Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Mafutaga Tagaloa-Tulifau, D.P.M.

Podiatrist · Lakewood, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
5220 CLARK AVE, Lakewood, CA 90712
5629253055
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1962435594 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. Tagaloa-Tulifau 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. Tagaloa-Tulifau

Dr. Mafutaga Tagaloa-Tulifau is a podiatrist in Lakewood, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Tagaloa-Tulifau performed 1,042 Medicare services across 595 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Tagaloa-Tulifau received a total of $2,713 from 13 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 46 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in podiatrist. 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. Tagaloa-Tulifau 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 ▲ 1,042 Medicare services $2,713 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,042
Medicare services
Bottom 43% in CA for podiatrist
595
Unique beneficiaries
$56
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~55 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
Foot X-ray, 3+ views
An X-ray imaging test of the foot that captures at least three different views to evaluate the bones and joints.
167 $28 $69
Toenail/fingernail removal, 1-5 nails
This procedure involves the removal of one to five fingernails or toenails.
134 $25 $67
Trimming of dystrophic nails
Trimming of dystrophic nails, any number
130 $14 $61
Removal of thickened skin growths, 2-4
This procedure involves the removal of two to four benign, thickened skin growths. It is a minor surgical intervention to eliminate non-cancerous skin lesions.
129 $59 $123
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.
102 $74 $150
Toenail/fingernail removal, 6+ nails
Surgical removal of six or more fingernails or toenails. This procedure involves the excision of multiple nails during a single session.
95 $36 $80
Fingernail or toenail biopsy
A small sample of tissue is taken from a fingernail or toenail for laboratory examination.
68 $96 $175
Removal of noncancer thickened skin growth, 1 growth
This procedure involves the removal of a single benign, thickened skin growth. It is a minor surgical intervention to eliminate the lesion.
48 $55 $111
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.
46 $136 $225
Ultrasound of arm and leg arteries
A non-invasive imaging test that uses sound waves to examine the blood vessels in the arms and legs. It evaluates blood flow and checks for blockages or other vascular issues.
44 $100 $225
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.
39 $106 $179
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.
20 $174 $405
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.
20 $110 $405
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 ↗
$2,713
Total received (2019-2024)
Avg $452/year across 6 years
Top 26% in CA for podiatrist
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
13
Companies
46
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
$2,713 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$249
2023
$184
2022
$130
2021
$59
2020
$2,080
2019
$12

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$203
Organogenesis Inc.
$25
Bioventus LLC
$21
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2019-2024) ›
Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Inc.
$2,032
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$344
Organogenesis Inc.
$95
Nevro Corp.
$38
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$37
Abbott Laboratories
$26
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$23
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$23
Bioventus LLC
$21
BioTissue Holdings, Inc.
$21
ORGANOGENESIS INC.
$19
AbbVie Inc.
$17
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 91.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AVYCAZ · ETERNA · EXOGEN ULTRASOUND BONE HEALING SYSTEM · GRAFIX PL · KRYSTEXXA · NEOX · NUZYRA · Omnia · Puraply · REGRANEX · SEGLENTIS
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 podiatrist in Lakewood?
Compare podiatrists in the Lakewood area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Podiatrists within 10 mi
286
Per 100K population
2.9
County median income
$87,760
Nearest hospital
UCI HEALTH-LAKEWOOD
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. Tagaloa-Tulifau is a clinical cardiology 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. Tagaloa-Tulifau experienced with foot x-ray, 3+ views?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Tagaloa-Tulifau performed 167 foot x-ray, 3+ views 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. Tagaloa-Tulifau receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Tagaloa-Tulifau received a total of $2,713 from 13 companies across 46 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. Tagaloa-Tulifau's costs compare to other podiatrists in Lakewood?
Dr. Tagaloa-Tulifau's average Medicare payment per service is $56. 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. Tagaloa-Tulifau) 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 →