POWER OF ATTORNEY



       Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each

Kristina R. Hulsey and Kathy T. Henderson, or either of them signing singly, and with full power of

substitution, the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:



(1)         prepare, execute in the undersigned's name and on the undersigned's behalf, and

submit to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a Form ID,

including amendments thereto, and any other documents necessary or appropriate to

obtain codes and passwords enabling the undersigned to make electronic filings with

the SEC of reports required by Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

or any rule or regulation of the SEC;



(2)         execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity as an

officer and/or director of National HealthCare Corporation (the "Company"), Forms 3,

4, and 5 in accordance  with  Section 16(a)  of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934

and  the  rules thereunder;



(3)         do and  perform  any and all acts  for and on behalf of the undersigned  which

may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5,

complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and timely file such

form with the SEC and any stock exchange or similar authority; and



(4)         take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing which, in

the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best  interest of, or

legally required by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents

executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power

of Attorney shall be in such  form and  shall  contain  such  terms  and conditions  as

such  attorney-in-fact  may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.



       The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and

perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the

exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the

undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby

ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes,

shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers

herein granted.   The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such

capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of

the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



       This Power of Attorney shall remain  in  full force and  effect until the undersigned  is no

longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions

in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing

delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.



       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be executed

as of this 30th day of November 2015.





/s/ David L. Lassiter

Signature





           David L. Lassiter

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