Edgar Filing: KINDRED HEALTHCARE, INC

Ownership Submission

FORM 4

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:

3235-0287

Expires:

January 31, 2005

Estimated average burden hours per response...

0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

FRANKLIN MUTUAL ADVISERS LLC

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
KINDRED HEALTHCARE, INC [(KIND)]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

_____ Director	__X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below)	_____ Other (specify below)

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

101 JOHN F. KENNEDY PARKWAY

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/10/2006

(Street)

SHORT HILLS, NJ 07078

4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
	Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.		SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Option (Right to Buy) ⁽¹⁾

$ 28.89

01/10/2006

A⁽²⁾

5,000

01/10/2007⁽³⁾

01/10/2016

Common Stock

5,000

$ 0

5,000 ⁽⁴⁾

(2) (4)

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
FRANKLIN MUTUAL ADVISERS LLC 101 JOHN F. KENNEDY PARKWAY SHORT HILLS, NJ 07078		X

Signatures

By: Bradley D. Takahashi, Vice President of Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC		03/03/2006
^**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	This option was granted pursuant to the Kindred Healthcare, Inc. 2001 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors (Amended and Restated).
(2)	The grant was made to an employee of Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC (''FMA'') and previously reported on a Form 4 by such employee. In accordance with FMA's internal policy, all cash and non-cash compensation issued to FMA's employee in connection with his service on the Issuer's Board of Directors will be distributed directly to FMA's advisory clients. Under the advisory contracts with FMA, FMA retains sole voting and investment power over these securities.
(3)	This option is exercisable in cumulative equal annual installments over four years commencing on 01/10/07.
(4)	See Exhibit 99.1 for text of footnote, which text is incorporated by reference herein.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.