Dr. Steven Escobar, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Escobar
Dr. Steven Escobar is a critical care medicine specialist in La Jolla, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Escobar performed 1,177 Medicare services across 887 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Escobar received a total of $3,422 from 21 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 74 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in critical care medicine. 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. Escobar 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 (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. |
402 | $103 | $350 |
| Bronchial irrigation and suction for cell collection This procedure uses an endoscope to flush and suction the lung airways in order to collect cells for testing. |
180 | $54 | $1,025 |
| 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. |
112 | $10 | $176 |
| Ultrasound scan of chest An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the structures inside the chest. |
89 | $50 | $332 |
| Lung biopsy via endoscope, 1 lobe A procedure to remove a small sample of lung tissue from one lobe using an endoscope for examination. |
60 | $106 | $1,518 |
| 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. |
57 | $137 | $453 |
| Chest fluid aspiration with imaging guidance This procedure involves removing fluid from the chest cavity using imaging technology to guide the needle placement. |
54 | $276 | $1,310 |
| Bronchoscopy with ultrasound and lymph node sampling A procedure using an endoscope and ultrasound to examine the lung airways and collect samples from 1 to 2 lymph nodes. |
47 | $169 | $5,457 |
| Bronchoscopy with ultrasound and growth treatment A procedure using a flexible tube with a camera and ultrasound to examine the lung airways and treat any growths found. |
40 | $53 | $482 |
| Computer-assisted navigation of lung airways This procedure uses computer technology to guide an endoscope through the airways of the lungs for precise navigation. |
32 | $72 | $4,783 |
| Bronchial secretion aspiration via endoscope Removal of initial lung airway secretions using an endoscope. This procedure involves inserting a scope into the airways to clear fluid or mucus. |
32 | $108 | $1,093 |
| Chest fluid drainage with tube insertion using imaging guidance This procedure removes fluid from the chest cavity and places a tube to stay in place for ongoing drainage. Imaging guidance is used to help position the tube accurately. |
29 | $118 | $2,816 |
| Critical care, first 30-74 min Emergency medical care for a critically ill or injured patient lasting between 30 and 74 minutes. This service involves direct patient care and medical decision making to stabilize the patient. |
16 | $173 | $752 |
| Additional lung lobe biopsy via endoscope This procedure involves taking a tissue sample from an additional lobe of the lung using an endoscope, performed after an initial biopsy. |
14 | $40 | $249 |
| Bronchoscopy with ultrasound and lymph node sampling A procedure using a scope and ultrasound to examine the airways and collect tissue samples from three or more lymph nodes. |
13 | $181 | $5,657 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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. Escobar is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 28% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 20 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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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