American Specialty Health Awards Two Massage Therapy Scholarships

San Diego, CA (September 11, 2003) -- American Specialty Health, Incorporated, the nation's leading complementary health care benefits organization, today announced the winners of its second annual massage therapy scholarship program: Travis Miller from Utah College of Massage Therapy in Salt Lake City, Utah and Dondra Rose from Advanced Fuller School of Massage Therapy in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Criteria for the $500 scholarships included grade point average, a written essay, financial need, and participation in various professional activities.

The winning essays were "Complementary Healthcare and Mainstream Healthcare Delivery: A Concept and Solution Review" by Travis Miller and "Homecoming: The Integration of Complementary Alternative Medicine with Allopathic Medicine" by Dondra Rose.

"We're pleased to recognize academic excellence and enthusiasm toward the ever-growing field of complementary medicine," said George DeVries, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of American Specialty Health. "Mr. Miller and Ms. Rose are to be congratulated for their outstanding scholarship entries."

Students pursuing careers in various aspects of complementary health care may apply for scholarships totaling $45,000 in American Specialty Health's 2003 scholarship program. Qualifying students are those studying chiropractic, dietetics, naturopathy, massage therapy, or acupuncture at any accredited institution in the country. In 2002, American Specialty Health awarded scholarships in the areas of chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, naturopathy, and dietetics.

Information and applications for upcoming scholarships may be found at www.ashproviders.com.

American Specialty Health, Incorporated and its subsidiaries are the nation's leading specialty benefits organization for complementary health care–providing benefit, health education, and affinity network programs to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and trust funds nationwide. The company's subsidiary American Specialty Health Plans of California, Inc., which operates in California, is the nation's first and largest specialty health plan for chiropractic and acupuncture. Based in San Diego, American Specialty Health has over 500 employees and more than 9 million members in benefit programs nationwide. For more information about American Specialty Health, visit its Web site at www.ashcompanies.com.