Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Eric Hong, M.D.
Cardiovascular Disease · La Jolla, CA
Practice pattern: Cardiac Imaging
— Practice with significant diagnostic imaging and stress testing
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. Hong 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. Hong?
Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. Hong
Dr. Eric Hong is a cardiovascular disease specialist in La Jolla, CA, with 17 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hong performed 6,666 Medicare services across 3,929 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hong received a total of $16,513 from 56 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 655 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Hong 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.
✓ 17 years in practice
▲ Top 13% volume in CA
$16,513 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗6,666
Medicare services
Top 13% in CA for cardiovascular disease
3,929
Unique beneficiaries
$83
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~392 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EKG interpretation and report A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report. |
1,083 | $7 | $36 |
| 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. |
918 | $99 | $230 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
608 | $42 | $204 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
557 | $98 | $216 |
| Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin used for imaging studies. |
550 | $76 | $600 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
525 | $12 | $36 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
282 | $393 | $1,058 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram under physician supervision and review. |
282 | $54 | $154 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
199 | $142 | $419 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
160 | $168 | $455 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
107 | $65 | $184 |
| Remote cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation, up to 30 days Review and analysis of data from a remote cardiac rhythm monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
93 | $21 | $56 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart rhythm device Evaluation of data transmitted remotely from an implantable cardiovascular monitor, such as a loop recorder or subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor, over a period up to 30 days. |
92 | $59 | $250 |
| 30-day continuous ECG with patient-triggered event transmission and review This procedure involves continuous electrocardiogram monitoring for up to 30 days, including the transmission of patient-triggered events. A healthcare professional reviews the data and provides a report. |
82 | $782 | $1,583 |
| Follow-up ultrasound of heart blood flow, valves and chambers An ultrasound exam that follows up on the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. It uses sound waves to create images of the heart's structure and function. |
82 | $6 | $31 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
75 | $20 | $55 |
| Stress echocardiogram with ECG monitoring An ultrasound of the heart performed while monitoring heart rhythm during rest, exercise, or medication-induced stress, followed by a review and report of the findings. |
66 | $188 | $514 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
64 | $22 | $56 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. |
62 | $45 | $118 |
| Pacemaker system evaluation Assessment of a pacemaker device, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless systems. |
58 | $48 | $108 |
| Chronic care management, first 20 min/month This service covers the first 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional each calendar month to manage chronic conditions. |
55 | $47 | $88 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
54 | $80 | $235 |
| Remote vital sign monitoring management, each additional 20 minutes This code covers the time spent by a provider managing patient data from remote vital sign monitoring devices. It applies to each additional 20-minute increment beyond the initial monthly service period. |
54 | $34 | $88 |
| 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. |
52 | $121 | $345 |
| Remote patient monitoring management, 20 min/month Management based on results from remote vital sign monitoring for the first 20 minutes per calendar month. |
51 | $42 | $108 |
| Chronic care management, additional 20 min/month This service covers an extra 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional for managing two or more chronic conditions each calendar month. |
49 | $37 | $94 |
| Remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days Remote evaluation of a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the last check. |
44 | $21 | $58 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
41 | $20 | $59 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
40 | $25 | $66 |
| Remote patient monitoring device, 30 days Initial setup of devices for remote monitoring of body functions with daily data transmission or alerts. This service covers the first 30 days of the monitoring period. |
35 | $46 | $173 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
34 | $25 | $78 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
29 | $107 | $351 |
| 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. |
28 | $10 | $113 |
| External shock to heart to regulate heart beat A procedure that delivers an electric shock to the heart from outside the body to restore a normal heart rhythm. |
25 | $89 | $244 |
| 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. |
25 | $133 | $308 |
| Remote physiologic monitoring setup and education Initial setup of remote monitoring equipment and patient education on its use. |
21 | $18 | $51 |
| 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. |
16 | $172 | $443 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
15 | $10 | $32 |
| Continuous external EKG monitoring, 8-15 days This procedure involves recording heart rhythm continuously using an external EKG device over a period of 8 to 15 days. |
14 | $11 | $26 |
| External EKG monitoring, 8-15 days Continuous external electrocardiogram recording and review over a period of 8 to 15 days to monitor heart rhythm. |
14 | $21 | $43 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 14 | $213 | $618 |
| Insertion of tube in right and left heart chambers and coronary artery for diagnosis with review by radiologist | 11 | $279 | $807 |
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.
6.9% high complexity
30.2% medium
62.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$16,513
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,359/year across 7 years
Top 20% in CA for cardiovascular disease
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
56
Companies
655
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
$16,513 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,792
2023
$3,518
2022
$2,544
2021
$1,589
2020
$804
2019
$2,241
2018
$3,025
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$328
CVRx, Inc.
$290
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$285
Amgen Inc.
$280
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$205
Novo Nordisk Inc
$200
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$184
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$181
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$145
HEARTFLOW, INC.
$115
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$112
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$109
PFIZER INC.
$85
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$55
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$48
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$46
Abbott Laboratories
$31
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$26
Philips North America LLC
$24
Baxter Healthcare
$22
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$21
Top 3 companies account for 32.3% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,415
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$1,272
Abbott Laboratories
$1,197
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$1,005
Amgen Inc.
$885
PFIZER INC.
$835
Medtronic, Inc.
$820
Bardy Diagnostics, Inc.
$705
CVRx, Inc.
$693
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$638
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$619
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$617
Boston Scientific Corporation
$601
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$575
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$366
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$366
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$358
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$320
Novo Nordisk Inc
$307
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$267
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$246
B. Braun Interventional Systems Inc.
$185
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$161
Biosense Webster, Inc.
$135
ABIOMED
$134
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$129
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$122
HEARTFLOW, INC.
$115
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$112
Allergan Inc.
$108
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$105
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$96
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$89
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$86
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$85
HeartFlow, Inc.
$73
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$72
Baxter Healthcare
$52
Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc.
$50
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$48
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$48
Cardinal Health 200, LLC
$44
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$43
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$42
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$38
Lundbeck LLC
$37
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$29
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$25
BIOTRONIK INC.
$24
Philips North America LLC
$24
PORTOLA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$22
AtriCure, Inc.
$21
Celgene Corporation
$18
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$16
Relypsa, Inc.
$15
Coala Life Inc
$5
Top 3 companies account for 23.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(CK4) MCOT · ANDEXXA · Absolute Pro vascular stent system · Arcalyst · Asahi Fielder coronary guide wire · Assure WCD · Assurity Pacemaker · BRILINTA · BYSTOLIC · Barostim Neo System · CAMZYOS · CARDIOMEMS · CARTO 3 · CHANTIX · CONFIRM RX · CardioMEMS HF System · Carnation Ambulatory Monitor · Coala Heart Monitor · Confirm Rx · Connect HF · Corlanor · DEFINITY · Definity · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · FARXIGA · FFRct · FLEXITOUCH · FUROSCIX · Flexitouch Plus · HeartMate · Hillrom - Cardiac Ambulatory Monitor · INJECTAFER · Impella · Inpefa · JARDIANCE · KENGREAL · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LINQ II · LUX-Dx Insertable Cardiac Monitor · LifeVest · Livalo · MITRACLIP · MULTAQ · MYCARELINK · Micra · Mitra Clip system · MitraClip System · NAMZARIC · NEXLETOL · NEXLIZET · NORTHERA · ONO RETRIEVAL DEVICE · ONPATTRO · OPSUMIT · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · Optimizer · Orsiro Mission · Ozempic · PRADAXA · PRALUENT · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · Quadra Assura CRT Defibrillator · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Reveal LINQ · Rybelsus · SAMSCA · SHINGRIX · THORATEC HEARTMATE 3 LVAS IMPLANT KIT · Tryton Side Branch Stent · UPTRAVI · VERQUVO · VYNDAMAX · VYNDAQEL · Vascepa · Veltassa · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN Access System · WATCHMAN FLX · XARELTO · ZIO Patch · ZIO XT Patch
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
Cardiologists within 10 mi
248
Per 100K population
7.6
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. Hong is a cardiac imaging specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 13% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 20% of CA peers, with 17 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. Hong experienced with ekg interpretation and report?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Hong performed 1,083 ekg interpretation and report 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. Hong receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Hong received a total of $16,513 from 56 companies across 655 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. Hong's costs compare to other cardiologists in La Jolla?
Dr. Hong's average Medicare payment per service is $83. 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. Hong) 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 →
Explore related providers
Same specialty & city
Cardiologists in La Jolla
Browse cardiologists in La Jolla ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Cardiologists in CA
Cardiologists ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Cardiologists in CA
Which CA cardiologists receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
By company
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC.
By company
Abbott Laboratories Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Abbott Laboratories.
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.
Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology