Florida Employers Can Now Enrich Their Health Benefits Through New, Low Cost Complementary Health Care Coverages

Breakthrough Program Helps Employers Meet Demand for Alternative Medical Therapy Coverage Without Squeezing the Bottom Line

San Diego, CA (January 21, 2004) -- For the first time, Florida employers can now directly purchase complementary health benefit plans from a specialty health insurance company, making such popular options as acupuncture and chiropractic care more readily accessible to the local workforce. Other high demand options such as massage therapy and dietetic counseling also are offered.

These new benefit programs are available to Florida businesses with 51 or more employees through American Specialty Health Insurance Company (ASH Insurance). ASH Insurance is a subsidiary of American Specialty Health, Incorporated (ASH), the nation’s largest complementary health care organization covering over 9 million members across the United States. Employer groups are able to purchase complementary health benefits as a supplemental group benefit rider, similar to purchasing vision, dental, or behavioral health coverage.

According to Jacksonville-based chiropractic orthopedist Patrick Opachich, DC, a participating provider in ASH Insurance Company’s provider network, the availability of direct purchase complementary coverage is of critical importance to Floridians. "There has been a growing demand by consumers for alternatives to traditional medical insurance coverage, especially from patients who suffer with chronic conditions," he says. "Typically these chronically ill patients – who may have persistent neck or back pain, arthritis, migraines or weight problems – seek alternative care because traditional medicine hasn’t resolved their health problems. Most of these patients then have had to pay the entire amount of this alternative care out-of-pocket because their health plans haven’t covered the spectrum of care options they need. So, the cost to these chronically ill patients can be tremendous over the course of many years."

"In these days of double digit health benefits inflation, business managers are beginning to view complementary health benefit additions as a positive way to enhance their employee benefit package at a very low cost," said George DeVries, president and chief executive officer of ASH. "In fact, complementary health benefit plans are one of the few programs employers are continuing to add to their employee benefit packages." DeVries attributes this trend to two compelling factors – low cost, and high demand from employees.

"Adding these benefits allows employers to attract and retain employees through a low-cost enhancement to their benefits," said DeVries. "The cost for some complementary health benefit plan options is roughly the same as, or even less than, vision or dental benefit riders. And, roughly half of all Americans use some form of complementary health care each year. As a result, it has become a standard part of the American health care system."

The new product offerings in Florida are part of ASH Insurance’s strategy to help meet today’s heightened consumer demand to offer such coverage. Local employees who have this benefit can access a Florida network of more than 1500 contracted providers. Furthermore, when insureds are traveling, they have access to a national provider network of more than 22,000 contracted acupuncturists, chiropractors, dietitians, massage therapists, medical doctors, and osteopathic physicians. In many cases, ASH Insurance may also cover employees residing in other states.

ASH Insurance offers a broad range of benefit options, combinations, and plans for Florida employers and their employees. For maximum flexibility, employers may choose from approximately 15 different combinations of complementary health care benefits. Once an employer group has selected a b