Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Ledford Powell, MD

Thoracic Surgery · Laguna Hills, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Consulting-driven
24411 HEALTH CENTER DR, Laguna Hills, CA 92653
9497162400
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1700832110 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. Powell 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. Powell

Dr. Ledford Powell is a thoracic surgery specialist in Laguna Hills, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Powell performed 502 Medicare services across 489 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Powell received a total of $159,975 from 14 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 211 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in thoracic surgery. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Powell 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 14% volume in CA $159,975 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
502
Medicare services
Top 14% in CA for thoracic surgery
489
Unique beneficiaries
$327
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~26 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
Bronchoscopy
A diagnostic exam of the lung airways using an endoscope to visually inspect the inside of the lungs and airways.
60 $57 $2,020
Endoscopic removal of chest and lung lining
This procedure involves using an endoscope to remove the lining of the chest cavity and the lungs.
52 $1,308 $6,233
Endoscopic removal of foreign body from chest cavity lining
A procedure to remove a foreign object from the lining of the chest cavity using an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a camera.
52 $440 $5,500
Emergency department visit, high complexity
An emergency department visit involving a high level of medical decision making.
46 $140 $650
Adhesion of linings of lung using an endoscope 44 $281 $4,500
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.
42 $144 $405
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.
36 $94 $204
Lung lining removal via endoscope
A procedure to remove the lining of the lung using an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube inserted into the body.
31 $341 $6,375
Chest wall reconstruction after injury
Surgical repair of the chest wall following trauma. This procedure restores the structural integrity of the chest.
26 $561 $7,547
New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) 23 $181 $582
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.
21 $105 $219
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.
20 $66 $144
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 $154 $316
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.
17 $105 $291
Rib stabilization surgery, 4-6 ribs
Surgical procedure to stabilize 4 to 6 broken ribs using a medical device. This treatment is used to repair fractures on the side of the chest.
15 $293 $5,000
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.
3.0% high complexity
0.0% medium
97.0% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$159,975
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $22,854/year across 7 years
Top 4% in CA for thoracic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
14
Companies
211
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.

Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$149,898 (93.7%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$10,077 (6.3%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$16,020
2023
$13,931
2022
$29,733
2021
$12,205
2020
$13,714
2019
$49,204
2018
$25,169

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$14,731
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$1,229
Davol Inc.
$43
ABBVIE INC.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 99.9% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$138,268
Applied Medical Resources Corporation
$11,321
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$6,454
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$2,382
ACUMED LLC
$398
Synthes USA Products LLC
$395
KLS-Martin L.P.
$236
Veran Medical Technologies, Inc.
$190
Acumed LLC
$120
Avanos Medical
$60
ABBVIE INC.
$55
Davol Inc.
$43
Ethicon US, LLC
$36
Aesculap, Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 97.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ALLODERM · AdvantageRib · CAIMAN VESSEL SEALERS · CMF INSTRUMENTS · GELPOINT V-PATH · MATRIXORTHOGNATHIC · MATRIXRIB · Mega Vac · ON-Q* PUMP AND ACCESSORIES · OsteoMed · Progel Applicator Spray Tips · RibFix Blu · RibLoc · STAPLING · Spin · SternaLock Blu · TRUMATCH · Thoracic Reconstruction · Voyant 5mm fusion device · Voyant fine fusion device · Voyant open fusion device
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 →

The majority of payments (94%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 4% for thoracic surgery in CA.

Looking for a thoracic surgery specialist in Laguna Hills?
Compare thoracic surgerists in the Laguna Hills area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse thoracic surgerists nearby

Geographic Context

Thoracic surgerists within 10 mi
40
Per 100K population
1.3
County median income
$113,702
Nearest hospital
MEMORIALCARE SADDLEBACK MEDICAL CENTER
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. Powell is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 14% in CA), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 4% of CA peers, 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. Powell experienced with bronchoscopy?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Powell performed 60 bronchoscopy 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. Powell receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Powell received a total of $159,975 from 14 companies across 211 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. Powell's costs compare to other thoracic surgerists in Laguna Hills?
Dr. Powell's average Medicare payment per service is $327. 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. Powell) 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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

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 →