News
HomeTown Health Network to Offer Complementary Healthcare Program to Members
MASSILLON, OH (October 27, 2000)-- American Specialty Health Networks (ASHN) today announced that it has signed a letter of intent with HomeTown Health Network to provide complementary healthcare programs for their 65,000 members throughout Ohio.
Through ASHN, HomeTown Health Network will offer chiropractic and acupuncture as a rider under managed benefits as well as a discount access program for chiropractic, acupuncture and massage therapy. Both programs are effective January 1, 2001.
With the benefit program, HomeTown members can directly access the ASHN network chiropractor or acupuncturist of their choice without a physician referral. Members would pay an office co-payment for services rendered.
Under the access program, HomeTown members will also be able to self-refer to ASHN's credentialled network of chiropractors, acupuncture providers and massage therapists and receive discounts of up to 25% off the providers' usual and customary fees.
In addition, Healthyroads.com, an ASHN affiliate, will offer a comprehensive Internet strategy for complementary healthcare to HomeTown members. Healthyroads.com will be linked to the HomeTown Health Network web site and offer:
- Provider Directory: online directory of complementary healthcare providers across the nation participating in the ASHN network.
- Educational Resources: one of the most comprehensive Internet sources of educational information on complementary and alternative medicine.
- Health and Wellness Products: over 3,000 health and wellness products at significant discounts.
"Access to complementary healthcare services is a common request of both our members and employers," said William C. Epling, president of HomeTown Health Network. "The programs available through our partnership with ASHN offer an ideal way to meet our members' needs and enable us to provide them with a valuable benefit."
"Complementary and alternative medicine has become an integral part of most Americans' personal healthcare system," said George DeVries, President and CEO, ASHN. "We are pleased to partner with HomeTown Health Network to provide their members with network access programs."
HomeTown Health Network is a locally owned and operated managed care organization that offers a full spectrum of health plans and products. HomeTown's provider network includes 30 hospitals and more than 2,100 physicians in Stark, Summit, Portage, Medina, Wayne, Holmes, Tuscarawas, Carroll, Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Harrison, Coshocton, Guernsey and Muskingum counties. With offices in Massillon and Akron, HomeTown employs 160 and provides coverage for over 65,000 people. HomeTown is a member of Akron General Health System.
American Specialty Health Networks (ASHN) provides network access programs and managed care programs nationwide to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups and trust funds. Its affiliate, American Specialty Health Plans (ASHP), is the nation's first and largest health plan for chiropractic and acupuncture services, operating in California. Based in San Diego, ASHP and ASHN have over 500 employees and cover over 40 million members nationwide through various managed benefit, network access and discount programs.