Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Ajay Pal Sandhu, M.D.

Radiology - Diagnostic · La Jolla, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
3855 HEALTH SCIENCES DR, La Jolla, CA 92093
8588226055
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1881610137 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Sandhu 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. Sandhu

Dr. Ajay Pal Sandhu is a radiology - diagnostic specialist in La Jolla, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Sandhu performed 1,429 Medicare services across 673 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Sandhu received a total of $1,278 from 11 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 14 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in radiology - diagnostic. 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. Sandhu 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 ▲ 1,429 Medicare services $1,278 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,429
Medicare services
Bottom 45% in CA for radiology - diagnostic
673
Unique beneficiaries
$79
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~75 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
CT guidance for radiation therapy
This procedure uses computed tomography imaging to guide the precise placement of radiation therapy fields. It ensures accurate positioning for targeted treatment delivery.
694 $37 $241
Calculation of radiation therapy dose 191 $28 $106
Radiation treatment management, 5 sessions
Oversight and management of a radiation therapy course consisting of five treatment sessions.
91 $159 $715
Design and construction of complex radiation treatment device
This code covers the design and construction of a complex radiation treatment device. It does not specify the clinical purpose or conditions treated.
75 $50 $211
Stereoscopic X-ray guidance for radiation therapy localization
This procedure uses stereoscopic X-ray imaging to precisely locate the target area for radiation therapy delivery.
63 $17 $75
Design and construction of radiation treatment device
This code covers the design and construction of a device used for high precision radiation therapy. It does not include the actual administration of radiation treatment.
55 $190 $996
High precision radiation therapy planning
This procedure involves the detailed planning and setup required for delivering high-precision radiation therapy to a target area of the body.
54 $348 $2,601
Complex radiation therapy planning 50 $141 $638
Design and construction of simple radiation treatment device
This code covers the design and construction of a simple radiation treatment device. It does not specify the clinical purpose or condition being treated.
38 $20 $98
New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) 38 $147 $659
Fractionated radiation therapy for cranial lesion
Treatment using radiation delivered in multiple sessions to manage a lesion in the head.
28 $537 $2,412
Respiratory data collection for radiation therapy planning
This procedure involves gathering respiratory data to help develop the optimal radiation treatment plan.
22 $89 $567
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.
17 $118 $473
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.
13 $46 $235
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.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$1,278
Total received (2020-2024)
Avg $256/year across 5 years
Top 34% in CA for radiology - diagnostic
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
11
Companies
14
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
$1,278 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$389
2023
$485
2022
$157
2021
$121
2020
$126

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$121
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$107
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$106
PENTAX of America, Inc.
$55
Top 3 companies account for 85.9% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2020-2024) ›
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$232
PORTOLA PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC
$126
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$125
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$124
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$121
SI-BONE, INC.
$121
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$121
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$115
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$106
PENTAX of America, Inc.
$55
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$32
Top 3 companies account for 37.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ANDEXXA · Austedo XR · COSENTYX · IFUSE IMPLANT · IMFINZI · INSPIRA · KRYSTEXXA · LUPKYNIS · NUCALA · NURTEC ODT · SMART PORT CT
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.

Looking for a radiology - diagnostic specialist in La Jolla?
Compare radiology - diagnostics in the La Jolla area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse radiology - diagnostics nearby

Geographic Context

Radiology - diagnostics within 10 mi
59
Per 100K population
1.8
County median income
$102,285
Nearest hospital
VA SAN DIEGO HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
0.6 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. Sandhu is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, 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. Sandhu experienced with ct guidance for radiation therapy?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Sandhu performed 694 ct guidance for radiation therapy 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. Sandhu receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Sandhu received a total of $1,278 from 11 companies across 14 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. Sandhu's costs compare to other radiology - diagnostics in La Jolla?
Dr. Sandhu's average Medicare payment per service is $79. 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. Sandhu) 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 →
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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Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →