Dr. Benjamin Tam, M.D
What this data tells you about Dr. Tam
Dr. Benjamin Tam is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Alhambra, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Tam performed 5,358 Medicare services across 2,107 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Tam received a total of $6,059 from 19 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 135 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Tam is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗Top procedures by volume
Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.
| Procedure | Volume | Avg. paid | Avg. submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical therapy exercise, per 15 min A therapy session using exercises to improve strength, endurance, range of motion, and flexibility. Each 15-minute unit is billed separately. |
1,041 | $23 | $80 |
| Electrical stimulation therapy Application of electrical stimulation to one or more body areas as part of a therapy plan. This procedure is used for indications other than wound care. |
971 | $8 | $30 |
| Manual therapy (hands-on treatment), per 15 min | 609 | $18 | $80 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
547 | $71 | $175 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
313 | $70 | $225 |
| Orthovisc intra-articular injection An injection of hyaluronan or its derivative into a joint space to provide lubrication and cushioning. |
304 | $100 | $650 |
| Neuromuscular re-education therapy, per 15 min A therapy procedure designed to re-educate the functional connection between the brain, nerves, and muscles. It is billed in 15-minute increments. |
286 | $29 | $80 |
| Ultrasound therapy, each 15 minutes Application of ultrasound waves to tissue for therapeutic purposes. The procedure is billed in 15-minute increments. |
196 | $9 | $30 |
| Betamethasone steroid injection An injection containing a combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate. |
195 | $5 | $80 |
| Knee X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
129 | $27 | $88 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
111 | $95 | $190 |
| Therapeutic massage, per 15 minutes A therapy procedure involving massage techniques. The code covers each 15-minute increment of the service. |
108 | $27 | $50 |
| Mechanical traction application Application of mechanical traction to the body. This procedure involves the use of a mechanical device to apply a pulling force. |
97 | $10 | $40 |
| Knee X-ray, 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint that captures three different angles to evaluate the bones and surrounding structures. |
92 | $35 | $116 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
84 | $83 | $360 |
| Evaluation for physical therapy, typically 20 minutes | 71 | $84 | $125 |
| Shoulder X-ray, 2+ views An X-ray imaging test of the shoulder joint using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
67 | $29 | $95 |
| Pelvis X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the pelvic area using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
52 | $25 | $90 |
| Total knee replacement | 21 | $1,096 | $6,860 |
| Wrist X-ray, minimum 3 views An imaging test using X-rays to capture at least three different angles of the wrist bones and joints. |
18 | $36 | $125 |
| Evaluation for physical therapy, typically 30 minutes | 16 | $68 | $125 |
| Hip X-ray, 1 view An X-ray image of the hip joint taken from a single angle to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
15 | $28 | $85 |
| Initial hospital admission, low complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving straightforward or low-level medical decision making, with at least 40 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
15 | $69 | $160 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (95%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | Weekly updates |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | Monthly updates |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not public | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Tam is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 9% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 20 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.
This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.
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