HCIA INC
424B3, 1996-12-05
COMPUTER PROGRAMMING, DATA PROCESSING, ETC.
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PROSPECTUS

                                 168,229 Shares

                                   HCIA INC.

                                  Common Stock

         The  shares of common  stock,  par value  $.01 per share  (the  "Common
Stock"),  of HCIA Inc. ("HCIA" or the "Company") which may be offered hereby are
being sold by certain  stockholders of the Company (the "Selling  Stockholders")
who received such shares in connection  with the  Company's  acquisition  of LBA
Health Care Management,  Inc. ("LBA").  See "Selling  Stockholders." The Company
will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the shares of Common Stock
offered hereby. The Selling Stockholders received such shares of Common Stock in
a private placement  transaction and the Company has agreed to file and maintain
a shelf  registration  statement  relating to such shares in order to permit the
Selling Stockholders to resell such shares from time to time.

         The Common Stock of the Company is traded on the Nasdaq National Market
("NASDAQ")  under the symbol  "HCIA." On November  29, 1996,  the last  reported
sales price for the Company's Common Stock on NASDAQ was $28 3/4 per share.

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


SEE  "RISK  FACTORS"  BEGINNING  ON  PAGE  3  OF  THIS  PROSPECTUS  FOR  CERTAIN
INFORMATION  THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY  PROSPECTIVE  PURCHASERS OF THE COMMON
STOCK.

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

THESE  SECURITIES  HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR  DISAPPROVED  BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES  COMMISSION,  NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR ANY STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION  PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

         The distribution of shares of Common Stock by the Selling  Stockholders
may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions (which may involve
block transactions) in the over-the-counter market, on NASDAQ or on any exchange
on which the Common Stock may then be listed in negotiated transactions, through
the writing of options on shares  (whether such options are listed on an options
exchange or  otherwise),  or a  combination  of such methods of sale,  at market
prices  prevailing  at the time of sale,  at prices  related to such  prevailing
market prices, or at negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholders may effect such
transactions  by  selling  shares  to  or  through   broker-dealers,   and  such
broker-dealers may receive  compensation in the form of underwriting  discounts,
concessions or commissions from the selling  stockholders  and/or  purchasers of
shares for whom they may act as agent  (which  compensation  may be in excess of
customary  commissions).  The  Selling  Stockholders  also may pledge  shares as
collateral for margin  accounts and such shares could be resold  pursuant to the
terms of such accounts.

         All expenses of the  registration  of the Common Stock  covered by this
Prospectus  will be borne by the  Company  pursuant to  preexisting  agreements,
except that the Company will not pay (i) any Selling Stockholder's  underwriting
discounts  or selling  commissions,  or (ii) fees and  expenses  of the  Selling
Stockholder's counsel.



                The date of this Prospectus is December 3, 1996.



<PAGE>


                                  THE COMPANY

         HCIA is a leading health care information content company that develops
and markets integrated clinical information systems and products.  The Company's
systems  and  products  range from  standardized  data  bases to highly  focused
Decision  Support  Systems that assist its customers in evaluating  the efficacy
and economics of health care delivery.  As of September 30, 1996,  HCIA had more
than  325  customers  for its  Decision  Support  Systems  including  hospitals,
integrated delivery systems,  self-insured employers,  pharmaceutical  companies
and managed care organizations. The Company sold its Syndicated Products to more
than 7,000 customers as of September 30, 1996.

         By utilizing its core  collection of proprietary  data  standardization
methodologies,  value-added clinical measurement tools and data bases, including
the  International  Classification  of  Clinical  Services  SystemTM  (the "ICCS
SystemTM"),  the Company creates clinical  information systems and products from
its many large and  disparate  data streams.  The ICCS  SystemTM  allows for the
standardization and comparison of detailed clinical data across a broad range of
data sources.  The Company's  proprietary disease management  methodologies link
the costs,  quality,  utilization and outcomes of medical services  delivered to
patients  in  various  clinical  settings.  These  methodologies  and  technical
resources permit the Company to provide a level of clinical  information that is
substantially  more detailed and useful in modifying  clinical practice patterns
than information derived from traditional health care data sources.

         As a result  of its  unique  ability  to  integrate  health  care  data
collected  from  numerous  sources and across  varied  treatment  settings,  the
Company believes that it is well positioned to offer the information systems and
products  necessary to continue to increase average revenue per customer through
the sale of more sophisticated and comprehensive  Decision Support Systems.  The
Company  continually  seeks to enhance its systems and products through internal
product development  efforts and acquisitions of other companies,  product lines
and data resources,  as well as through the creation of strategic  relationships
with key health care industry participants. Since 1991 the Company has acquired,
as part of its overall growth  strategy,  a total of 15 health care  information
companies, product lines and data resources. Most recently, the Company acquired
LBA,  a  provider  of  health  care  information   products  that  combine  data
collection, benchmarking and decision support tools that enable its customers to
achieve  significant  cost savings by (i)  improving  quality of outcomes,  (ii)
reducing clinical resource  consumption and (iii) optimizing labor  utilization.
LBA's principal  products include its value  enhancement  systems and Centers of
Excellence  programs which utilize comparative data base analyses and a clinical
implementation management team to assist customers in reducing clinical resource
consumption  and  improving   outcomes  in  specific  practice  areas,  such  as
orthopedics and cardiology.

         The Company utilizes a highly  specialized  direct field sales force to
market Decision Support Systems.  The Company's marketing and pricing strategies
are focused on the generation of recurring revenue from Decision Support Systems
through  multi-year  agreements  (typically  two to three years) and through the
renewal of its Syndicated  Products,  which are updated  annually.  During 1995,
approximately 69% of the Company's revenue was recurring in nature.

         Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this Prospectus to
"HCIA"  and  the  "Company"  refer  to  HCIA  Inc.  and  its   predecessors  and
subsidiaries.  The Company's  executive  offices are located at 300 East Lombard
Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, and its telephone number is (410) 895-7470.

         "HCIA" is a registered  trademark  of HCIA Inc.  This  Prospectus  also
includes product names and other trademarks of HCIA and other companies.

                                       2

<PAGE>


                                  RISK FACTORS

IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER  INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS,  THE FOLLOWING FACTORS
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY BY PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS.

         Acquisitions.  The  Company  has,  in part,  expanded  its  systems and
products through the acquisition of health care information  companies,  product
lines and data  resources.  The Company  intends to continue the  acquisition of
methodological, analytical and technical resources that will further enhance and
expand the Company's systems and products.

         Acquisitions  involve  numerous  risks,  including  difficulties in the
assimilation  of operations and products,  the ability to manage  geographically
remote  units,  the  diversion of  management's  attention  from other  business
concerns,  the risks of entering  markets in which the Company has limited or no
direct  expertise  and the  potential  loss  of key  employees  of the  acquired
companies. In addition,  acquisitions may involve the expenditure of significant
funds and the incurrence of significant charges associated with the amortization
of goodwill  or other  intangible  assets,  write-offs  of  acquired  in-process
research and development costs and/or future  write-downs of the recorded values
of assets  acquired.  There can be no assurance that any acquisition will result
in long-term  benefits to the Company or that  management will be able to manage
effectively the resulting business.

         Management Of Growth. The Company is currently experiencing a period of
rapid  growth  and  expansion  which  could  place a  significant  strain on the
Company's  personnel  and  resources.  The  Company's  growth has resulted in an
increase in the level of  responsibility  for both  existing and new  management
personnel.  Many of the Company's  management  personnel  have had limited or no
experience in managing companies as large as the Company. The Company has sought
to manage  its  current  and  anticipated  growth  through  the  recruitment  of
additional management and technical personnel and the implementation of internal
systems and controls.  However,  the failure to manage growth  effectively could
materially and adversely affect the Company's operating results.

         Dependence  On Key  Personnel.  The  Company  depends to a  significant
extent on key  management,  technical  and  marketing  personnel.  The Company's
growth and future  success  will depend in large part on its ability to attract,
motivate and retain highly qualified  personnel,  including management personnel
of acquired  companies.  Except for an  agreement  with George D.  Pillari,  its
Chairman of the Board,  President and Chief Executive Officer,  the Company does
not  have  employment  agreements  with  any of its  officers.  The  loss of key
personnel or the inability to hire or retain  qualified  personnel  could have a
material adverse effect on the Company.

         Variations  In  Quarterly  Results.  The  Company has  experienced  and
expects to  continue to  experience  variations  in  quarterly  results.  Recent
quarterly variations are primarily due to the effect of one-time charges related
to acquired in-process research and development costs and the timing of contract
executions.  Quarterly  results are also  influenced by the timing of release of
certain  systems  and  products  as a result of the  annual  release  of certain
external  data  sources.  The  Company's  operating  results for any  particular
quarterly or annual period may not be indicative of results for future periods.

         Dependence  On  Intellectual  Property  Rights.  The  Company  has made
significant   investments  in  the  development  and  maintenance  of  its  core
collection  of  proprietary  data  standardization  methodologies,   value-added
clinical  measurement  tools and technical  resources that are used to transform
its many large and disparate data streams into clinically  relevant  information
products.  The Company relies largely on its license  agreements  with customers
and  its  own  security   systems,   confidentiality   procedures  and  employee
nondisclosure  agreements  to  maintain  the trade  secrecy  of its  proprietary
information.   There  can  be  no  assurance  that  the  legal  protections  and
precautions taken by the Company will be adequate to prevent misappropriation of
the Company's  proprietary  information.  In addition,  these protections do not
prevent  independent  third-party  development  of  functionally  equivalent  or
superior systems, products or methodologies.

         Competition.   The  health  care   information   market  is   intensely
competitive and rapidly  changing.  The Company competes for the sale of systems
and products and the resulting  access to data with different  companies in each
of its target markets.  Competitors vary in size and in the scope and breadth of
the  products and  services  offered.  Many of the  Company's  competitors  have
significantly  greater financial,  technical,  product development and marketing
resources than the Company.  There can be no assurance that future  competition,
or any significant loss of access to data resulting  therefrom,  will not have a
material adverse effect on the Company.

         Major  Customers.  During  1994 and 1995,  the  Company's  ten  largest
customers  accounted  for  approximately  29%  and  36%,  respectively,  of  the
Company's  revenue.  Many of the  Company's  contractual  arrangements  with its
customers  are  subject  to  annual  renewal.  The  loss  of one or  more of the
Company's largest customers could have a material adverse effect on the Company.

                                       3


<PAGE>


         Integrity  And  Reliability  Of Data.  The  Company's  success  depends
significantly on the integrity of its data.  Although the Company tests data for
completeness  and  consistency,  it does not conduct  independent  audits of the
information provided by its customers. Moreover, while the Company believes that
the benchmarking and other clinical,  cost and performance information contained
in its data base is representative  of the operational  aspects of various types
of  health  care  industry  participants,  there can be no  assurance  that such
information is  appropriate  for  comparative  analysis in all cases or that the
data bases  accurately  reflect  general or  specific  trends in the health care
market. If the information  contained in the data were found, or were perceived,
to  be  inaccurate,  or if  such  information  were  generally  perceived  to be
unreliable, the Company's business and operating results could be materially and
adversely affected.

         Potential  Cost  Of  Performance  Guarantees.  As  part  of  its  value
enhancement  systems,  LBA has guaranteed that each customer will achieve a cost
savings  identified  as at least  equal to the  fees the  customer  pays for the
system. To the extent such cost savings are not achieved,  LBA may be subject to
claims related to such guarantees. Although LBA has never incurred a claim under
its guarantee, there can be no assurance that this will continue to be the case.
Liabilities  related to such claims could have a material  adverse effect on the
Company's  business and  operating  results  could be  materially  and adversely
affected.

         Volatility  Of  Stock  Price.   The  stock  market   historically   has
experienced volatility which has affected the market price of securities of many
companies and which has sometimes been unrelated to the operating performance of
such  companies.  The  trading  price of the  Common  Stock  may be  subject  to
significant  fluctuations  in response to  variations  in  quarterly  results of
operations,  announcements  of  acquisitions,  new  systems or  products  by the
Company or its competitors,  governmental  regulatory action, other developments
or disputes with respect to proprietary  rights,  general trends in the industry
and overall market conditions, and other factors.

         Changes In The  Health  Care  Industry.  The health  care  industry  is
subject to changing  political,  economic  and  regulatory  influences  that may
affect  the  procurement   practices  and  operation  of  health  care  industry
participants.  During the past several years,  the U.S. health care industry has
been subject to an increase in  governmental  regulation of, among other things,
reimbursement rates and certain capital expenditures. Various programs have been
proposed to reform the U.S. health care system.  Many of these programs  contain
proposals  to  increase   governmental   involvement   in  health  care,   lower
reimbursement  rates and  otherwise  change the  operating  environment  for the
Company's  customers.  Health  care  industry  participants  may  react to these
proposals  and the  uncertainty  surrounding  such  proposals by  curtailing  or
deferring  investments,  including those for the Company's systems and products.
The Company cannot  predict what impact,  if any, such factors might have on its
business,  financial  condition  and results of  operations.  In addition,  many
health care  providers are  consolidating  to create larger health care delivery
enterprises  with greater  regional  market  power.  As a result,  the remaining
enterprises could have greater bargaining power, which may lead to price erosion
of the Company's systems and products.

         Government  Regulation.   The U.S.  Food and Drug  Administration  (the
"FDA") has  promulgated a  draft policy  addressing  the  regulation  of certain
computer  products as medical devices under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act. The FDA could determine in the future  that  certain  applications  of  the
Company's  systems and  products  are  clinical  decision  tools  subject to FDA
regulation as medical devices.  In addition, the Company could become subject to
future regulation of the manufacture and marketing of medical devices and health
care software  systems,  or to legislation or regulation  regarding the  use  of
patient  records  or  of  access  to  health  care  data.  Compliance  with such
legislation  and  regulation could be burdensome,  time consuming and expensive.
The  Company  cannot  predict  the  effect  of  possible  future legislation and
regulation.

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

Certain  statements  contained herein regarding  matters that are not historical
facts are forward-looking  statements (as such term is defined in the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act"));  and because such  statements
involve risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those
expressed  or implied by such  forward-looking  statements.  Factors  that could
cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, those
discussed above.

                                       4

<PAGE>


                          PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK

         Since the initial  offering of the Company's Common Stock at $14.00 per
share on February 22, 1995, the Common Stock has been traded on NASDAQ under the
symbol  "HCIA".  Prior to such date,  there was no public  market for the Common
Stock.

         The following table sets forth for the quarterly  periods indicated the
high and low  closing  sales  price  per share of Common  Stock as  reported  by
NASDAQ:

                                                       HIGH      LOW


1995
1st Quarter (from February 22, 1995)...........    $25        $17 5/8
2nd Quarter....................................     31 5/8     21
3rd Quarter....................................     31 1/4     24 1/2
4th Quarter....................................     46 3/4     22 3/4

1996
1st Quarter....................................     55 3/4     41 7/8
2nd Quarter....................................     67 7/8     45 5/8
3rd Quarter....................................     67 3/8     48 1/2
4th Quarter (through November 29, 1996)........     36 1/2     22 3/4

         On November 29, 1996,  there were 76 holders of record of the Company's
Common Stock.  The number of record holders is not representative  of the number
of  beneficial  holders  since many shares are  held  by  depositories,  brokers
or other  nominees.  On November 29, 1996,  the  last reported sale price of the
Company's Common Stock on NASDAQ was $28 3/4 per share.

                                DIVIDEND POLICY

         The Company has never paid any cash  dividends on the Common  Stock and
does not  anticipate  paying  any  cash  dividends  on  the  Common Stock in the
foreseeable future. The Company currently intends to retain any future  earnings
to fund the development and growth of its business.

                                USE OF PROCEEDS

         The Company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of Common Stock
by the Selling Stockholders.

                                       5

<PAGE>

                              SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

         On August 9, 1996, the Company issued 492,961 shares of common stock to
certain  stockholders of  HealthVISION,  Inc., the former parent company of LBA.
The shares were issued as part of the acquisition price for LBA, under the terms
of a Registration  Rights  Agreement.  The Company agreed to file a registration
statement under the Securities Act to cover the sale of such shares, and to keep
the registration statement effective until the earlier of the date that all such
shares have been sold or for two years from the date of this Prospectus.

         The  following table sets forth certain information with respect to the
beneficial  ownership of the Company's Common Stock by the Selling  Stockholders
as of November 29,  1996,  and as adjusted to reflect the assumed sale of all of
the shares offered hereby by the Selling Stockholders.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        Shares
                                                Shares Beneficially                   Beneficially
                                                  Owned Prior To                       Owned After
                                                   The Offering                       The Offering
                                              ----------------------    Shares   ------------------------
                                                Number      Percent     Offered      Number      Percent
<S> <C>
Warburg, Pincus Investors, L.P. (1).........      22,092         *%      22,092         --        --%
United HealthCare Services, Inc. (2)........       9,404         *        9,404         --        --
HLM Partners V, L.P. (3)....................       2,346         *        2,346         --        --
HLM Partners VII, L.P.(3)...................       9,387         *        9,387         --        --
Lawrence J. Byrne (4).......................     116,518       1.0       90,000        26,518      *
Kevin J. Hicks (4)..........................     116,518       1.0       35,000        81,518      *
</TABLE>
- -------------------
* Less than 1%.

       (1) The sole general  partner of Warburg,  Pincus  Investors,  L.P.  ("WP
       Investors")  is  Warburg,  Pincus  &  Co., a New York general partnership
       ("WP"). E.M. Warburg,  Pincus & Company, a New York general  partnership,
       manages  WP  Investors.  WP  has  a  20%  interest  in  the profits of WP
       Investors and,  through  its  wholly  owned  subsidiary,   E.M.  Warburg,
       Pincus & Co., Inc. owns  1.13%  of the limited  partnership  interests in
       WP Investors.  The address of WP Investors  is  466 Lexington Avenue, New
       York, New York 10017.

       (2)  The address  of  United HealthCare Services, Inc. is 9900 Bren Road,
       East, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343.

       (3)  The  address  of  HLM  Partners  is 222 Berkeley Street, Suite 2150,
       Boston, MA 02116.

       (4) Each of Messrs.  Byrne and Hicks has been a Senior Vice  President of
       the Company  since August 12, 1996.  The address  of  Messrs.  Byrne  and
       Hicks is c/o the Company, 300 East  Lombard Street,  Baltimore,  Maryland
       21202.

                                       6

<PAGE>



                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

         The distribution of the shares of Common Stock by a Selling Stockholder
may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions (which may involve
block  transactions)  in the  over-the-counter  market,  or on  NASDAQ  (or  any
exchange  on  which  the  Common  Stock  may  then  be  listed)  in   negotiated
transactions, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related
to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. A Selling  Stockholder
may effect such transactions by selling shares to or through broker-dealers, and
such  broker-dealers  may  receive  compensation  in the  form  of  underwriting
discounts,   concessions  or  commissions  from  a  Selling  Stockholder  and/or
purchasers of shares for whom they may act as agent (which  compensation  may be
in excess of  customary  commissions).  A Selling  Stockholder  also may  pledge
shares as collateral for margin  accounts and such shares may be resold pursuant
to the terms of such accounts.

         In order to comply with certain state  securities  laws, if applicable,
the Common Stock will not be sold in any particular state unless such securities
have been  registered or qualified for sale in such state or any exemption  from
registration or qualification is available and complied with.

         The  Company  will not  receive  any of the  proceeds  from the sale of
shares of Common Stock by the Selling Stockholders.

                                  LEGAL MATTERS

         The  validity of the Common Stock being  offered  hereby will be passed
upon for the Company and the Selling Stockholders by Whiteford, Taylor & Preston
L.L.P., Baltimore, Maryland.

                                     EXPERTS

         The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31,
1994 and 1995, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December
31, 1995  incorporated  by reference  in this  Prospectus  and the  Registration
Statement by reference to the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended,
and the financial statements of William M. Mercer,  Incorporated National Health
Analysis  Unit as of December 31, 1994 and  September 30, 1995 and for the years
ended  December 31, 1993 and 1994 and the nine months ended  September  30, 1995
incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Company's  Current Report on
Form 8-K dated  July 19,  1996,  as  amended,  have  been  included  herein  and
incorporated by reference in reliance upon the reports of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,
independent   certified  public  accountants,   appearing  elsewhere  herein  or
incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts
in accounting and auditing.

         The  report  by  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  LLP  covering  the   consolidated
financial  statements  of the Company noted above refers to the adoption of  the
Financial  Accounting   Standards  Board's  Statement  of  Financial  Accounting
Standards No. 109,  "Accounting for Income Taxes."

         The  combined  balance  sheet of LBA Health Care  Management,  Inc. and
Healthcare Data Source, Inc.  (collectively,  the "Predecessor  Business") as of
December  31,  1994 and the  combined  statements  of  operations  and  retained
earnings and cash flows for the Predecessor Business for each of the years ended
December  31,  1993 and 1994 and for the period  from  January  1, 1995  through
September 27, 1995, the balance sheet of LBA Health Care Management,  Inc. as of
December 31, 1995 and the  statements  of operations  and retained  earnings and
cash flows of LBA Health Care Management, Inc. for the period from September 28,
1995  through  December  31,  1995  and  the   consolidated   balance  sheet  of
HealthVISION,  Inc.  as of  December  31,  1994 and  1995  and the  consolidated
statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows for the year ended
December  31,  1995 and for the  period  February  2, 1994  (inception)  through
December 31, 1994 incorporated in this Prospectus and Registration  Statement by
reference to the  Company's  Current  Report on Form 8-K dated July 19, 1996, as
amended,  have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent  auditors,  as set
forth in their reports thereon  incorporated in this Prospectus and Registration
Statement by reference to the  Company's  Current  Report on Form 8-K dated July
19, 1996,  as amended,  and are included in reliance  upon such reports given on
the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

         The financial  statements of Datis  Corporation  as of May 31, 1993 and
1994 and for the year ended May 31,  1994 and the two months  ended May 31, 1993
incorporated  in this Prospectus by reference to the Form 8-K of HCIA Inc. dated
July 19, 1996, as amended,  have been so  incorporated in reliance on the report
of Price Waterhouse LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said
firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

                                       7

<PAGE>


                             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

         The  Company  is  subject  to  the  informational  requirements  of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  and, in
accordance  therewith,  files reports and other  information with the Securities
and Exchange  Commission (the  "Commission").  The reports and other information
filed by the Company with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act may
be inspected  and copied at the public  reference  facilities  maintained by the
Commission  at  450  Fifth  Street,  N.W.,  Washington,  D.C.  20549  and at the
Commission's  regional  offices at Seven World Trade Center,  New York, New York
10048 and  Citicorp  Center,  500 West  Madison  Street,  Suite  1400,  Chicago,
Illinois  60661.  Copies of such  material may also be obtained  from the Public
Reference Section of the Commission at its principal office in Washington,  D.C.
at  prescribed  rates.  Such reports,  proxy  statements  and other  information
concerning  the  Company  can be  inspected  at the  offices of NASDAQ at 1735 K
Street,  N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20006. The Commission  maintains a Web site at
http://www.sec.gov  containing  reports,  proxy and  information  statements and
other  information  regarding  registrants,  including  the  Company,  that file
electronically with the Commission.

         The Company has filed with the Commission a  Registration  Statement on
Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act with respect to
the Common Stock offered hereby. This Prospectus,  which constitutes part of the
Registration  Statement,  omits  certain  of the  information  contained  in the
Registration  Statement and the exhibits and schedules  thereto on file with the
Commission  pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and  regulations of the
Commission  thereunder.  The  Registration  Statement,  including  exhibits  and
schedules  thereto,  may  be  inspected  and  copied  at  the  public  reference
facilities  maintained by the Commission at 450 Fifth Street,  N.W.,  Room 1024,
Washington,  D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's regional offices at Seven World
Trade Center,  New York,  New York 10048 and Citicorp  Center,  500 West Madison
Street,  Suite  1400,  Chicago,  Illinois  60661,  and copies may be obtained at
prescribed  rates from the Public  Reference  Section of the  Commission  at its
principal office in Washington,  D.C. Statements contained in this Prospectus as
to the contents of any contract or other document are not  necessarily  complete
and in each  instance  reference  is made to the copy of such  contract or other
document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement,  each such statement
being qualified in all respects by such reference.

                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

         The following  documents or portions of documents  filed by the Company
with the Commission are incorporated herein by reference:

           (1) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, 1995,
           as amended by the Form 10-K/A filed on April 30, 1996.

           (2) Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters  ended March 31,
           1996, June 30, 1996 and September 30, 1996.

           (3) Current  Report on  Form 8-K dated  July 19, 1996,  as amended by
           the Form 8-K/As filed August 13, 1996 and October 21, 1996.

           (4) The  description  of the Common Stock  contained in the Company's
           Registration  Statement  under the  Exchange Act on Form 8-A filed on
           January 13, 1995.

         All  reports  and other  documents  filed by the  Company  pursuant  to
Sections  13(a),  13(c),  14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this
Prospectus  and prior to the  termination  of the Offering shall be deemed to be
incorporated  by  reference  in this  Prospectus  and to be part hereof from the
filing date of such documents.

         Any  statement  contained  in a document  incorporated  or deemed to be
incorporated  by reference  herein shall be deemed to be modified or  superseded
for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein,
or in any other  subsequently  filed  document that also is  incorporated  or is
deemed to be  incorporated  by reference  herein,  modifies or  supersedes  such
statement.  Any such  statement so modified or  superseded  shall not be deemed,
except as so modified or  superseded,  to constitute a part of this  Prospectus.
Subject to the  foregoing,  all  information  appearing  in this  Prospectus  is
qualified  in  its  entirety  by the  information  appearing  in  the  documents
incorporated herein by reference.

THIS  PROSPECTUS  INCORPORATES  DOCUMENTS  BY REFERENCE  WHICH ARE NOT PRESENTED
HEREIN OR DELIVERED  HEREWITH.  THESE DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE  UPON  WRITTEN  OR
ORAL  REQUEST,  AT NO CHARGE,  FROM THE  COMPANY.  REQUESTS  SHOULD BE  DIRECTED
TO THE COMPANY,  300 EAST LOMBARD STREET, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202,  ATTENTION:
BARRY C. OFFUTT, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

                                       8

<PAGE>


     No dealer,  salesperson or other individual has been authorized to give any
information  or to make  any  representations  other  than  those  contained  or
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus. If given or made, such information
or representations must not be relied upon as  having  been  authorized  by  the
Company or  the  Selling  Stockholders.  This  Prospectus does not constitute an
offer to sell, or a solicitation  of an offer to buy  the  Common  Stock  in any
jurisdiction  where, or to any person to whom, it is unlawful to make such offer
or  solicitation.  Neither  the  delivery of this  Prospectus  nor any sale made
hereunder shall,  under any  circumstances, create any implication that here has
not been any change in the facts set forth in this  Prospectus or in the affairs
of the Company since the date hereof.



                        TABLE OF CONTENTS


  Page

The Company...................................................................2
Risk Factors..................................................................3
Price Range of Common Stock...................................................5
Dividend Policy...............................................................5
Use of Proceeds...............................................................5
Selling Stockholders..........................................................6
Plan of Distribution..........................................................7
Legal Matters.................................................................7
Experts.......................................................................7
Additional Information........................................................8
Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.............................8




                                 168,229 Shares

                                    HCIA INC

                                  Common Stock





                                December 3, 1996






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