News

Kaiser On-the-Job Health Care Organization Selects American Specialty Health Networks to Administer Chiropractic and Acupuncture Services

SAN DIEGO (July 19, 2004) – American Specialty Health (ASH), the nation's leading complementary health care benefits organization, announced a new agreement with Kaiser On-the-Job Health Care Organization (KOJHCO) to provide access to a network of chiropractors and acupuncturists to thousands of its KOJHCO enrollees in Northern California.

American Specialty Health Networks (ASH Networks) will administer chiropractic and acupuncture services for approximately 20,000 enrollees as of July 2004. Coverage is expected to expand to 50,000 enrollees in January 2005. With an extensive network of providers, ASH Networks will assist KOJHCO enrollees to find the appropriate contracted chiropractor or acupuncturist.

"This agreement between American Specialty Health Networks and Kaiser is the latest chapter in a longstanding and mutually beneficial relationship between ASH Networks and Kaiser," said George DeVries, chairman, president, and CEO of ASH. "We look forward to continuing to administer chiropractic and acupuncture services for Kaiser On-the-Job Health Care Organization enrollees."

"Kaiser On-the-Job in Northern California is pleased to be working with ASH again in administering health care for injured workers because of the quality of ASH Networks' clinician credentialing, utilization review, medical care quality oversight, and the high level of customer service that they consistently deliver," said Douglas Benner, MD, Coordinator of Occupational Health for Kaiser Permanente Northern California Region.

Kaiser Permanente, founded in 1945, is a non-profit integrated health care organization. In its Northern California Region, the organization serves almost 3.2 million members. Additional information is available at www.kaiserpermanente.org.

ASH Networks is a subsidiary of American Specialty Health, Incorporated (ASH). ASH 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. Based in San Diego, ASH has more than 500 employees and more than 9 million members in benefit programs nationwide. For more information about ASH and its subsidiaries, visit their Web site at www.ashcompanies.com.