Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Christopher Ellis, P.A.
Medical Physician Assistant · Hanford, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
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. Ellis 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 →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Ellis
Dr. Christopher Ellis is a medical physician assistant in Hanford, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ellis performed 3,702 Medicare services across 2,877 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ellis received a total of $1,306 from 10 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 45 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in medical physician assistant. 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. Ellis 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.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 5% volume in CA
$1,306 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗3,702
Medicare services
Top 5% in CA for medical physician assistant
2,877
Unique beneficiaries
$62
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~195 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spinal fusion of additional segment A surgical procedure to join an additional section of the spine to the existing fusion. This is performed as a separate or subsequent step to stabilize more of the spinal column. |
436 | $41 | $360 |
| Spine fusion with cage or mesh device insertion A surgical procedure to fuse spine bones by inserting a cage or mesh device into the disc space. |
400 | $27 | $154 |
| Harvest of bone fragment for spine bone graft A surgical procedure to remove a piece of bone from the patient's body to be used as a graft during spine surgery. |
198 | $18 | $164 |
| 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. |
183 | $120 | $564 |
| Spinal cord or nerve release, single segment A surgical procedure to free the spinal cord or nerves at one specific level of the spine. |
169 | $34 | $191 |
| Additional spine bone segment removal Surgical removal of an additional segment of bone from the spine during the same procedure. |
164 | $39 | $217 |
| Lower spine bone segment removal A surgical procedure to cut into or remove a segment of bone from the lower spine. |
140 | $83 | $1,080 |
| Partial removal of spine bone to release spinal cord or nerves A surgical procedure involving the partial removal of bone from the spine. This is performed to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. |
137 | $65 | $1,240 |
| Spinal fusion with partial bone and disc removal A surgical procedure to join additional segments of the spine. It involves the partial removal of spine bone and disc tissue. |
127 | $51 | $295 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, 1 segment A surgical procedure involving the partial removal of a bone segment in the spine to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. This is performed on a single spinal segment. |
121 | $60 | $1,000 |
| Release of lower spinal cord or nerves, single segment A surgical procedure to free the lower spinal cord or nerves from surrounding tissue at a single spinal level. |
116 | $81 | $899 |
| 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. |
113 | $82 | $405 |
| Lower back spinal fusion with bone and disc removal A surgical procedure to fuse vertebrae in the lower back. It involves removing part of the spine bone and a disc to stabilize the area. |
110 | $187 | $1,117 |
| Spinal fusion exploration A surgical procedure to examine the site of a previous spinal fusion. The surgeon inspects the area to assess the status of the fusion and surrounding structures. |
107 | $45 | $501 |
| Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, each additional disc | 98 | $42 | $235 |
| Spinal fusion, upper back A surgical procedure to join two or more vertebrae in the upper back to eliminate motion between them. |
94 | $70 | $1,000 |
| Release of middle spinal cord or nerves, single segment A surgical procedure to release pressure on the spinal cord or nerves at a single segment of the spine. |
94 | $100 | $1,160 |
| Surgical removal of middle spine bone segment A surgical procedure to cut into or remove a segment of bone from the middle section of the spine. |
92 | $83 | $917 |
| Partial spine bone removal with nerve release, 1 interspace This procedure involves removing part of the spine bone, re-exploring the area, and releasing the lower spinal cord or nerves, along with removing a disc at one spinal level. |
81 | $71 | $1,000 |
| Removal of spinal stabilizing device Surgical removal of a segmental stabilizing device from the back of the spine. |
79 | $39 | $560 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the lower back and sacral spine to visualize the bones and joints in this area. |
67 | $28 | $127 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 7-12 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the back involving 7 to 12 spine bone segments. |
61 | $86 | $486 |
| Upper spine bone removal and disc removal A surgical procedure to remove a segment of bone from the upper spine and the disc located between the vertebrae. |
59 | $84 | $1,280 |
| Spinal fusion with disc removal and nerve release, 1 disc This surgery connects two or more vertebrae in the upper spine to stabilize the area. It involves removing a damaged disc and relieving pressure on the spinal cord or nerve. |
59 | $178 | $1,025 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 3-6 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize three to six vertebrae in the back. |
55 | $81 | $454 |
| Additional spinal bone removal and nerve release This procedure involves the additional removal of spine bone, re-exploration, release of spinal cord or nerves, and/or disc removal at each extra interspace. |
55 | $38 | $1,000 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum of 4 views An X-ray imaging test of the lower back and sacrum using at least four different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
48 | $38 | $163 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 4-7 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the front of the spine across four to seven bone segments. |
39 | $80 | $720 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 4-5 views An X-ray imaging test of the upper spine using 4 to 5 different views to visualize the bones and structures in that area. |
33 | $37 | $170 |
| X-ray of middle spine, 2 views An X-ray imaging test that produces two views of the middle section of the spine to visualize the bones and joints. |
30 | $24 | $110 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back | 29 | $116 | $1,200 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, each additional segment This procedure involves the partial removal of spinal bone to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It is billed for each additional spinal segment treated beyond the initial segment. |
28 | $22 | $126 |
| 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. |
23 | $110 | $521 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 2-3 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the front of two to three spinal segments. |
18 | $74 | $433 |
| Removal of anterior spinal stabilization device Surgical removal of a device used to stabilize the front of the spine. |
15 | $58 | $673 |
| Spinal fusion, 1 level, with partial disc removal A surgical procedure to join two or more bones in the middle spine using one bone graft. The procedure involves accessing the spine from the side and partially removing a disc to facilitate the fusion. |
12 | $97 | $1,085 |
| Laminectomy, single segment, lateral approach Surgical removal of a section of the middle spine bone to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. The procedure is performed through a lateral extra-cavitary approach on a single spinal segment. |
12 | $250 | $1,393 |
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.
39.8% high complexity
0.0% medium
60.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$1,306
Total received (2021-2024)
Avg $327/year across 4 years
Top 28% in CA for medical physician assistant
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
10
Companies
45
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.
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$1,306 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$634
2023
$218
2022
$165
2021
$289
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$152
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
$140
ABIOMED
$130
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$125
Boston Scientific Corporation
$88
Top 3 companies account for 66.4% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2021-2024) ›
Boston Scientific Corporation
$359
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$155
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$152
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
$140
ABIOMED
$130
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$125
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$115
Neurelis, Inc.
$95
Nevro Corp.
$19
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 50.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Evoke · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · General - Pain Management · INGREZZA · Impella · NURTEC ODT · Omnia · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · Superion Indirect Decompression System · VALTOCO · VOQUEZNA · WAVEWRITER ALPHA · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · mild Device Kit
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 →
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Medical physician assistants within 10 mi
44
Per 100K population
28.8
County median income
$68,750
Nearest hospital
ADVENTIST HEALTH HANFORD
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. Ellis is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% 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
Is Dr. Ellis experienced with spinal fusion of additional segment?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ellis performed 436 spinal fusion of additional segment 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. Ellis receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ellis received a total of $1,306 from 10 companies across 45 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. Ellis's costs compare to other medical physician assistants in Hanford?
Dr. Ellis's average Medicare payment per service is $62. 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. Ellis) 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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