MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Dec 13, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- The Ensign Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENSG), the parent company of the Ensign(TM) group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services and assisted living companies, announced today that it completed the purchase of two skilled nursing facilities in California and one assisted living facility in Arizona for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $12.8 million.

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Previously leased facilities are now owned

The three facilities, which include 123 skilled nursing beds, 90 assisted living units and 84 independent living units, were acquired from affiliates of Healthcare Property Investors, Inc. (NYSE: HCP), which has previously sold two other facilities to Ensign(TM) affiliates. The acquisitions were completed by three separate holding affiliates of The Ensign Group, Inc. Prior to the acquisitions, operating subsidiaries of The Ensign Group, Inc. operated these three facilities under a master lease agreement, which was terminated upon the closing of the transaction. These three operators will continue to operate the facilities under new leases with the acquiring Ensign(TM) affiliates.

Proceeds of Ensign's(TM) recent initial public offering were used to complete the transactions. The acquisitions bring the number of owned facilities in Ensign's(TM) combined portfolio to 26. Ensign(TM) affiliates continue to hold purchase contracts or purchase options on 10 of the remaining 35 leased facilities.

About The Ensign Group, Inc.

The Ensign Group, Inc.'s operating subsidiaries provide a broad spectrum of skilled nursing and assisted living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, and other rehabilitative and healthcare services for both long-term residents and short-stay rehabilitation patients, at 61 separate operating locations in California, Arizona, Texas, Washington, Utah and Idaho. Each of these facilities is operated by a separate, wholly-owned independent operating subsidiary that has its own management, employees and assets. The use of "we," "us," "our" and similar words in this release is not meant to imply that these facilities are operated by the same entity. More information about The Ensign Group, Inc. is available at http://www.ensigngroup.net.

SOURCE The Ensign Group, Inc.

http://www.ensigngroup.net

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