Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Sean Tower
Vascular & Interventional Radiology Physician · Fresno, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Speaking/Promotional
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating.
This page presents federal public records about Dr. Tower from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
Are you Dr. Tower?
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What this data tells you about Dr. Tower
Dr. Sean Tower is a vascular & interventional radiology physician in Fresno, CA, with 16 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Tower performed 2,023 Medicare services across 471 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Tower received a total of $27,555 from 29 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 104 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in vascular & interventional radiology physician. 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. Tower 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.
✓ 16 years in practice
▲ Top 28% volume in CA
$27,555 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,023
Medicare services
Top 28% in CA for vascular & interventional radiology physician
471
Unique beneficiaries
$106
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~126 Medicare services per year of practice
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. |
1,354 | $0 | $1 |
| 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. |
127 | $9 | $34 |
| 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. |
60 | $100 | $243 |
| 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. |
50 | $14 | $57 |
| 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. |
43 | $66 | $157 |
| Radiologist review of additional artery image A radiologist reviews an additional image of an artery. This step involves professional interpretation of the imaging data. |
39 | $79 | $261 |
| 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. |
37 | $42 | $157 |
| Radiologist review of abdominal artery image A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in the abdomen to assess their structure and function. |
30 | $77 | $170 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 21-30 minutes A telephone conversation with a physician lasting between 21 and 30 minutes. This code covers the time spent discussing medical matters over the phone. |
29 | $102 | $157 |
| Arterial tube insertion, additional vessels This code covers the insertion of a tube into an additional artery in the abdomen, pelvis, or leg during a procedure where other arteries have already been accessed. |
25 | $38 | $152 |
| Central venous port insertion A surgical procedure to place a small reservoir under the skin for long-term access to the bloodstream. The device is connected to a vein to allow for repeated medication administration or blood draws. |
24 | $251 | $1,045 |
| 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. |
23 | $204 | $816 |
| Arterial catheter insertion, initial third order branch Insertion of a tube into an abdominal, pelvic, or leg artery, specifically targeting the initial third order branch. |
20 | $554 | $5,825 |
| Radiologist review of pelvis artery image A radiologist examines and interprets imaging of the arteries in the pelvis. This service involves the professional analysis of the visual data to assess the blood vessels. |
20 | $122 | $495 |
| 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. |
18 | $31 | $101 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 17 | $175 | $518 |
| 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. |
16 | $149 | $342 |
| Radiologist review of CT-guided needle placement A radiologist reviews the CT imaging used to guide the placement of a needle. |
15 | $50 | $230 |
| Arterial tube insertion, first branch A procedure to insert a tube into the first branch of an artery in the abdomen, pelvis, or leg. |
14 | $98 | $730 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement Surgical procedure to stabilize a fractured vertebra in the lower spine by inserting a supportive device. |
13 | $5,041 | $22,505 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
13 | $53 | $78 |
| Vessel or growth occlusion with radiologist review A procedure to block blood flow to growths or obstructed vessels, including review by a radiologist. |
12 | $7,611 | $31,646 |
| Kidney tube placement with imaging guidance A tube is placed into the kidney using imaging guidance. A radiologist reviews the procedure. |
12 | $198 | $922 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
12 | $28 | $121 |
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.
2.1% high complexity
69.0% medium
28.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$27,555
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $3,936/year across 7 years
Top 14% in CA for vascular & interventional radiology physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
29
Companies
104
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$24,007 (87.1%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$3,548 (12.9%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$14,237
2023
$9,661
2022
$1,603
2021
$282
2020
$312
2019
$500
2018
$960
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Boston Scientific Corporation
$13,978
Inari Medical, Inc.
$117
Medtronic, Inc.
$56
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$24
TriSalus Life Sciences, Inc.
$23
Agiliti Surgical, Inc.
$23
HISTOSONICS,INC.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 99.4% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Boston Scientific Corporation
$24,019
Inari Medical, Inc.
$1,007
Merit Medical Systems Inc
$444
Terumo Medical Corporation
$386
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$220
Medtronic, Inc.
$170
Penumbra, Inc.
$160
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$155
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$131
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$121
ARGON MEDICAL DEVICES, INC.
$111
Endologix LLC
$103
Agiliti Surgical, Inc.
$68
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$67
Ethicon US, LLC
$52
Sirtex Medical Inc
$48
Abbott Laboratories
$43
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$39
Stryker Corporation
$26
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$24
TriSalus Life Sciences, Inc.
$23
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$22
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$20
Nevro Corp.
$20
Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
$19
HISTOSONICS,INC.
$15
Amgen Inc.
$15
Cook Medical LLC
$14
Biocompatibles, Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 92.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AFX2 Bifurcated Endograft System · ALPHAVAC · ANGIOJET · AZUR · AlphaVac · Alto Abdominal Stent Graft System · AngioSeal · BioSentry Tract Sealant System · CERTUS 140 MICROWAVE ABLATION SYSTEM · CT THROMBECTOMY SYSTEM KIT · Cryocare CS · DIAMONDBACK PERIPHERAL · Diamondback Peripheral · ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System · Embozene · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · FlowTriever · INJECTAFER · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · IVS - VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION PRODUCTS · Indigo · Indigo System · Interlock · KYPHON Balloon Kyphoplasty · KYPHON EXPRESS II KYPHOPAK TRAY · LUTONIX · METACROSS OTW · OPTION · OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION · OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION SYSTEM · Parsabiv · Perclose ProGlide suture mediated closure system · Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System · Prelude Ideal Hydrophilic Sheath Introducer · RUBY Coil · S · SIR-Spheres Microspheres · SOLIRIS · SPINEJACK · Senza · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · Surgical Lasers · THERASPHERE-BIO · TORNADO · TRINAV INFUSION SYSTEM · TheraSphere Y90 Glass Microspheres 10 GBq · TheraSphere Y90 Glass Microspheres 7.0 GBq (US Commercial) · Vascular Lithotripsy
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →
The majority of payments (87%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in vascular & interventional radiology physician and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware.
Geographic Context
Vascular & interventional radiology physicians within 10 mi
9
Per 100K population
0.9
County median income
$71,434
Nearest hospital
SAINT AGNES MEDICAL CENTER
0.0 mi
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. Tower is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 28% in CA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 14% of CA peers, with 16 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Tower experienced with contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Tower performed 1,354 contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Tower receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Tower received a total of $27,555 from 29 companies across 104 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Tower's costs compare to other vascular & interventional radiology physicians in Fresno?
Dr. Tower's average Medicare payment per service is $106. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Tower) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
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About this page
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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