Dr. Ricardo Aguirre, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Aguirre
Dr. Ricardo Aguirre is a thoracic surgery specialist in Danville, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Aguirre performed 3,009 Medicare services across 1,207 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Aguirre received a total of $698 from 9 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 9 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in thoracic 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. Aguirre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) A contrast agent containing 300-399 mg/ml of iodine used to enhance imaging studies. It is administered per milliliter to improve the visibility of internal structures. |
1,424 | $0 | $1 |
| 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. |
170 | $83 | $324 |
| Additional sedation, per 15 minutes Administration of a drug to deepen sedation during a procedure. This code covers each additional 15-minute increment of sedation beyond the initial period. |
163 | $12 | $42 |
| 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. |
155 | $119 | $456 |
| Ultrasound of hemodialysis access An ultrasound imaging test used to evaluate the blood flow and structure of a hemodialysis access site. |
127 | $137 | $590 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
127 | $163 | $638 |
| Midazolam injection, per 1 mg Administration of midazolam hydrochloride, a sedative medication, measured in 1 mg increments. |
104 | $0 | $1 |
| Injection, fentanyl citrate, 0.1 mg | 101 | $1 | $3 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 86 | $204 | $774 |
| 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. |
84 | $53 | $198 |
| Normal saline infusion, 500 ml Administration of sterile normal saline solution through an intravenous line. This procedure involves the infusion of a 500 ml unit of the solution. |
77 | $1 | $5 |
| Hemodialysis circuit intervention with balloon dilation A procedure to insert a needle or tube into a hemodialysis circuit and dilate the dialysis segment using a balloon, with radiological review. |
67 | $1,261 | $4,974 |
| Basic blood chemical test (calcium, ionized) A blood test that measures basic chemical levels, specifically including calcium and ionized calcium. |
65 | $13 | $60 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
47 | $41 | $152 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages. |
36 | $129 | $478 |
| Balloon dilation of dialysis access with radiologist review A minimally invasive procedure to widen a narrowed section of a dialysis access vessel using a balloon catheter. The procedure includes review by a radiologist to ensure proper placement and effectiveness. |
30 | $629 | $2,402 |
| Revision of hemodialysis graft A procedure to repair or restore the function of a surgically created blood vessel connection used for hemodialysis. |
23 | $585 | $2,411 |
| Removal of tunneled central venous tube This procedure involves the removal of a catheter that has been surgically placed under the skin and threaded into a large vein. |
21 | $156 | $592 |
| 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. |
17 | $56 | $204 |
| Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter for infusion, age 5+ A surgical procedure to place a long-term catheter into a large vein for delivering medications or fluids. The catheter is tunneled under the skin to reduce infection risk and provide stable access for patients aged 5 and older. |
15 | $169 | $1,040 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for central vein access device Use of live X-ray imaging to guide the placement or removal of a central vein access device. |
15 | $16 | $131 |
| Hydralazine HCl injection, up to 20 mg An injection of hydralazine hydrochloride containing up to 20 milligrams of the medication. |
15 | $5 | $9 |
| Relocation of upper arm vein to artery for hemodialysis A surgical procedure to move a vein from the upper arm and connect it to an artery to create access for hemodialysis. |
14 | $570 | $2,318 |
| 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. |
14 | $147 | $586 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
12 | $57 | $323 |
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
3.0 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. Aguirre is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% 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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