American Specialty Health Receives Five Web Site Accreditations from URAC.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2003 American Specialty Health Inc. (ASH), the nation's leading complementary health care benefits organization, announced that it has been awarded full URAC URAC Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (health care accreditation & certification) URAC University Recreation & Aquatic Centre Ltd (Australia) URAC Union Regional de Apoyo Campesino accreditation for five health Web sites: Healthyroads.com, ASHCompanies.com, ASHPlans.com, ASHNetworks.com and ASHProviders.com. URAC Web Site Accreditation is designed to help Internet consumers by verifying the accuracy and credibility of the content published on health Web sites and addresses important oversight issues such as privacy protection, security, disclosure of financial relationships and operations. In 2001, ASH was one of the first organizations in the country to receive URAC Health Web Site Accreditation for its Healthyroads Web site. Healthyroads is an award-winning e-commerce site that offers a broad range of tools, resources, and information to help consumers better manage their health. Accreditation for ASHNetworks.com and ASHPlans.com followed in early 2002. URAC Web site accreditations are valid for one year and require annual re-evaluation to receive re-accreditation. After completing an extensive review of the sites, URAC has granted re-accreditation for Healthyroads.com, ASHNetworks.com and ASHPlans.com. This year, ASH received accreditation for the first time for two additional Web sites: ASHCompanies.com and ASHProviders.com. ASHCompanies.com is an online resource for news and information about ASH and its subsidiaries. And, ASHProviders.com allows ASH's 20,000 contracted chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, naturopathic doctors and dietitians to access information and conduct business with ASH online through ASHLink. "These additional accreditations further demonstrate our unwavering commitment to quality and accountability, and the strategy we've taken with all of our Internet programs," said George DeVries, chairman, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of ASH. URAC is a leader in the accreditation of health and managed care organizations. Founded in 1990, URAC currently offers accreditation programs that span a broad spectrum of health care services. URAC has issued more than 2,300 accreditation certificates to more than 500 health care programs. URAC-accredited organizations do business in all 50 states and provide services to more than 150 million Americans. Garry Carneal, URAC president and CEO, said, "By applying for and receiving URAC accreditation, American Specialty Health has demonstrated a commitment to quality health care. Quality health care is crucial to our nation's welfare, and it is important to have organizations that are willing to measure themselves against national standards." ASH subsidiaries American Specialty Health Networks Inc. and American Specialty Health Plans of California Inc. are also URAC-accredited for seven other complementary health care programs: Health Plan, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996, Public Law 104-191) Also known as the "Kennedy-Kassebaum Act," this U.S. law protects employees' health insurance coverage when they change or lose their jobs (Title I) and provides standards for patient health, Privacy, Claims Processing, Health Network with Credentialing Credentialing is the administrative process for validating the qualifications of licensed professionals, organizational members or organizations, and assessing their background and legitimacy. , Workers' Compensation workers' compensation, payment by employers for some part of the cost of injuries, or in some cases of occupational diseases, received by employees in the course of their work. Network, Workers' Compensation Utilization Management Utilization management is the evaluation of the appropriateness, medical need and efficiency of health care services procedures and facilities according to established criteria or guidelines and under the provisions of an applicable health benefits plan. and Health Utilization Management. 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 employer group Association of employers Managed care An entity with a current group benefits agreement in effect with a health plan to provide covered health care services to its employee-subscribers and eligible dependents. 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 chiropractic (kīrəprăk`tĭk) [Gr.,=doing by hand], medical practice based on the theory that all disease results from a disruption of the functions of the nerves. and acupuncture acupuncture (ăk`y  pŭng'chər), technique of traditional Chinese medicine, in which a number of very fine metal needles are inserted into the skin at specially designated points. . Based in San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. , ASH has over 500 employees and more than 9 million members in benefit programs nationwide. For more information about ASH, visit its Web site at www.ashcompanies.com.
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