any  outstanding  Options  shall not be reduced
during the term of such Options  except by reason of an  adjustment  pursuant to
Section 13 hereof,  nor shall the  Committee  or the Board of  Directors  cancel
outstanding  Options  and  reissue  new  Options  at a lower  exercise  price in
substitution for the canceled Options.

     8. TERM OF OPTIONS. The expiration date of an Option granted under the Plan
shall be identical to the  expiration  date of the  Eligible  Exchanging  Option
surrendered  in exchange  therefor,  provided that each such Option shall expire
not more than ten years after the date such Option was granted.


                                       A-2

<PAGE>



     9. EXERCISE OF OPTIONS;  VESTING.  (a) Each Option shall become exercisable
in whole or in part or in  installments  at such time or times as the  Committee
may  prescribe at the time the Option is granted and specify in the Stock Option
Agreement.  Unless otherwise  expressly  provided in the Stock Option Agreement,
each Option shall be deemed to be vested and  exercisable in the same proportion
to  the  total  number  of  shares  covered  thereby  as the  relevant  Eligible
Exchanging  Option was so vested and  exercisable at the time of surrender,  and
any  unvested  portion of such Option shall vest and become  exercisable  at the
same  time and in the same  proportions  to the total  number of shares  covered
thereby as previously  provided with respect to the relevant Eligible Exchanging
Option.

     (b)  Notwithstanding  any  contrary  provision  contained  herein,   unless
otherwise  expressly provided in the Stock Option Agreement,  any Option granted
hereunder  which is, by its terms,  exercisable  in  installments  shall  become
immediately  exercisable  in full upon the  occurrence of a Change in Control of
the  Corporation.  For purposes of this Section 9(b),  "Change in Control" shall
mean

          (i) the acquisition  (other than from the  Corporation) by any person,
     entity or "group"  (within the meaning of Sections  13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of
     the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding,  for this purpose,  the
     Corporation  or its  subsidiaries,  or any  employee  benefit  plan  of the
     Corporation  or its  subsidiaries  which acquires  beneficial  ownership of
     voting  securities of the Corporation) of beneficial  ownership (within the
     meaning of Rule 13d-3  promulgated  under the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
     1934) of 25% or more of either the then-outstanding  shares of Common Stock
     or the combined voting power of the Corporation's  then-outstanding  voting
     securities entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors; or

          (ii)  individuals  who, as of May 20,  1999,  constitute  the Board of
     Directors of the Corporation (as of such date, the "Incumbent Board") cease
     for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors;
     provided,  however,  that any person becoming a Director subsequent to such
     date whose election, or nomination for election,  was approved by a vote of
     at least a majority of the Directors then  constituting the Incumbent Board
     (other  than an election  or  nomination  of an  individual  whose  initial
     assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election
     contest relating to the election of Directors of the Corporation) shall be,
     for purposes of this  Section  9(b)(ii),  considered  as though such person
     were a member of the Incumbent Board; or

          (iii)  approval  by  the   stockholders   of  the   Corporation  of  a
     reorganization,  merger, consolidation or share exchange, in each case with
     respect  to which  persons  who were the  stockholders  of the  Corporation
     immediately prior to such  reorganization,  merger,  consolidation or share
     exchange do not, immediately thereafter,  own more than 75% of the combined
     voting power entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the
     reorganized,    merged,    consolidated   or   other   surviving   entity's
     then-outstanding voting securities,  or a liquidation or dissolution of the
     Corporation  or the sale of all or  substantially  all of the assets of the
     Corporation.

     (c) options may be exercised by giving written notice to the Corporation of
intention to exercise,  specifying the number of shares to be purchased pursuant
to such exercise in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Stock Option
Agreement. All shares purchased upon exercise of any Option shall be paid for in
full at the time of purchase in accordance  with the procedures set forth in the
Stock Option Agreement.  Except as provided in Section 9(d) hereof, such payment
shall  be made in cash or  through  delivery  of  shares  of  Common  Stock or a
combination of cash and Common Stock as provided in the Stock Option  Agreement.
Any shares so delivered shall be valued at their fair market value determined as
of the  date  of  exercise  of the  Option  under  a  method  determined  by the
Committee.

     (d) Payment for shares  purchased  upon  exercise of any such Option may be
made by delivery  to the  Corporation  of a properly  executed  exercise  notice
together with  irrevocable  instructions to a broker to promptly  deliver to the
Corporation  an amount of sale or loan  proceeds  sufficient to pay the exercise
price.  Additionally,  the  Corporation  will  accept,  in  payment  for  shares
purchased  upon exercise of any such Option,  proceeds of a margin loan obtained
by the  exercising  optionholder  from a broker,  provided  that the  exercising
optionholder  has, at the same time as delivery to the Corporation of a properly
executed exercise notice,  delivered to the Corporation irrevocable instructions
to the  Corporation to deliver share  certificates  directly to such broker upon
payment for such shares.


                                       A-3

<PAGE>



     10. NONTRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS. (a) Options granted under the Plan shall
be  assignable or  transferable  only by will or pursuant to the laws of descent
and distribution  and shall be exercisable  during the  optionholder's  lifetime
only by him, except to the extent set forth in the following paragraphs.

     (b)  Upon  written  notice  to  the  Secretary  of  the   Corporation,   an
optionholder  may, except as otherwise  prohibited by applicable  law,  transfer
options  granted  under the Plan to one or more  members of such  optionholder's
immediate  family,  to  a  partnership   consisting  only  of  members  of  such
optionholder's  immediate family,  or to a trust all of whose  beneficiaries are
members of the optionholder's immediate family. For purposes of this section, an
optionholder's "immediate family" shall be deemed to include such optionholder's
spouse, children and grandchildren only.

     (c)  Upon  written  notice  to  the  Secretary  of  the   Corporation,   an
optionholder  may transfer  options to a  charitable,  educational  or religious
entity which has been determined by the United States  Internal  Revenue Service
to be exempt from federal income taxation under the provisions of Section 501(c)
of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,  or any  successor  statutory
provision.

     11. STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS OF OPTIONHOLDER.  No holder of any Option shall have
any rights to dividends or other rights of a stockholder  with respect to shares
subject to an Option prior to the  purchase of such shares upon  exercise of the
Option.

     12. TERMINATION OF OPTION.  With respect to any Option which, by its terms,
is not  exercisable  for one year  from the date on which it is  granted,  if an
optionholder's employment by, or other relationship with, the Corporation or any
of its  subsidiaries  terminates  within one year after the date an  unexercised
Option containing such terms is granted under the Plan for any reason other than
death,  the Option shall terminate on the date of termination of such employment
or other relationship. With respect to all Options granted under the Plan, if an
optionholder's  employment by, or other  relationship  with, the  Corporation is
terminated by reason of his death, the Option shall terminate one year after the
date of  death,  unless  the  Option  otherwise  expires.  If an  optionholder's
employment by, or other  relationship  with, the Corporation  terminates for any
reason  other than as set forth  above in this  Section  12,  the  Option  shall
terminate three months after the date of termination of such employment or other
relationship  unless  the  Option  earlier  expires,  provided  that  (a) if the
optionholder dies within such three-month period, the Option shall terminate one
year  after the date of his death  unless the Option  earlier  expires;  (b) the
Board of Directors may, at any time prior to any  termination of such employment
or other  relationship  under the  circumstances  covered  by this  Section  12,
determine  in its  discretion  that the Option  shall  terminate  on the date of
termination of such employment or other  relationship with the Corporation;  and
(c) the exercise of any Option after  termination  of such  employment  or other
relationship  with the  Corporation  shall be  subject  to  satisfaction  of the
conditions  precedent that the optionholder  refrain from engaging,  directly or
indirectly,  in any  activity  which is  competitive  with any  activity  of the
Corporation or any subsidiary thereof and from otherwise acting, either prior to
or after  termination of such  employment or other  relationship,  in any manner
inimical or in any way  contrary to the best  interests of the  Corporation  and
that the  optionholder  furnish to the Corporation such information with respect
to the  satisfaction  of the  foregoing  condition  precedent  as the  Board  of
Directors  shall  reasonably  request.  For  purposes  of  this  Section  12,  a
"relationship  with the Corporation"  shall be limited to any relationship  that
does not cause the Plan to cease to be an "employee  benefit plan" as defined in
Rule 405 of Regulation C under the Securities Act of 1933. The mere ownership of
stock in the  Corporation  shall not be deemed  to be a  "relationship  with the
Corporation".

     Nothing in the Plan or in the Stock Option  Agreement shall confer upon any
optionholder  the right to continue in the employ of the  Corporation  or any of
its  subsidiaries or in any other  relationship  thereto or interfere in any way
with  the  right  of the  Corporation  to  terminate  such  employment  or other
relationship at any time.

     A holder of an  Option  under the Plan may make  written  designation  of a
beneficiary  on  forms  prescribed  by  and  filed  with  the  Secretary  of the
Corporation.  Such beneficiary, or if no such designation of any beneficiary has
been made, the legal  representative  of such  optionholder or such other person
entitled  thereto  as  determined  by a court  of  competent  jurisdiction,  may
exercise,  in accordance  with and subject to the provisions of this Section 12,
any unterminated and unexpired Option granted to such


                                       A-4

<PAGE>



optionholder  to the  same  extent  that the  optionholder  himself  could  have
exercised such Option were he alive or able; provided,  however,  that no Option
granted  under  the  Plan  shall  be  exercisable   for  more  shares  than  the
optionholder  could have purchased  thereunder on the date his employment by, or
other relationship with, the Corporation and its subsidiaries was terminated.

     13.  ADJUSTMENT  OF AND  CHANGES IN  CAPITALIZATION.  In the event that the
outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed in number or class by reason
of split-ups, combinations, mergers, consolidations or recapitalizations,  or by
reason of stock dividends, the number or class of shares which thereafter may be
purchased  through  exercise  of  Options  granted  under the Plan,  both in the
aggregate  and as to any  individual,  and the number  and class of shares  then
subject to Options  theretofore  granted  and the price per share  payable  upon
exercise of such Option shall be adjusted so as to reflect  such change,  all as
determined  by the Board of  Directors  of the  Corporation.  In the event there
shall be any other  change in the  number or kind of the  outstanding  shares of
Common Stock,  or of any stock or other  securities into which such Common Stock
shall have been changed, or for which it shall have been exchanged,  then if the
Board of Directors  shall,  in its sole  discretion,  determine that such change
equitably requires an adjustment in any Option theretofore  granted or which may
be granted under the Plan, such adjustment shall be made in accordance with such
determination.

     Notice of any adjustment  shall be given by the  Corporation to each holder
of an Option which shall have been so adjusted and such  adjustment  (whether or
not such notice is given) shall be effective and binding for all purposes of the
Plan.

     Fractional shares resulting from any adjustment in Options pursuant to this
Section 13 may be settled in cash or  otherwise  as the Board of  Directors  may
determine.

     14.  SECURITIES ACTS  REQUIREMENTS.  No Option granted pursuant to the Plan
shall be  exercisable  in whole or in part,  and the  Corporation  shall  not be
obligated to sell any shares of Common Stock subject to any such Option, if such
exercise and sale would, in the opinion of counsel for the Corporation,  violate
the  Securities  Act of 1933 or other Federal or state  statutes  having similar
requirements,  as they may be in  effect  at that  time.  Each  Option  shall be
subject to the further requirement that, at any time that the Board of Directors
or the  Committee,  as the case may be,  shall  determine,  in their  respective
discretion,  that the listing,  registration or  qualification  of the shares of
Common Stock subject to such Option under any securities  exchange  requirements
or under any  applicable  law, or the  consent or  approval of any  governmental
regulatory  body,  is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection
with,  the  granting of such Option or the issuance of shares  thereunder,  such
Option  may  not  be  exercised  in  whole  or  in  part  unless  such  listing,
registration,  qualification,  consent or approval  shall have been  effected or
obtained free of any  conditions not acceptable to the Board of Directors or the
Committee, as the case may be.

     As a condition  to the  issuance  of any shares upon  exercise of an Option
under the Plan, the Board of Directors or the Committee, as the case may be, may
require  the  optionholder  to  furnish  a  written  representation  that  he is
acquiring the shares for investment and not with a view to  distribution  of the
shares to the public and a written agreement  restricting the transferability of
the shares  solely to the  Corporation,  and may affix a  restrictive  legend or
legends  on  the  face  of  the  certificate   representing  such  shares.  Such
representation, agreement and/or legend shall be required only in cases where in
the opinion of the Board of Directors or the Committee,  as the case may be, and
counsel for the Corporation, it is necessary to enable the Corporation to comply
with the  provisions  of the  Securities  Act of 1933 or other  Federal or state
statutes  having  similar  requirements,  and any  stockholder  who  gives  such
representation and agreement shall be released from it and the legend removed at
such time as the  shares to which  they  applied  are  registered  or  qualified
pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933 or other Federal or state statutes having
similar  requirements,  or at such other time as, in the opinion of the Board of
Directors or the Committee, as the case may be, and counsel for the Corporation,
the  representation and agreement and legend cease to be necessary to enable the
Corporation to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 or other
Federal or state statutes having similar requirements.

     15.  AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN. The Plan may, at any time or from time to time,
be terminated, modified or amended by the stockholders of the Corporation by the
affirmative  vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding  shares of the
Corporation's Common Stock entitled to vote. The Board of


                                       A-5

<PAGE>



Directors of the Corporation may, insofar as permitted by law, from time to time
with  respect to any shares of Common  Stock at the time not subject to Options,
suspend or discontinue the Plan or revise or amend it in any respect whatsoever;
provided,   however,   that,   without  approval  of  the  stockholders  of  the
Corporation,  no such revision or amendment  shall increase the number of shares
subject to the Plan,  decrease  the price at which the  Options  may be granted,
permit  exercise of Options  unless full payment is made at the time of exercise
(except as so  provided  in Section 9 hereof),  extend the period  during  which
Options may be exercised,  or change the provisions relating to adjustment to be
made upon changes in capitalization.

     16.  CHANGES IN LAW.  Subject to the provisions of Section 15, the Board of
Directors  shall  have the power to amend the Plan and any  outstanding  Options
granted thereunder in such respects as the Board of Directors shall, in its sole
discretion,  deem  advisable  in  order to  incorporate  in the Plan or any such
Option any new provision or change  designed to comply with or take advantage of
requirements  or  provisions  of the  Code or any  other  statute,  or  Rules or
Regulations  of the  Internal  Revenue  Service  or any other  Federal  or state
governmental agency enacted or promulgated after the adoption of the Plan.

     17. LEGAL MATTERS. Every right of action by or on behalf of the Corporation
or by any stockholder against any past, present or future member of the Board of
Directors,  officer  or  employee  of  the  Corporation  arising  out  of  or in
connection with this Plan shall, irrespective of the place where such action may
be brought and  irrespective  of the place of  residence  of any such  Director,
officer or employee,  cease and be barred by the  expiration of three years from
whichever  is the later of (a) the date of the act or  omission  in  respect  of
which such right of action  arises,  or (b) the first date upon which  there has
been  made  generally   available  to  stockholders  an  annual  report  of  the
Corporation  and a  proxy  statement  for the  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders
following  the issuance of such annual  report,  which  annual  report and proxy
statement  alone or together set forth,  for the related  period,  the aggregate
number of shares for which Options were granted; and any and all right of action
by any  employee  or  executive  of the  Corporation  (past,  present or future)
against the  Corporation  arising out of or in connection  with this Plan shall,
irrespective of the place where such action may be brought,  cease and be barred
by the expiration of three years from the date of the act or omission in respect
of which such right of action arises.

     This Plan and all  determinations  made and actions taken  pursuant  hereto
shall be governed by the law of Delaware,  applied  without giving effect to any
conflicts-of-law principles, and construed accordingly.






                                       A-6

<PAGE>



                                                                      APPENDIX B

                             HEALTHSOUTH CORPORATION

                         1999 EXECUTIVE EQUITY LOAN PLAN

     1. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN. The purpose of the 1999 Executive  Equity Loan Plan
(the  "Plan")  of  HEALTHSOUTH   Corporation,   a  Delaware   corporation   (the
"Corporation"),  is to provide  incentive  for future  endeavor and to align the
interests of the  Corporation's  management and its  stockholders by providing a
mechanism  to enhance  ownership of the Common  Stock,  par value $.01 per share
(the  "Common  Stock"),  of the  Corporation  by its  executives  and  other key
employees,  upon whose  judgment,  interest and continuing  special  efforts the
Corporation is largely  dependent for the successful  conduct of its operations,
and to enable the Corporation to compete  effectively with other enterprises for
the  services  of such new  executives  and  employees  as may be needed for the
continued improvement of the Corporation's business, through the making of loans
("Loans") to such  executives  and  employees  to purchase  shares of the Common
Stock.

     2.  PARTICIPANTS.  Loans may be made under the Plan to such  executives and
key employees  ("Participants") of the Corporation and its subsidiaries as shall
be determined by the Committee (as set forth in Section 5 of the Plan).

     3. TERM OF THE PLAN.  The Plan shall  become  effective as of May 20, 1999,
subject to the approval by the holders of a majority of the shares of issued and
outstanding  Common Stock of the  Corporation  present in person or by proxy and
voting at the 1998 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the  Corporation.  The Plan
shall  terminate  on the earlier of (a) May 19, 2009 or (b) such earlier time as
the Board of Directors of the  Corporation may determine.  Any Loan  outstanding
under  the  Plan at the  time of its  termination  shall  remain  in  effect  in
accordance with its terms and conditions and those of the Plan. No Loan shall be
made under the Plan after May 19, 2009.

     4. LOANS UNDER THE PLAN.  Loans may be made under the Plan in such  amounts
are as approved by the Committee,  provided that the maximum aggregate principal
amount  of  Loans  outstanding  under  the  Plan at any time  shall  not  exceed
$50,000,000.  If,  on or prior to the  termination  of the Plan as  provided  in
Section  3, the  principal  amount of any Loan  under the Plan  shall  have been
repaid in whole or in part,  the  principal  amount so repaid shall again become
available  for the  making of Loans  under the Plan,  subject  to the  foregoing
limitation on the maximum aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time.

     5.  ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall be administered by the Audit
and  Compensation  Committee of the Board of Directors of the  Corporation  (the
"Committee"). The acts of a majority of the Committee, at any meeting thereof at
which a quorum is  present,  or acts  reduced  to or  approved  in  writing by a
majority  of the  members  of the  Committee,  shall  be the  valid  acts of the
Committee. The Committee shall determine the executives and key employees of the
Corporation  and its  subsidiaries  who shall  receive  Loans and the  principal
amount of each such Loan.

     The  interpretation and construction of any provision of the Plan or of any
Loan made under it by the Committee shall be final,  conclusive and binding upon
all parties, including the Corporation,  its stockholders and Directors, and the
executives and employees of the Corporation and its  subsidiaries.  No member of
the Board of Directors or the Committee shall be liable to the Corporation,  any
stockholder  or any  employee of the  Corporation  or its  subsidiaries  for any
action or determination  made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Loan
made under it.

     The  Committee  may  delegate   responsibility  for  all  or  part  of  the
administration of the Plan to appropriate officers of the Corporation; provided,
however,  that no such officers  shall have the power or authority to make Loans
under the Plan, amend,  waive or modify any provision of the Plan or forgive any
Loans,  in whole or in part,  without the express  approval of the  Committee in
each case.

     The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Corporation.

     6.  LOANS.  (a)  Loans  may be made  under  the  Plan by the  Committee  in
accordance with the provisions of Section 5 at any time prior to the termination
of the Plan. In making any  determination  as to executives and key employees to
whom Loans shall be made and as to the principal amount of such


                                       B-1

<PAGE>



Loans,  the  Committee  shall take into  account  the  duties of the  respective
executives and key employees,  their present and potential  contribution  to the
success of the  Corporation,  and such other factors as the Committee shall deem
relevant in connection with the accomplishment of the purposes of the Plan.

     (b) Each Loan made under the Plan shall be granted  pursuant to and subject
to the terms and  conditions of a loan  agreement to be entered into between the
Corporation  and the  Participant  at the time of such  grant.  Each  such  loan
agreement shall be in a form from time-to-time adopted for use under the Plan by
the Committee (such form being hereinafter called a "Loan Agreement").  Any such
Loan Agreement shall incorporate by reference all of the terms and provisions of
the Plan as in effect at the time of grant and may contain  such other terms and
provisions as shall be approved and adopted by the Committee.

     7. CERTAIN CONDITIONS OF LOANS. Loans made under this Plan shall be subject
to the following terms and conditions:

          (a) The proceeds of Loans may be used only for purchases of the Common
     Stock in open-market transactions, block trades or negotiated transactions.
     Such  purchases  must  be  effected   through  a  broker  approved  by  the
     Corporation.

          (b) Loans  shall have a maturity  date of seven years from the date of
     the Loan, subject to acceleration and termination as provided herein.  Such
     maturity  date  may  be  extended  for  up to one  additional  year  by the
     Committee,  acting in its discretion.  The unpaid principal balance of each
     Loan shall bear interest at a rate equal to the effective  interest rate on
     the average  outstanding  balance under the Corporation's  principal credit
     agreement  for  each  calendar  quarter,  adjustable  as of the end of each
     calendar quarter,  which effective interest rate shall be determined by the
     Controller  of the  Corporation.  Interest  shall be  compounded  annually.
     Subject to the terms and conditions set forth below, repayment of principal
     and interest may be deferred until final maturity of the Loan.

          (c) Each Loan  shall be  secured  by a pledge of all of the  shares of
     Common Stock purchased with the proceeds thereof ("Loan Shares"),  pursuant
     to which the Participant  shall grant the Corporation a first priority lien
     on and  security  interest in the Loan  Shares.  The Loan Shares may not be
     sold  for one  year  after  the  date on  which  they  were  acquired  (the
     "Acquisition Date"). Thereafter,  one-third of the aggregate number of Loan
     Shares may be sold during each of the second,  third and fourth years after
     the Acquisition Date, with any unsold portion carrying forward from year to
     year. The proceeds from any such sale must be used to repay a percentage of
     the  principal  amount of the Loan equal to the  percentage  of Loan Shares
     sold,  less any  amounts  withheld  for taxes  (the  "Mandatory  Prepayment
     Amount").  Any proceeds in excess of the Mandatory  Prepayment Amount shall
     be retained by the Participant.

          (d)  Notwithstanding  any  contrary  provision in the Plan or any Loan
     Agreement,  a Loan shall immediately  mature, and all principal and accrued
     but unpaid interest thereon shall be due and payable,  within 30 days after
     the effective date of any  termination of the  Participant's  employment by
     the  Corporation,  whether  voluntary or involuntary,  or upon the death or
     disability  of the  Participant.  Without  limiting the  generality  of the
     foregoing,  the Corporation  may, but shall not be required to,  repurchase
     the Loan Shares of a Participant at such Participant's original acquisition
     cost  if  the  Participant's  employment  is  terminated,   voluntarily  or
     involuntarily  or by reason of death or disability,  within the first three
     years after the Acquisition Date, according to the following schedule:


                                      PERCENTAGE OF LOAN SHARES
              YEAR BEGINNING ON         SUBJECT TO REPURCHASE
          ------------------------   --------------------------
            Acquisition Date                    100%
            First Anniversary of
              the Acquisition Date               66 2/3%
            Second Anniversary of
              the Acquisition Date               33 1/3%


          The  terms  of such  repurchase  shall  be as set  forth  in the  Loan
     Agreement.  In the event of any such repurchase,  the purchase price of the
     shares so repurchased  shall be credited against the outstanding  principal
     balance and accrued but unpaid  interest on the Loan,  and the  Participant
     shall be responsible for the payment of any deficiency.


                                       B-2

<PAGE>



          (e) Each certificate evidencing Loan Shares shall be registered in the
     name of the  Participant,  and  shall  bear a legend in  substantially  the
     following form:

     "The   transferability   of  this  certificate  and  the  shares  of  stock
     represented  hereby  are  subject to the terms and  conditions  of the 1999
     Executive Equity Loan Plan of HEALTHSOUTH  Corporation and a Loan Agreement
     entered  into between the  registered  owner and  HEALTHSOUTH  Corporation.
     Copies of such Plan and Loan  Agreement  are on file in the  offices of the
     Secretary of HEALTHSOUTH Corporation."

          (f) The  Committee  may  adopt  rules  which  provide  that the  stock
     certificates  evidencing  Loan  Shares  may be held in custody by a bank or
     other  institution,  or that the Corporation may itself hold such shares in
     custody until the restrictions  thereon shall have lapsed,  and may require
     as a  condition  of any Loan that the  participant  shall have  delivered a
     stock power endorsed in blank relating to the Loan Shares.

          (g) Loans shall be made with full recourse, and each Participant shall
     be required to repay all principal and accrued but unpaid interest upon the
     maturity  of  the  Loan  (or  its  earlier  acceleration  or  termination),
     irrespective of whether the Participant has sold Loan Shares or whether the
     proceeds  of any such  sale were  sufficient  to repay  all  principal  and
     interest  with  respect  to the  Loan.  If,  at  any  time,  the  Committee
     determines in its reasonable  discretion  that the value of the Loan Shares
     pledged as security for the Loan is less than the indebtedness evidenced by
     the Loan, the Committee  shall require the  Participant to post  additional
     security  (which  may  be  shares  of  Common  Stock  or  other  collateral
     acceptable to the  Committee,  in its  reasonable  discretion) in an amount
     sufficient to fully secure the indebtedness of the Loan.

     8. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF PARTICIPANTS.  Notwithstanding  any contrary provision
of the Plan or any Loan  Agreement,  a participant  holding Loan Shares shall be
entitled to the following rights:

          (a) A  participant  shall have with  respect to Loan Shares all of the
     rights of a  stockholder  of the  Corporation,  including the right to vote
     such shares and receive dividends and other distributions thereon.

          (b) Unless  otherwise  expressly  provided in the Loan Agreement,  any
     restrictions  on a  participant's  ability  to sell any of the Loan  Shares
     pursuant to Section 7(c) shall terminate upon the occurrence of a Change in
     Control of the Corporation.  For purposes of this Section 8(b),  "Change in
     Control" shall mean

               (i) the  acquisition  (other  than from the  Corporation)  by any
          person,  entity or "group" (within the meaning of Sections 13(d)(3) or
          14(d)(2) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  but excluding,  for
          this purpose,  the  Corporation or its  subsidiaries,  or any employee
          benefit plan of the  Corporation  or its  subsidiaries  which acquires
          beneficial  ownership  of voting  securities  of the  Corporation)  of
          beneficial  ownership  (within the  meaning of Rule 13d-3  promulgated
          under the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934) of 25% or more of either
          the  then-outstanding  shares of Common Stock or the  combined  voting
          power of the Corporation's then-outstanding voting securities entitled
          to vote generally in the election of Directors; or

               (ii) individuals who, as of May 20, 1999, constitute the Board of
          Directors of the Corporation (as of such date, the "Incumbent  Board")
          cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of
          Directors;  provided,  however,  that any  person  becoming a Director
          subsequent to such date whose  election,  or nomination  for election,
          was  approved by a vote of at least a majority of the  Directors  then
          constituting the Incumbent Board (other than an election or nomination
          of an individual  whose initial  assumption of office is in connection
          with an actual or threatened election contest relating to the election
          of  Directors  of the  Corporation)  shall be,  for  purposes  of this
          Section  8(b),  considered  as though such person were a member of the
          Incumbent Board; or

               (iii)  approval  by  the  stockholders  of the  Corporation  of a
          reorganization,  merger, consolidation or share exchange, in each case
          with  respect  to  which  persons  who were  the  stockholders  of the
          Corporation immediately prior to such reorganization, merger,


                                       B-3

<PAGE>



          consolidation or share exchange do not,  immediately  thereafter,  own
          more than 75% of the combined  voting power entitled to vote generally
          in the election of directors of the reorganized,  merged, consolidated
          or other surviving entity's  then-outstanding voting securities,  or a
          liquidation or  dissolution  of the  Corporation or the sale of all or
          substantially all of the assets of the Corporation.

          Notwithstanding the foregoing,  however, the pledge of the Loan Shares
     shall  continue in full force and effect  until such time as all  principal
     and accrued but unpaid interest under the Loan has been repaid.

     9. NO RIGHT OF  CONTINUED  EMPLOYMENT.  Nothing  in the Plan or in the Loan
Agreement  shall confer upon any participant the right to continue in the employ
of the  Corporation  or any of its  subsidiaries  or in any  other  relationship
thereto or interfere in any way with the right of the  Corporation  to terminate
such employment or other relationship at any time.

     10.  AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN. The Plan may, at any time or from time to time,
be terminated, modified or amended by the stockholders of the Corporation by the
affirmative  vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding  shares of the
Corporation's Common Stock present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at
a meeting of the  Corporation's  stockholders  duly  called and held (or, to the
extent  permitted by law, by written consent of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding  shares of the  Corporation's  Common Stock  entitled to vote).  The
Board of Directors of the  Corporation  may,  insofar as permitted by law,  from
time to time  suspend  or  discontinue  the  Plan or  revise  or amend it in any
respect   whatsoever;   provided,   however,   that,  without  approval  of  the
stockholders  of the  Corporation,  no such revision or amendment shall increase
the maximum aggregate principal amount of Loans made under the Plan.

     11.  CHANGES IN LAW.  Subject to the provisions of Section 10, the Board of
Directors  shall  have the  power to amend  the Plan and any  outstanding  Loans
granted thereunder in such respects as the Board of Directors shall, in its sole
discretion, deem advisable in order to incorporate in the Plan or any such Award
any new  provision  or change  designed  to  comply  with or take  advantage  of
requirements or provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,  or
any other statute,  or Rules or Regulations of the Internal  Revenue  Service or
any other Federal or state governmental  agency enacted or promulgated after the
adoption of the Plan.

     12. LEGAL MATTERS. Every right of action by or on behalf of the Corporation
or by any stockholder against any past, present or future member of the Board of
Directors,  officer  or  employee  of  the  Corporation  arising  out  of  or in
connection with this Plan shall, irrespective of the place where such action may
be brought and  irrespective  of the place of  residence  of any such  Director,
officer or employee,  cease and be barred by the  expiration of three years from
whichever  is the later of (a) the date of the act or  omission  in  respect  of
which such right of action  arises,  or (b) the first date upon which  there has
been  made  generally   available  to  stockholders  an  annual  report  of  the
Corporation  and a  proxy  statement  for the  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders
following  the issuance of such annual  report,  which  annual  report and proxy
statement  alone or together set forth,  for the related  period,  the aggregate
number of shares for which Awards were granted;  and any and all right of action
by any  employee  or  executive  of the  Corporation  (past,  present or future)
against the  Corporation  arising out of or in connection  with this Plan shall,
irrespective of the place where such action may be brought,  cease and be barred
by the expiration of three years from the date of the act or omission in respect
of which such right of action arises.

     This Plan and all  determinations  made and actions taken  pursuant  hereto
shall be governed by the law of Delaware,  applied  without giving effect to any
conflicts-of-law principles, and construed accordingly.


                                       B-4

<PAGE>



                                                                      APPENDIX C

     NOTE:  This  Appendix  C,  together  with the  foregoing  Proxy  Statement,
contains the information  required to be provided in the Company's annual report
to security  holders pursuant to the Rules and Regulations of the Securities and
Exchange  Commission.  The Company's 1998 Annual Report to  Stockholders,  which
provides  additional  information  concerning the Company and its performance in
1998, is also included in this mailing.


                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           PAGE
                                                                                          NUMBER
                                                                                         -------
<S>                                                                                      <C>
Business .............................................................................     C-
Selected Financial Data ..............................................................     C-
Quarterly Results ....................................................................     C-
Directors and Executive Officers .....................................................     C-
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.     C-
Audited Consolidated Financial Statements of HEALTHSOUTH Corporation and
 Subsidiaries ........................................................................
 Report of Independent Auditors ......................................................     C-
 Consolidated Balance Sheets .........................................................     C-
 Consolidated Statements of Income ...................................................     C-
 Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity .....................................     C-
 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows ...............................................     C-
 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements ..........................................     C-
Market for the Company's Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters ...............     C-
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure..     C-
</TABLE>




                                       C-1

<PAGE>



                                    BUSINESS

     HEALTHSOUTH  Corporation  ("HEALTHSOUTH"  or the  "Company) is the nation's
largest provider of outpatient surgery and rehabilitative  healthcare  services.
The Company  provides these services  through its national network of outpatient
and inpatient rehabilitation facilities,  outpatient surgery centers, diagnostic
centers,  occupational  medicine  centers,  medical centers and other healthcare
facilities.  The Company  believes  that it provides  patients,  physicians  and
payors with high-quality  healthcare  services at significantly lower costs than
traditional inpatient hospitals.  Additionally,  the Company's national network,
reputation for quality and focus on outcomes has enabled it to secure  contracts
with  national and  regional  managed  care  payors.  At December 31, 1998,  the
Company had nearly 1,900 patient care locations in 50 states, the United Kingdom
and Australia,  exclusive of locations  being closed,  consolidated  or held for
sale.  See  "Management's  Discussion  and Analysis of Financial  Condition  and
Results of Operations".


                             SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
                                [To be completed]


                          QUARTERLY RESULTS (UNAUDITED)
                                [To be completed]


                               EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

     The  following  table sets forth  certain  information  with respect to the
Company's executive officers:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       ALL POSITIONS                   AN OFFICER
            NAME                AGE                  WITH THE COMPANY                    SINCE
- - ----------------------------   -----   --------------------------------------------   -----------
<S>                            <C>     <C>                                            <C>
Richard M. Scrushy .........    46     Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive         1984
                                       Officer and Director
James P. Bennett ...........    41     President and Chief Operating Officer and         1991
                                       Director
Anthony J. Tanner ..........    50     Executive Vice President -- Administration        1984
                                       and Secretary and Director
Michael D. Martin ..........    38     Executive Vice President and Chief                1989
                                       Financial Officer and Director
Thomas W. Carman ...........    47     Executive Vice President -- Corporate             1985
                                       Development
P. Daryl Brown .............    44     President -- HEALTHSOUTH Outpatient               1986
                                       Centers and Director
Robert E. Thomson ..........    51     President -- HEALTHSOUTH Inpatient                1987
                                       Operations
Patrick A. Foster ..........    52     President -- HEALTHSOUTH Surgery                  1994
                                       Centers
William T. Owens ...........    40     Group Senior Vice President -- Finance            1986
                                       and Controller
William W. Horton ..........    39     Senior Vice President and Corporate               1994
                                       Counsel and Assistant Secretary
</TABLE>

     Biographical  information for Messrs. Scrushy,  Bennett,  Tanner, Brown and
Martin is set forth in the Proxy  Statement to which this Appendix C is attached
under "Election of Directors".

     Thomas W.  Carman  joined  the  Company  in 1985 as  Regional  Director  --
Corporate  Development,  and now serves as Executive Vice President -- Corporate
Development.  From 1983 to 1985,  Mr.  Carman was  director of  development  for
Medical  Care  International.  From  1981 to  1983,  Mr.  Carman  was  assistant
administrator at the Children's Hospital of Birmingham, Alabama.


                                       C-2

<PAGE>



     Robert E. Thomson joined the Company in August 1985 as administrator of its
Florence,  South Carolina inpatient  rehabilitation  facility,  and subsequently
served as Regional Vice  President -- Inpatient  Operations,  Vice  President --
Inpatient Operations,  Group Vice President -- Inpatient Operations,  and Senior
Vice  President  -- Inpatient  Operations.  Mr.  Thomson was named  President --
HEALTHSOUTH Inpatient Operations in February 1996.

     Patrick A.  Foster  joined the  Company in  February  1994 as  Director  of
Operations  and  subsequently  served  as  Group  Vice  President  --  Inpatient
Operations  and Senior Vice  President  --  Inpatient  Operations.  He was named
President -- HEALTHSOUTH Surgery Centers in October 1997. From August 1992 until
February 1994, he served as Senior Vice President of the  Rehabilitation/Medical
Division of The Mediplex Group.

     William T. Owens,  C.P.A.,  joined the Company in March 1986 as  Controller
and was  appointed  Vice  President  and  Controller  in December  1986.  He was
appointed Group Vice President -- Finance and Controller in June 1992 and Senior
Vice  President -- Finance and Controller in February 1994 and Group Senior Vice
President -- Finance and Controller in March 1998. Prior to joining the Company,
Mr.  Owens  served as a certified  public  accountant  on the audit staff of the
Birmingham,  Alabama office of Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young LLP) from 1981
to 1986.

     William W. Horton  joined the Company in July 1994 as Group Vice  President
- - -- Legal Services and was named Senior Vice  President and Corporate  Counsel in
May 1996.  From August 1986 through June 1994, Mr. Horton  practiced  corporate,
securities and healthcare law with the Birmingham,  Alabama-based firm now known
as  Haskell  Slaughter  & Young,  L.L.C.,  where he  served as  Chairman  of the
Healthcare Practice Group.

     See "Election of Directors" in the Proxy Statement to which this Appendix C
is attached for identification of the Directors of the Company.


                           MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND
                         ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                            AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

                                [To be completed]



                                       C-3

<PAGE>



          [AUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN
                           DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT]

















                                       C-4

<PAGE>



                         MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON
                     EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDERS MATTERS

     The  Company's  common  stock is listed  for  trading on the New York Stock
Exchange  (Symbol:  HRC). The following  table sets forth for the fiscal periods
indicated the high and low reported  sale prices for the Company's  common stock
as reported on the NYSE Composite  Transactions Tape. All prices shown have been
adjusted  for a  two-for-one  stock  split  effected in the form of a 100% stock
dividend paid on March 17, 1997.


                                                      REPORTED
                                                     SALE PRICE
                                              -------------------------
                                                  HIGH          LOW
                                              -----------   -----------

      1997
         First Quarter ....................    $  22.38      $  17.94
         Second Quarter ...................       27.12         17.75
         Third Quarter ....................       28.94         23.12
         Fourth Quarter ...................       28.31         22.00

      1998
         First Quarter ....................    $  30.44      $  21.69
         Second Quarter ...................       30.81         25.75
         Third Quarter ....................       30.12          8.88
         Fourth Quarter ...................       15.88          7.69

                                ----------------

     The  closing  price for the  Company's  common  stock on the New York Stock
Exchange on April ___, 1999, was $_______.

     There were  approximately  6,903 holders of record of the Company's  common
stock as of April 1, 1999,  excluding those shares held by depository  companies
for certain beneficial owners.

     The Company has never paid cash  dividends  on its common  stock  (although
certain  of the  companies  acquired  by the  Company  in  poolings-of-interests
transactions  had  paid  dividends  prior  to such  acquisitions)  and  does not
anticipate the payment of cash dividends in the foreseeable  future. The Company
currently  anticipates  that any future earnings will be retained to finance the
Company's operations.


RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES

     All  unregistered  sales of equity  securities  by the Company in 1998 have
been previously reported on Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, as applicable.


                CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON
                       ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

     The Company has not changed  independent  accountants  within the 24 months
prior to December 31, 1998.





                                       C-5

<PAGE>



- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                PRELIMINARY COPY

                            HEALTHSOUTH CORPORATION
PROXY            ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS -- MAY 20, 1999
                      THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF
                             THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     The undersigned hereby appoints RICHARD M. SCRUSHY and MICHAEL D. MARTIN or
____________________________________,  and each of them,  with several powers of
substitution,  proxies  to vote the shares of Common  Stock,  par value $.01 per
share, of HEALTHSOUTH Corporation which the undersigned could vote if personally
present at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders  of HEALTHSOUTH  Corporation to be
held at One HealthSouth Parkway, Birmingham, Alabama 35243, on Thursday, May 20,
1999, at 2:00 p.m., C.D.T., and any adjournment thereof:

     1.   ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

     [ ]  FOR  all   nominees   listed       [ ]  WITHHOLD  AUTHORITY  to vote
          below marked to the contrary            (except as for all  nominees
          below)                                  listed below                

INSTRUCTION:  TO WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO VOTE FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL  NOMINEE,  MARK A
              LINE THROUGH THE NOMINEE'S NAME IN THE LIST BELOW.

Richard M. Scrushy             C. Sage Givens             Anthony J. Tanner
Phillip C. Watkins             James P. Bennett           George H. Strong
Charles W. Newhall III         Michael D. Martin          John S. Chamberlin
P. Daryl Brown                 Joel C. Gordon             Larry D. Striplin, Jr.

     2.   APPROVAL OF THE 1999 EXCHANGE STOCK OPTION PLAN OF THE COMPANY

               [ ] FOR   [ ] AGAINST    [ ] ABSTAIN

                                        (Continued and to be signed on reverse.)
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          (Continued from other side.)

     3.   APPROVAL OF THE 1999 EXECUTIVE EQUITY LOAN PLAN OF THE COMPANY

               [ ] FOR   [ ] AGAINST    [ ] ABSTAIN

     4.   APPROVAL OF A STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL BY THE AMALGAMATED BANK OF NEW YORK
          LONGVIEW COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT FUND

               [ ] FOR   [ ] AGAINST    [ ] ABSTAIN

     5.   In  their  discretion,  to act  upon  any  matters  incidental  to the
          foregoing  and such other  business  as may  properly  come before the
          Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

     This Proxy,  when properly  executed,  will be voted in the manner directed
herein by the undersigned stockholder.  IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL
BE VOTED FOR ITEMS 1, 2 AND 3 AND  AGAINST  ITEM 4 ABOVE.  Any  stockholder  who
wishes to  withhold  the  discretionary  authority  referred  to in Item 5 above
should mark a line through the entire Item.

                                        DATED                       , 1999
                                              ----------------------

                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        Signature(s)

                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        (Please  sign  exactly  and as  fully as
                                        your   name   appears   on  your   stock
                                        certificate. If shares are held jointly,
                                        each stockholder should sign.)


         PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY, USING THE ENCLOSED
                        ENVELOPE. NO POSTAGE IS REQUIRED.
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



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