FAQ

What is an IPA?

IPA or Independent Physicians Association consists of a panel of physicians who contract with health plans and hospitals to provide complete care to members of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO). All HMO members must first select a Primary Care Physician (PCP), who belongs to an IPA or medical group. IPA doctors and their staff then coordinate a comprehensive health care delivery system among the medical providers within the network.

Who can join an IPA?

Anyone with HMO insurance can and need to join an IPA.

How do I become an Alpha Care Medical Group member?

To join Alpha Care Meical Group, Please refer to (How to join Alpha Care Medical Group) page. For more inquiries, please call 626-282-0288 and speak with one of our customer service representatives.

What are the hours of operation for Alpha Care Medical Group?

Member service center: Monday to Friday from 9AM to 5PM.
Operation: Monday to Friday from 8:30AM to 5PM.

What do I do in case of a medical emergency?

In case of a life threatening emergency, please dial 911. For non-life-threatening emergencies, please call one of our contracted After Hours Urgent Care Centers.

What do I do if I would like to see a physician at after work but my family doctor’s office is already closed?

Alpha Care Medical Group offers several locations of After Hour Care Centers to service our members in medical needs. For location and hours of operations, please click here.

How do I choose or change my family doctor?

Family doctor is commonly refer as PCP (Primary Care Physicians). When enroll into a HMO plan, you need to choose a designated PCP within the IPA network. For our network of contracted PCP, please click here. If you would like to change your PCP, please contact your Health Plans for details.

What is my copay?

Copay, or copayment is a payment defined in the insurance policy and paid by the insured person each time a medical service is accessed. A member’s copayment varies depending on the type of insurance they have. Please contact your Insurance carrier for copayment information.

What is an authorization?

An approval to go see a specialist that is usually requested through your primary care physician.

What happens when my authorization gets denied?

An authorization may be denied for many reasons. Please contact our customer service 626-282-0288 for complete details.

Why did I receive a bill?

In most cases members will receive what is called a "balance bill". The reason they received a bill in these cases was because the member was seen in the ER or pathology provider who is non-contracted and did not accept the initial payment for the IPA. The balance is not the member’s responsibility for these cases and claim must be forwarded to claims dept for reprocessing. The member should only be charged applicable copayment.
Please note, that members who receive non-urgent or non-emergency services, will be responsible to charges incurred if they did not obtain prior authorization from the IPA.

I just turned 65 and I have questions about Medicare.

Congratulations on reaching the golden age of 65! As you turn 65 there are a lot of decisions to make regarding your healthcare needs. Allied Pacific of California IPA has held educational seminars throughout San Gabriel Valley to help you understand Medicare better. Please contact 626-282-0288 for more details.

Does Alpha Care Medical Group have any contracted Medicare Plans?

Alpha Care Medical Group is contracted with these MAPD plans.
While you have many choices to make, Alpha Care Medical Group contracts with health plans that offers Medicare Advantage & Prescription Drug Plan and CalMediConnect.
Your health is important to us and that's why upon joining us, you will have a wellness visit and annually thereafter with your doctor. During your wellness visit, you will receive a physical exam, health risk assessment and preventive care services. Your doctor will also help you catch up with vaccinations, perform preventive care screenings, and address any health problems you might have.
We have a team of staff that you can speak to assist you in your health care needs. For more information, please call us at 1.877.282.8272