Individual physician association

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Individual Physician Association (IPA) is a legal entity organized and directed by physicians in private practice to negotiate contracts with insurance companies on their behalf. Participating physicians are usually paid on a capitated or modified fee-for-service basis and may also continue to care for patients not covered by the insurers with whom the IPA contracts. Perhaps the most significant function of an IPA is to exert influence on behalf of its members to counterbalance the leverage of health care insurers.