Dr. Lester Wong, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Wong
Dr. Lester Wong is a cytopathology physician in Chico, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Wong performed 5,253 Medicare services across 2,839 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Wong received a total of $69 from 1 pharmaceutical and/or device company across 3 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cytopathology physician. 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. Wong 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tissue pathology examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This intermediate complexity procedure involves specialized techniques to identify abnormalities in the tissue. |
2,523 | $38 | $126 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, additional An extra laboratory procedure to apply special stains to tissue slides for detailed examination. |
820 | $35 | $76 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, initial A laboratory test where special stains are applied to tissue slides to help examine the cells and identify specific characteristics. |
438 | $44 | $96 |
| Moderately high complexity pathology tissue examination A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This specific level of complexity involves a moderate to high degree of technical skill and interpretation. |
258 | $69 | $164 |
| Manual microscopic genetic analysis of tumor A laboratory test that uses a microscope to manually examine tumor tissue for genetic changes. |
251 | $66 | $145 |
| Special stain test for organisms A laboratory test using special stains on tissue slides to identify microorganisms. The process includes the technical preparation of the slides and a professional interpretation of the results. |
148 | $40 | $73 |
| Cell examination with selective cellular enhancement A laboratory test that examines cells from a specimen using a technique to selectively enhance specific cellular features for detailed analysis. |
96 | $24 | $89 |
| Pathology tissue examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to identify abnormalities. This specific level indicates a moderate degree of complexity in the analysis. |
94 | $15 | $55 |
| Fine needle aspirate evaluation and report A pathologist examines cells collected via a fine needle aspiration and provides a written interpretation and report of the findings. |
89 | $65 | $136 |
| Special tissue stain, multiplex A laboratory procedure using special stains to examine tissue samples. This multiplex technique allows for the analysis of multiple markers on a single slide. |
81 | $86 | $176 |
| Tissue preparation to remove calcium A laboratory procedure that removes calcium from a tissue sample to prepare it for microscopic examination. |
65 | $10 | $26 |
| Genetic analysis of archival tissue Testing stored tissue samples to identify genetic information. This procedure analyzes existing tissue specimens for genetic markers. |
62 | $18 | $75 |
| Prostate needle biopsy pathology exam Laboratory examination of prostate tissue samples obtained via needle biopsy. The pathologist inspects the tissue both visually and under a microscope to identify any abnormalities. |
50 | $242 | $764 |
| Fine needle aspirate evaluation A laboratory examination of cells collected via fine needle aspiration to assess for abnormalities. |
41 | $28 | $65 |
| Special tissue stain and interpretation A laboratory test using special stains to examine tissue samples, including the pathologist's review and written report of the findings. |
35 | $23 | $58 |
| Automated cervical cancer screening with manual review A cervical or vaginal sample is prepared using an automated thin-layer system. The sample is screened by an automated system and then manually rescreened under physician supervision. |
34 | $26 | $65 |
| Computer-assisted genetic tissue analysis A microscopic genetic analysis of tissue using computer-assisted technology for the initial multiplex procedure. |
33 | $34 | $75 |
| Screening cytopathology, cervical or vaginal (any reporting system), collected in preservative fluid, automated thin layer preparation, requiring interpretation by physician | 33 | $24 | $55 |
| Additional manual multiplex genetic stain A microscopic genetic analysis performed manually using an additional multiplex stain procedure on tissue. |
23 | $52 | $115 |
| Pap test A screening test to check for cervical cancer by collecting cells from the cervix. |
22 | $18 | $55 |
| Limited pathology tissue examination A microscopic examination of tissue samples to identify abnormalities. This limited exam focuses on specific aspects of the tissue rather than a comprehensive analysis. |
20 | $3 | $13 |
| High complexity pathology tissue examination A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope using advanced techniques to analyze cellular details. |
19 | $118 | $290 |
| Automated Pap test with manual rescreening A cervical cancer screening test using an automated system to prepare the sample, followed by a manual review to check for abnormalities. |
18 | $26 | $65 |
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 (2019-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) 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. Wong is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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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