The Association of Independent Doctors (AID) is a trade association representing and advocating for the interests of independent doctors.
The Association of Independent Doctors (AID) was formed to educate patients, local businesses, legislators and regulators about the importance of independent doctors with regard to quality and cost of health care, patient choice, jobs, and the economy. The number of independent doctors is rapidly shrinking. This results in an unfavorable market dynamic for patients as well as for health care costs. One of the reasons this is occurring, is nonprofit hospitals can take advantage of a more favorable cost structure that includes exemptions from taxes. Hospitals are also able to use their lack of competition market advantage to negotiate higher reimbursement rates from insurance companies, for performance of the same services as those performed by independent doctors. Ultimately this advantage leads to higher health care costs to patients and employers. Health care costs have increased substantially over the past ten years. Acquisition of independent doctors practices by hospitals results in more market control by the hospitals and results in patients having fewer choices and higher healthcare costs.
The Association of Independent Doctors ("AID") is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to the principles of ethical and nondiscriminatory business practices in free enterprise, and is pledged to advance the best interests of this industry. It is and shall be the official policy of AID that AID shall not participate in, permit, condone or promote action taken by members on behalf of AID, its members or representatives, that restrict trade, limit production, increase or fix prices, prevent competition, or in any other way adversely affect the ability of any firm or individual to participate in AID or this industry.
