Preferred IPA of California

What Preferred IPA of California does

Preferred IPA of California is an independent physician practice association (IPA) and managed care network founded in 1996, headquartered in Chatsworth, California, and operating exclusively in Los Angeles County. The organization contracts with over 1,000 physicians and specialists across the county's major service areas to provide healthcare services to approximately 360,000 health plan members. Preferred IPA's core function is to serve as the intermediary between health plans and contracted physicians, administering shared and full risk arrangements under capitation contracts.

The company's core products and services center on healthcare network management rather than software. These include urgent and emergency care access for members, provider services (authorizations, claims processing, interpreter services in 10 threshold languages, and provider bulletins), patient resources (24/7 nurse advice line, clinical guidelines), and quality programs (HEDIS measurement across 94 measures, CAHPS/HOS patient satisfaction surveys, Medicare Part C STAR ratings, and risk adjustment documentation using ICD-10-CM coding and RAF scores). The supporting technology stack comprises a provider portal (EHP Admin) for authorizations and referrals, electronic claims submission via Office Ally (CMS-1500 format), and HEDIS/quality measurement platforms. The organization holds delegated authority from health plans for utilization management, credentialing, and claims processing functions.

Preferred IPA generates revenue primarily through capitation payments received from contracted health plans on a per-member-per-month (PMPM) basis, which it then uses to reimburse participating physicians and facilities under shared or full risk arrangements. The IPA contracts with 11 major health plans spanning Medicare Advantage (Alignment Health Plan, Humana, WellCare, Health Net, Brand New Day, SCAN, Clever Care), Medi-Cal (Molina Healthcare, LA Care Health Plan), and Commercial/Government (Blue Shield of California, Anthem Blue Cross). The go-to-market motion is direct sales through health plan network contracting and physician recruitment, with no traditional consumer marketing. Preferred IPA is privately held, has no disclosed parent company, and has not raised institutional funding.

Name

Preferred IPA of California

Legal name

Preferred IPA of California

Website

https://preferredipa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Preferred IPA of California is a Los Angeles County managed care network founded in 1996, contracting with 1,000+ physicians to deliver healthcare services to 360,000 members under capitation arrangements with 11 Medicare Advantage, Medi-Cal, and commercial health plans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Managed Care Services

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (62111)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Practice Association (IPA) Model HMOs (HLAEAMAD)

Keywords

• Managed care network
• Physician network services
• Medicare Advantage IPA
• Medi-Cal managed care
• Healthcare administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Glendale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Capitation Revenue: Preferred IPA receives capitation payments from contracted health plans on a per-member-per-month (PMPM) basis to manage healthcare delivery for assigned members. The IPA then reimburses participating physicians and facilities from these funds under shared or full risk arrangements.
2. Shared/Full Risk Arrangements: Administer shared and full risk arrangements with health plans and hospitals, where the IPA assumes financial responsibility for healthcare costs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Preferred IPA of California is an Independent Practice Association (IPA) founded in 1996 that operates a managed care network of more than 1,000 contracted physicians serving over 360,000 members across Los Angeles County. The IPA contracts directly with Medicare Advantage and Medi-Cal health plans under capitation (PMPM) and shared/full risk arrangements, providing physician network services, utilization management, claims administration, quality programs (HEDIS, CAHPS/HOS, Medicare STARs), risk adjustment, and care coordination.

Product overview

Preferred IPA of California is a managed care network (Independent Practice Association) founded in 1996, serving Los Angeles County. The organization operates as a healthcare services platform rather than a traditional software product, offering a coordinated network of over 1,000 physicians serving approximately 360,000 members. The core offering consists of Urgent Care Centers, Provider Services (authorizations, claims, interpreters), Patient Resources (interpreter services, nurse advice lines), Quality Programs (HEDIS, CAHPS/HOS, Medicare STAR ratings), Risk Adjustment Services, and a contracted Hospital and Laboratory network. The Provider Portal enables electronic referrals and claims submission. The organization partners with multiple health plans (Alignment, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Humana, LA Care, Molina, WellCare) and integrates with Office Ally EMR and the eHP Admin provider portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Urgent Care Centers

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 360,000 members served across Los Angeles County
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Alignment Health PlancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedicare Advantage health plan contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services to Alignment Health Plan members in Los Angeles County.
• HumanacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedicare Advantage health plan contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services to Humana members in California.
• Molina HealthcarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedi-Cal managed care plan contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services to Molina members in Los Angeles County.
• LA Care Health PlancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLargest public health plan in LA County contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services to Medi-Cal members.
• WellCarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedicare Advantage health plan contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services to WellCare members in California.
• Health NetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedicare Advantage and commercial health plan contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services.
• Brand New DaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedicare Advantage health plan contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services to Brand New Day members.
• SCAN Health PlancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedicare Advantage health plan contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services to SCAN members.
• Clever Care Health PlancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedicare Advantage health plan contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services to Clever Care members.
• Blue Shield of CaliforniacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommercial and government health plan contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services.
• Anthem Blue CrosscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommercial and Medicare health plan (Elevance Health) contracted with Preferred IPA to provide in-network physician services.
• Hollywood Presbyterian Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner in Preferred IPA network providing inpatient and emergency services to IPA members.
• Valley Presbyterian HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner in Preferred IPA network providing inpatient and emergency services to IPA members.
• Adventist Health White MemorialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner in Preferred IPA network providing inpatient and emergency services to IPA members in East LA area.
• Providence Tarzana Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner in Preferred IPA network providing inpatient and emergency services to IPA members.
• Providence Holy Cross Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner in Preferred IPA network providing inpatient and emergency services to IPA members.
• Alhambra Hospital Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner in Preferred IPA network providing inpatient and emergency services to IPA members.
• Dignity Health (Northridge Hospital, St. Mary's Medical Center, Glendale Memorial)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital system partner in Preferred IPA network with multiple facilities providing inpatient and emergency services to IPA members.
• AHMC Healthcare (Garfield, Monterey Park, Whittier)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital system partner in Preferred IPA network with multiple facilities providing inpatient and emergency services.
• Quest DiagnosticscoreTechnology or IntegrationLaboratory services partner providing diagnostic testing services to Preferred IPA members through contracted providers.
• LabCorpcoreTechnology or IntegrationLaboratory services partner providing diagnostic testing services to Preferred IPA members through contracted providers.
• California Hospital Medical Center (DHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLos Angeles County DHS hospital partner providing inpatient and emergency services to IPA members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heritage Provider Network: Large California-based independent physician association and medical group operating delegated capitation contracts across Southern California. Directly comparable to Preferred IPA in IPA-model managed care, delegated authority from MA/MMA health plans, and risk-bearing physician network design.
• Facey Medical Foundation: Southern California multi-specialty medical group and IPA serving San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, and greater LA County under delegated HMO/MA contracts. Directly comparable geographic footprint and IPA-model delivery system to Preferred IPA, with significant service-area overlap.
• Regal Medical Group: Southern California-based independent practice association serving HMO and Medicare Advantage members under delegated capitation contracts. Provides near-identical IPA-model managed care services to Preferred IPA in overlapping LA County, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange County territories.
• Astrana Health (formerly Apollo Medical Holdings): Public company (NASDAQ: ASTH) that operates and manages California IPA and medical group entities under full-risk capitation contracts with MA and Medicaid plans. Closely comparable business model to Preferred IPA — delegated claims, HEDIS, risk adjustment, and physician network management in California markets.
• Prospect Medical Group: Multi-state physician group management organization with a sizable Southern California IPA footprint providing HMO, PPO, and managed Medi-Cal care via delegated capitation arrangements. Closely comparable IPA-model managed care operations and payer contracting structure.
• Lakeside Medical Group: Los Angeles-area physician network operating as an IPA providing managed care services under capitation contracts with major health plans. Comparable to Preferred IPA on geographic overlap (San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale), payer mix, and IPA delegated-services model.

Broad incumbents

• Privia Health Group: Public technology-enabled medical group operator (NASDAQ: PRVA) that helps independent physician practices participate in value-based care, delegated capitation, and ACO arrangements. Provides comparable IPA-management and delegated-services infrastructure but at a multi-state scale and with proprietary technology stack unlike Preferred IPA's.
• HealthCare Partners (now Optum California): Pre-eminent California IPA and medical group now operating as part of Optum (UnitedHealth Group), serving hundreds of thousands of MA members under full-risk delegated capitation. Same core business model as Preferred IPA but at vastly greater scale and with integrated payvider economics and enterprise technology.
• Adventist Health Physician Network: California multi-specialty physician network operated by Adventist Health system that contracts with Medicare Advantage and Medi-Cal plans through affiliated IPA entities. Comparable care-delivery and risk-bearing IPA operations but anchored by a larger parent health system rather than being an independent IPA.

Regional players

• MemorialCare Medical Group: Orange County and greater Southern California physician group offering HMO, PPO, and Medicare Advantage managed care via affiliated IPA structures. Comparable managed care IPA services but operating primarily in OC rather than LA County, reducing direct competitive overlap with Preferred IPA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/preferredipaca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/preferred-ipa-of-california-a-professional-medical-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Preferred IPA of California