Dr. Sandeep Walia, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Walia
Dr. Sandeep Walia is an ophthalmology specialist in Bakersfield, CA, with 11 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Walia performed 3,729 Medicare services across 2,421 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Walia received a total of $50,760 from 28 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 276 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Walia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
964 | $87 | $300 |
| 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. |
719 | $63 | $200 |
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye. |
381 | $30 | $200 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) Imaging of the optic nerve. |
326 | $26 | $199 |
| Retinal photography (fundus photo) This procedure involves taking photographs of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It is used to document the condition of the eye's interior structures. |
167 | $27 | $250 |
| Visual field test, extended A test that maps your complete field of vision to detect blind spots or peripheral vision loss. Extended testing provides a more detailed assessment than a standard visual field exam. |
165 | $43 | $150 |
| Corneal topography and eye depth measurement This procedure measures the curvature and depth of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. |
148 | $17 | $115 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
107 | $42 | $150 |
| Cataract surgery with lens implant Surgical removal of the clouded natural lens of the eye and replacement with an artificial prosthetic lens to restore vision. |
104 | $436 | $3,000 |
| 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. |
99 | $64 | $250 |
| Release of arm or leg nerve A surgical procedure to relieve pressure on a nerve in the arm or leg. This is done to reduce pain or restore function. |
92 | $211 | $750 |
| Release of nerve using operating microscope | 88 | $144 | $500 |
| Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea. |
86 | $6 | $108 |
| Posterior chamber intraocular lens Surgical insertion of an artificial lens into the back part of the eye to replace the natural lens. |
86 | $107 | $750 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
84 | $120 | $335 |
| Laser removal of recurring cataract A laser procedure to remove a recurring cataract within the lens capsule. |
38 | $292 | $1,079 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, established patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider. |
25 | $78 | $225 |
| Eyelash removal with forceps This procedure involves the manual removal of eyelashes using forceps. It is a mechanical extraction method performed on the eyelid area. |
21 | $20 | $128 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
15 | $38 | $100 |
| Eye photography Photographic imaging of the interior structures of the eye. |
14 | $14 | $125 |
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 ›
The majority of payments (59%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in ophthalmology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 7% for ophthalmology in CA.
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. Walia is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 27% in CA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 7% of CA peers.
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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