General FAQ
The ASH family of companies includes the following subsidiaries:
- American Specialty Health Insurance Company (ASH Insurance)
- American Specialty Health Networks, Inc. (ASH Networks)
- American Specialty Health Plans of California, Inc. (ASH Plans)
- American Specialty Health IPA of New York, Inc. (ASH IPA-NY)
- American Specialty Health ODS of New Jersey, Inc. (ASH ODS-NJ)
- American Specialty Health Systems, Inc. (ASH Systems)
- American Specialty Health Networks of South Dakota, Inc. (ASH Networks-SD)
- American Specialty Health Clearinghouse, Inc. (ASH Clearinghouse)
- Healthyroads, Inc. (Healthyroads)
ASH was co-founded by George DeVries (current ASH chairman and CEO) in 1987. The initial vision for ASH was to provide health plans with network management services for chiropractic, allowing members direct access to ASH contracted providers. ASH developed one of the nation’s largest specialty provider networks over the next decade and expanded its provider networks to include a broad range of complementary and alternative health products.
During the last decade, ASH has continued to expand, adding network management services for physical therapy, prevention and wellness services, and exercise and activity programs.
ASH has achieved numerous key milestones over the years. Browse to
History & Growth to view details.
Programs and services include:
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Prevention and Wellness Services—Lifestyle, life skills, and condition health coaching; wellness Internet portal; incentives; wireless technology; and worksite wellness programs
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Fitness and Exercise Services—Exercise and walking programs providing no-cost, low-cost, or discounts on fitness club/exercise center memberships, home fitness programs, and Internet-based exercise tools
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Specialty Network Management Programs—National provider networks and administrative services for chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, dietetic counseling, naturopathy, physical therapy and occupational therapy services (fully delegated atrisk or ASO arrangements are available)
Healthyroads, an ASH subsidiary, is one of the nation’s largest prevention and wellness programs, covering 3.4 million members with more than 500 clients. Healthyroads offers a comprehensive, fully-integrated prevention and wellness platform comprised of various programs that may be combined to meet the needs of an organization and its employees. Programs and services include telephone lifestyle, life skills, and condition health coaching; a wellness Internet portal; incentive programs; wireless technology; biometric services; worksite education programs; and worksite health promotion.
ASH's main office is located in the Sorrento Mesa district of San Diego. The company employs more than 700 people nationwide.
ASH has a nationwide network of more than 20,000 complementary health care providers—including chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, dietitians, and naturopaths—and more than 7,000 fitness clubs and exercise centers.
All potential ASH providers for clinical services must meet stringent quality standards before they can become part of the ASH network. Such providers undergo a quality evaluation that includes a review of providers’ licensure and records, as well as an inspection of provider offices. ASH’s credentialing and review staff work closely with state and federal agencies to ensure that all such contracted providers are qualified to perform the agreed-upon services.
ASH Insurance is a health insurance company domiciled in Illinois and admitted in 43 states and the District of Columbia. Through this company, employers in a growing number of states are able— usually for the first time—to directly purchase supplemental group riders for complementary health care from a specialty benefits health insurance company. This makes options such as chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, dietetic counseling, and naturopathy more readily accessible to local workforces. ASH products are currently approved in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Available benefit options vary by state.
Complementary health care is a term used to describe therapies and treatments not practiced by traditional medical doctors, but often used in conjunction with or as a complement to traditional medicine. These therapies include chiropractic care, acupuncture, and massage therapy as complements to traditional treatments such as physical therapy or pain medication. They also include dietetic counseling and naturopathy, as well as mind-body techniques such as mental imagery and relaxation skills.
Some traditional medical doctors recommend complementary health care therapies for their patients as part of their overall treatment. These therapies historically have not been covered by traditional health insurance plans.
The term alternative medicine is used to describe therapies or treatments that are used in place of traditional medical care. Such therapies might include treating cancer with a special diet rather than through surgery or chemotherapy, as might be recommended in Western medicine.
ASH does not offer or recommend alternative health care. Instead, ASH offers complementary health care, which complements traditional health care options. For example, through complementary health care a member who has cancer might choose to use techniques such as massage therapy and relaxation skills in conjunction with his or her chemotherapy sessions.
Some complementary health care therapies, such as acupuncture, have been around for more than 2,000 years. Others, such as naturopathy, are relatively new and continue to evolve as technology, best practices, and scientific research advance.
Complementary health care has grown in recent years to become a $40 billion industry. Despite rising health insurance premiums, interest in complementary medicine and health education programs is at an all-time high. In fact, a Consumer Reports reader survey published in August 2005 found that nearly half of respondents reported using complementary or alternative treatments during the past two years. Health care experts believe that the industry will continue to grow as more consumers choose complementary health care therapies to improve their overall health and well-being.
Like traditional medicine, there is no “typical” consumer of complementary health care. In some cases, individuals use complementary health care therapies because acupuncture, massage therapy, or other services have been recommended by their medical doctor. Many patients choose complementary health care when traditional therapies have failed to bring the desired results, or when they prefer to try less invasive therapies—or in order to ensure that they have tried all options for attaining the best possible outcome when treating their health condition.
According to a 1998 study conducted by Harvard Medical School researchers, consumers make almost twice as many visits to complementary health care providers every year than they do to primary care physicians, and an estimated four in 10 Americans use some form of complementary health care every year. With regards to lifestyle, consumers who use complementary health care are more likely to exercise, eat well, and be in better overall shape.
Historically, complementary health care has not been covered by traditional health insurance plans. But more and more, consumers are seeking out health care options that go beyond traditional medical care. These same consumers want to experience a greater sense of empowerment in making health care decisions, along with maintaining greater control over their own health. In many cases, offering the opportunity to explore less invasive treatments is a key component of meeting this consumer demand. Today, some specialty insurers, HMOs, and other organizations provide coverage for this care.
Progressive employers recognize this growing demand and are embracing services as lower-cost “complements” to traditional employee benefit packages. In an era of benefit takeaways, higher deductibles, and increased employee copays, complementary health care allows employers to offer a new benefit with a high perceived value for a cost that is usually just 1–2 percent of an employer’s total health care premiums.
Additionally, employers today are increasingly focused on implementing wellness programs that address obesity, smoking, and other health concerns that contribute to rising health care costs. According to a July 2005 Deloitte & Touche poll, 95 percent of employers surveyed have recently implemented or are considering implementing wellness programs to control health costs and improve employee productivity.
A growing body of clinical evidence supports the clinical benefits of chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, dietetic counseling, and naturopathic services. Evidence-based complementary health care therapies such as these have proven effective in treating a wide variety of medical conditions and in helping individuals meet their health and wellness goals. Among the research supporting the efficacy of complementary health care:
- Dozens of clinical studies have established the safety and effectiveness of spinal manipulation, the primary therapeutic tool used by chiropractors, for the treatment of back pain, neck pain, and headaches.
- A June 2003 Annals of Internal Medicine meta-analysis of 39 randomized clinical trials found chiropractic care to be more effective than sham treatments for acute and chronic low back pain.
- An October 2004 Archives of Internal Medicine study supported by ASH demonstrated that more conservative and less invasive care is less costly, finding that employers who offered health care benefits for chiropractic care realized fewer hospitalizations for back pain, a reduction in the number of back surgeries, and lower overall health care treatment costs versus employers who did not offer chiropractic coverage.
- A meta-analysis of 33 randomized trials published in the June 2005 Annals of Internal Medicine found acupuncture to be more effective than sham treatment for short-term relief of chronic low back pain. And a study published in the December 2004 Annals of Internal Medicine found that acupuncture appeared to help relieve pain and improve function for patients with knee osteoarthritis.