Medicare Enrolled
Dr. David Frankel, M.D.
Surgery · La Jolla, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
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. Frankel 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. Frankel
Dr. David Frankel is a surgery specialist in La Jolla, CA, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Frankel performed 1,797 Medicare services across 1,543 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Frankel received a total of $8,309 from 32 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 177 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in 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. Frankel 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.
✓ 18 years in practice
▲ Top 5% volume in CA
$8,309 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,797
Medicare services
Top 5% in CA for surgery
1,543
Unique beneficiaries
$189
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~100 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
254 | $72 | $248 |
| 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. |
201 | $206 | $1,005 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
196 | $164 | $779 |
| 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. |
181 | $130 | $453 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
130 | $50 | $326 |
| Injection of chemical agent into single incompetent vein | 118 | $98 | $463 |
| Ultrasound of arm and leg arteries This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the blood vessels in the arms and legs. It allows healthcare providers to examine the structure and blood flow within these arteries. |
111 | $59 | $337 |
| Chemical destruction of first incompetent vein with imaging guidance This procedure uses imaging guidance to chemically destroy the first incompetent vein in the arm or leg. |
63 | $1,544 | $7,184 |
| 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. |
62 | $104 | $494 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
58 | $154 | $791 |
| Anterior lumbar interbody fusion with partial disc removal A surgical procedure to fuse the lower spine bones by accessing the area through the abdomen and partially removing a spinal disc. |
51 | $773 | $3,507 |
| 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. |
50 | $11 | $72 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to create images of the arteries in one leg or any grafts present in that leg. |
44 | $111 | $536 |
| Complete ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis blood flow This procedure uses sound waves to create images of blood flow in the arteries and veins of the abdomen and pelvis. It evaluates the rate and direction of blood movement within these vessels. |
44 | $243 | $1,098 |
| Ultrasound of aorta, vena cava, groin vessels or bypass grafts This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the aorta, vena cava, groin vessels, or bypass grafts. It allows for the visualization of these blood vessels and any surgical grafts. |
38 | $91 | $484 |
| Anterior spinal fusion with partial disc removal, each additional disc This procedure involves fusing spine bones together through an incision in the front of the body, with partial removal of the disc, for each additional disc treated. |
30 | $161 | $729 |
| 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. |
29 | $14 | $97 |
| 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. |
29 | $104 | $350 |
| 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. |
23 | $270 | $4,158 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery image A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in the arm or leg. This process involves analyzing the visual data to assess the blood vessels. |
20 | $66 | $432 |
| Balloon angioplasty of leg artery, initial vessel A procedure to widen a narrowed or blocked artery in the leg using a balloon catheter. This is performed on the first vessel treated during the session. |
15 | $415 | $17,982 |
| Ultrasound of hemodialysis access An ultrasound imaging test used to evaluate the blood flow and structure of a hemodialysis access site. |
15 | $101 | $536 |
| Balloon dilation of leg artery A procedure to widen a narrowed or blocked artery in the leg using a balloon catheter to restore blood flow. |
13 | $210 | $12,608 |
| Ultrasound of arm arteries or grafts An ultrasound exam of the arteries in one arm or any arterial grafts present. This imaging test uses sound waves to visualize blood flow and vessel structure. |
11 | $86 | $513 |
| Ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis blood flow An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow through the arteries and veins in the abdomen and pelvis. |
11 | $114 | $594 |
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.
6.6% high complexity
62.0% medium
31.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$8,309
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,187/year across 7 years
Top 27% in CA for surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
32
Companies
177
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
$7,384 (88.9%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$800 (9.6%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$125 (1.5%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$525
2023
$1,023
2022
$1,949
2021
$564
2020
$832
2019
$1,184
2018
$2,232
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$268
Inari Medical, Inc.
$96
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$60
Davol Inc.
$39
Reflow Medical Inc
$24
Acera Surgical, Inc.
$23
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 80.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$2,801
Abbott Laboratories
$972
Cook Medical LLC
$970
Medtronic, Inc.
$846
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$597
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$571
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$264
Boston Scientific Corporation
$129
Inari Medical, Inc.
$127
BAXTER HEALTHCARE
$102
Arrow International, Inc.
$89
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$76
Bolton Medical Inc
$71
Maquet Cardiovascular U.S. Sales, L.L.C.
$69
NuVasive, Inc.
$67
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$65
Medline Industries, Inc.
$54
Vascular Insights, LLC
$47
Acera Surgical, Inc.
$44
Davol Inc.
$39
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$32
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$32
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$30
Penumbra, Inc.
$30
Terumo Medical Corporation
$30
Baxter Healthcare
$28
BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
$26
Reflow Medical Inc
$24
Kerecis Limited
$22
KCI USA, Inc.
$19
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$18
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 57.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ALPHAVAC · ANASTOCLIP · ARTEGRAFT VASCULAR GRAFT · AUSTEDO · Absolute Pro vascular stent system · BIOFLO · C3 Delivery System · CLOSUREFAST · COOK MEDICAL AAA · COOK MEDICAL IAA · COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX · COVERA · CT THROMBECTOMY SYSTEM KIT · Clarivein · ClosureFast · Conformable TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis · Cook Medical AAA · Cook Medical IAA · Cook Medical Thoracic · Diamondback Peripheral · ELIQUIS · ENDURANT IIS · ENHANCE Transcarotid Peripheral Access Kit · ENROUTE Enflate Transcarotid RX Balloon Dilatation Catheter · ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System · ENROUTE Transcarotid Stent · EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis · EXCLUDER Conformable AAA Endoprosthesis with Active Control · EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis · Endurant · FLEXITOUCH · FLIXENE · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · GENERAL - METALLIC STENTS · GORE EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis · GORE TAG Conformable Thoracic Endoprosthesis · GORE TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis · GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis · Hyalomatrix Wound Device · IN.PACT Admiral · Indigo · Kerecis Omega3 SurgiClose · MITRACLIP · PREVELEAK · PREVENA · Perclose ProGlide suture mediated closure system · RELAY THORACIC STENT-GRAFT WITH PLUS DELIVERY SYSTEM · RESTOREFLO · Restrata Wound Matrix · S · TACHOSIL · TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis · VADO · VALIANT CAPTIVIA · VARITHENA · VENASEAL · VENOVO · VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endoprosthesis · Varithena Administration Pack · Vein Treatment - Other Products · VenaSeal · Venclose Maven Catheter · XARELTO · ZENITH · Zilver PTX
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 (89%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Surgerists within 10 mi
305
Per 100K population
9.3
County median income
$102,285
Nearest hospital
SCRIPPS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL LA JOLLA
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. Frankel is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 18 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. Frankel experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Frankel performed 254 office visit, established patient (20-29 min) 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. Frankel receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Frankel received a total of $8,309 from 32 companies across 177 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. Frankel's costs compare to other surgerists in La Jolla?
Dr. Frankel's average Medicare payment per service is $189. 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. Frankel) 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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