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South Carolina Employers Can 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 (February 11, 2004) -- For the first time, South Carolina employers can directly purchase complementary health benefit plans from a specialty health insurance company, making popular options such as acupuncture and chiropractic care more accessible and affordable for their employees. Other high demand treatments, including massage therapy and dietetic counseling, also are available. Employer groups are able to purchase complementary health benefits as a supplemental group benefit rider, similar to purchasing vision, dental, or behavioral health coverage.

These new health benefit programs are available to South Carolina 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.

According to Georgetown, South Carolina-based chiropractor Dr. John Davila, B.S., D.C., who participates in ASH Insurance Company’s local provider network, the availability of direct purchase complementary coverage is of increasing importance to patients. "Roughly half of all Americans use some form of complementary health care each year," said said Dr. Davila. "These complementary and alternative therapies broaden the treatment options for patients, especially those who suffer with chronic conditions. Typically these chronically ill patients – who may have persistent neck or back pain, arthritis, migraines or weight problems – seek complementary and alternative care because traditional medicine hasn’t resolved their health problems."

Dr. Davila added that the biggest problem with most alternative therapies is that "they aren’t covered by health insurance, so most patients have to pay the entire amount of the care out-of-pocket."

The explosive increase in consumer demand for complementary health care over the last ten years has spurred some insurance companies to expand their coverage to include complementary health care. For employers who cannot access such coverage through their health plan, ASH offers direct purchase plans.

"In these days of double-digit health benefits increases, business owners 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 benefit that is roughly the same as, or even less than, vision or dental benefit riders," said DeVries.

The new product offerings in South Carolina are part of ASH Insurance’s strategy to help meet today’s heightened consumer demand and to fulfill state regulatory requirements to offer such coverage. Local employees who have this benefit can access a South Carolina network of more than 250 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 employers and their em