SAN DIEGO, Oct. 14, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Specialty Health (ASH), a leading national health improvement organization, recently received its second Silver California Fit Business Award from the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness. ASH received the same award in 2007.
The California Fit Business Awards were designed to encourage employers throughout the state to find new and innovative ways to promote physical activity and healthy nutrition habits among employees. Each application is reviewed by two expert reviewers in a process that takes at least two months. The awards were handed out at a ceremony in Santa Clara, Calif., on Oct. 13.
ASH's culture of wellness begins in its San Diego headquarters. Here the company implements both traditional and unique health care initiatives for its employees. For instance, ASH offers:
* Fun and creative health challenges, including the 2008
"Go Green With Your Routine" walking competition. ASH
employees collectively logged over 70,962,027 steps.
That's roughly equivalent to walking around the world--
and then some.
* Holiday health challenges that encourage employees to
maintain their weight during the holiday season from
November through January.
* Healthy vending machines--all items are reviewed by
registered dietitians and no junk food is sold on-site.
* An annual Get Healthy! Award presented to the employee
who made the biggest healthy living improvements. The
winner is recognized at ASH's annual corporate awards banquet.
The CA Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness recognized ASH for "walking the talk" of a modern, progressive health care and wellness company. In addition to traditional medical, dental, and vision benefits, ASH employees receive access to a variety of wellness and complementary and alternative health care benefit programs that the company makes available to more than 13 million health plan and employer group members nationwide. These include unique benefits such as chiropractic, massage therapy, and acupuncture, as well as health coaching programs for weight management, tobacco cessation, healthy living, nutrition improvement, and increasing physical activity. Employees are also eligible to participate in rewards and incentive programs. For example, employees may receive a cash reward for working out 120 times over the course of the year.
"At ASH, each one of us strives every day to uphold our mission statement to empower individuals to live healthier and longer," said ASH chairman and CEO George DeVries. "Having a healthier, stronger, and more engaged workforce shows our clients that we mean business when it comes to creating a culture of wellness within our company."
Earlier this year, ASH was listed among the 100 "Best Places to Work in Healthcare" by Modern Healthcare, received a Gold "Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles" award from the National Business Group on Health, and was named one of America's 15 fittest companies by Men's Fitness magazine. And, in 2006, ASH was named among San Diego's best places to work by San Diego Business Journal and San Diego Magazine.
About American Specialty Health
American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) provides specialty benefit programs, fitness programs, health coaching and incentives, Internet solutions, and worksite wellness programs to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and trust funds nationwide.
Based in San Diego, ASH has over 600 employees and covers 13.4 million members in specialty benefit, fitness, and coaching programs. For more information, visit ASH online at ASHCompanies.com or call 800.848.3555.