American Specialty Health Awards Scholarships to Massage Therapy Students

SAN DIEGO (October 31, 2006) - American Specialty Health (ASH), the nation’s leading specialty benefits company for complementary health care and wellness programs, recently announced the recipients of its 2006 scholarships for students pursuing careers in massage therapy. The awards are two of several given out this year to students of various complementary health care disciplines in an annual scholarship competition administered by ASH subsidiary American Specialty Health Plans of California, Inc. (ASH Plans).

The scholarship winners are Lori Hunt, a student at the School of Massage Arts in Nixa, Missouri, and Amy Jensen, a student at the Hawaii Healing Arts College in Kailua, Hawaii. Hunt and Jensen will each receive $1,000, which will be applied toward further studies in massage therapy.

Criteria for the ASH Plans massage therapy scholarships included grade point average, financial need, and participation in various professional activities. Applicants were also required to complete an essay on their studies in massage therapy and complementary health care.

“As shown by their many academic accomplishments and their outstanding essays on the value of massage therapy to the U.S. health care system, Ms. Hunt and Ms. Jensen are clearly advancing the study of complementary health care,” said George DeVries, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of ASH. “We are pleased to recognize these fine students as ASH’s massage therapy scholarship recipients for 2006.”

Since 2001, students pursuing careers in various aspects of complementary health care have been eligible to apply for scholarships totaling $45,000 annually through the ASH Scholarship Program. Qualifying students are those studying acupuncture, chiropractic, dietetics, massage therapy, or naturopathy at accredited institutions across the country.

The deadline for the 2007 ASH massage therapy scholarships is July 5 of next year. To learn more about the program and future scholarship deadlines, please visit ASHCompanies.com/Providers.

ASH and its subsidiaries comprise the nation’s leading specialty benefits organization for complementary health care benefits and affinity discount, health education, and wellness programs. ASH Plans is California’s first and largest specialized health plan for acupuncture and chiropractic, providing benefit programs to full-service health plans and employer groups.

Based in San Diego, ASH has over 500 employees and covers more than 12 million members in benefit programs and more than 80 million members in affinity discount programs. For more information, visit ASH online at ASHCompanies.com or call 800.848.3555.