Comprehensive Health Group and American WholeHealth Network Inc. Share Network Resources.

NORCROSS, Ga.--(BW HealthWire)--Dec. 15, 1998--On Nov. 23, 1998, Comprehensive Health Group (CHG) and American WholeHealth Network Inc. (AWH) combined the strengths of two major chiropractic networks. Together, they form the largest discount chiropractic network in the United States, with more than 12,000 providers nationwide.

"This joint marketing will increase revenues for the chiropractors in our networks and will make Comprehensive Health Group's discount health-care cards and other discount programs available to more people," said George Spalding, CEO of CHG. "Both the insured and the uninsured will have greater opportunities to benefit from lowered medical costs across the board because of this agreement."

"This marriage makes us even more accessible to people who need our services," said Lee Gerber, president of CHG, "and gives our chiropractors the chance to participate in the growing managed-care market."

American WholeHealth is based in Reston, Va., and is the nation's leading multiunit operator of outpatient health facilities that combine conventional and alternative medicine -- a physician-directed system that AWH refers to as integrative medicine. A typical practice incorporates internal medicine, family practice, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, nutritional counseling and other specialties.

The company also works with a wide range of managed-care companies including Aetna, US Healthcare, Intergroup, Group I Health Cooperative of Puget Sound/Kaiser, Pacificare and John Deere Healthcare, among others.

"We are excited about this venture," said Ray Seaver, president of American WholeHealth, "because our network members have access to new products and services that will bring them new business and help them fill their practices."

Comprehensive Health Group provides access to discounted health-care service through Discount Health Care Cards to the estimated 80 million people in the United States who are either uninsured or underinsured. This program is not an insurance plan, but is a membership-based group offering members health-care services at significantly discounted rates.

In addition to chiropractic, members can receive discounted primary care, dental, pharmacy, vision, hearing equipment, air ambulance and CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) services. Some 330,000 providers participate in the delivery of these services nationwide.

Comprehensive Health Group has headquarters in Norcross. To contact George E. Spalding Jr., CEO, CFO, call 800/669-8682 or fax [phone].