Dr. Tailun Zhao, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Zhao
Dr. Tailun Zhao is an ophthalmology specialist in El Cajon, CA, with 13 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Zhao performed 15,918 Medicare services across 1,890 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Zhao received a total of $2,404 from 22 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 98 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. 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. Zhao 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eye injection (Vabysmo/faricimab) An injection of faricimab-svoa, a medication administered in 0.1 mg doses. |
7,560 | $29 | $42 |
| Injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg | 3,091 | $187 | $501 |
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye. |
1,654 | $28 | $99 |
| Eye injection for retinal disease A procedure involving the administration of medication directly into the eye. |
1,226 | $91 | $1,283 |
| Aflibercept eye injection (Eylea) | 1,056 | $696 | $1,250 |
| 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. |
671 | $60 | $174 |
| Retinal angiography with dye injection This procedure uses a special camera to examine the blood vessels in the retina after a dye has been injected into the body. |
228 | $86 | $301 |
| Compounded drug, not otherwise classified A medication prepared specifically for an individual patient by a pharmacist or physician, tailored to meet unique needs that cannot be fulfilled by commercially available products. |
224 | $70 | $111 |
| 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. |
63 | $100 | $244 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, established patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider. |
36 | $102 | $277 |
| 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. |
32 | $69 | $182 |
| 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. |
32 | $113 | $238 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, new patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient. |
18 | $111 | $335 |
| 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. |
14 | $28 | $75 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) Imaging of the optic nerve. |
13 | $32 | $82 |
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
3.3 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. Zhao is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 7% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Zhao experienced with eye injection (vabysmo/faricimab)?
Does Dr. Zhao receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Zhao's costs compare to other ophthalmologists in El Cajon?
What does Data Coverage mean?
Is this data up to date?
Explore related providers
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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