COMPANIES

HCA, IRS in $125-Million Tax Dispute: The Internal Revenue Service and Hospital Corp. of America are locked in a tax battle worth at least $125 million, HCA officials said. A company spokesman said the IRS has reviewed company tax returns from 1981 to 1986 and questioned some of its deductions. HCA filed petitions with the U.S. Tax Court in Washington contesting the IRS’ claims that HCA underpaid taxes for 1981-82 and 1985-86. During the period in question, HCA operated about 152 subsidiaries in 28 states and Saudi Arabia. Most of the operations were spun off during a March, 1989, management-led leveraged buyout and now operate independently.