American Specialty Health Awards Scholarships to Dietetics Students

San Diego, CA (January 20, 2004) -- American Specialty Health, Incorporated, the nation’s leading complementary health care benefits organization, announced the winners of its 2003 scholarship awards for students pursuing careers in dietetics.

Lisa Reid, a student at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Susan Scherer, a San Jose State University student, each won a $2,500 award for writing essays that described what will be required to integrate complementary health care into the mainstream health care delivery system.

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

"We are proud to be able to provide scholarships for students who are looking forward to careers in complementary health care," said George DeVries, chairman, president and chief executive officer of American Specialty Health. "Our congratulations to Ms. Reid and Ms. Sherer for their academic excellence and for choosing dietetics as their career goal."

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

The deadline for entries for the 2004 scholarships for dietitians is August 23, 2004.

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. Its 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 nearly 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.