Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Joe Chen, M.D.
Gastroenterology · Los Alamitos, 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. Chen 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. Chen
Dr. Joe Chen is a gastroenterology specialist in Los Alamitos, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chen performed 1,957 Medicare services across 1,538 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chen received a total of $11,258 from 43 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 542 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. 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. Chen 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 10% volume in CA
$11,258 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,957
Medicare services
Top 10% in CA for gastroenterology
1,538
Unique beneficiaries
$97
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~103 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 (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. |
316 | $99 | $205 |
| 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. |
294 | $67 | $141 |
| 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. |
293 | $66 | $145 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
157 | $80 | $205 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscopic snare This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera and a wire loop tool. The snare is used to cut off the growths during the examination. |
153 | $207 | $1,000 |
| 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. |
136 | $109 | $330 |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the esophagus, stomach, or upper small intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities. |
108 | $84 | $575 |
| Tissue pathology examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This intermediate complexity procedure involves specialized techniques to identify abnormalities in the tissue. |
91 | $31 | $200 |
| Moderate sedation during GI endoscopy Sedation services provided by the physician performing a gastrointestinal endoscopic procedure. This requires an independent trained observer to assist in monitoring the patient. |
88 | $4 | $20 |
| 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. |
53 | $138 | $315 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities or disease. |
50 | $149 | $825 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals who are not at high risk for the disease. |
45 | $192 | $750 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening, high risk A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals identified as being at high risk for the disease. |
34 | $192 | $757 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service. |
26 | $41 | $80 |
| Colonoscopy A diagnostic exam of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope to visualize the interior of the colon. |
25 | $150 | $750 |
| Upper endoscopy (EGD) A diagnostic exam of the esophagus, stomach, and upper small bowel using a flexible endoscope. |
24 | $94 | $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. |
23 | $145 | $485 |
| Endoscopic insertion of stomach tube A flexible endoscope is used to guide the placement of a tube into the stomach. |
16 | $162 | $1,134 |
| 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. |
13 | $100 | $205 |
| Endoscopic removal of bile or pancreatic duct stone A flexible endoscope is used to remove stones or debris from the bile or pancreatic ducts. |
12 | $234 | $1,000 |
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.
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$11,258
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,608/year across 7 years
Top 17% in CA for gastroenterology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
43
Companies
542
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
$11,258 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,668
2023
$1,746
2022
$2,059
2021
$1,546
2020
$963
2019
$1,328
2018
$947
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$706
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
$340
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$336
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$186
PFIZER INC.
$185
Lilly USA, LLC
$141
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$137
AIMMUNE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$111
Celltrion USA Inc.
$105
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$97
GENZYME CORPORATION
$81
IRONWOOD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
$48
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$47
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$43
QOL Medical, LLC
$37
Medtronic, Inc.
$32
ALBIREO PHARMA, INC.
$21
Endogastric Solutions, Inc
$15
Top 3 companies account for 51.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
AbbVie Inc.
$1,577
ABBVIE INC.
$1,484
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$1,165
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$1,031
PFIZER INC.
$742
AbbVie, Inc.
$740
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$516
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$381
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
$340
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$301
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$268
Celgene Corporation
$264
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$245
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$208
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$180
Braintree Laboratories, Inc.
$151
Lilly USA, LLC
$141
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$121
QOL Medical, LLC
$121
GENZYME CORPORATION
$117
Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$116
AIMMUNE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$111
RedHill Biopharma Inc.
$108
Celltrion USA Inc.
$105
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$101
IRONWOOD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
$88
INTERCEPT PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$67
Prometheus Laboratories Inc.
$67
Allergan Inc.
$62
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc
$41
Medline Industries LP
$35
Shionogi Inc
$35
Medtronic, Inc.
$32
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition Inc.
$26
Sandoz Inc.
$25
Shire North American Group Inc
$25
VIVUS LLC
$21
ALBIREO PHARMA, INC.
$21
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$19
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$17
NESTLE HEALTHCARE NUTRITION INC.
$16
Ardelyx, Inc.
$15
Endogastric Solutions, Inc
$15
Top 3 companies account for 37.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
APRISO · Amitiza · Bylvay · CARDIOFORM Septal Occluder · CLENPIQ · CREON · Creon · DIFICID · DUPIXENT · ENTYVIO · ESOPHYX · Entyvio · GATTEX · GI GENIUS · HUMIRA · HYRIMOZ · Humira · IBSRELA · INFLECTRA · INJECTAFER · LINZESS · Linzess · MAVYRET · MOTEGRITY · MOTOFEN · Mavyret · Motegrity · Movantik · Mulpleta · OCALIVA · OMVOH · QSYMIA · RELISTOR ORAL · REMICADE · RESMETIROM · REZDIFFRA · RINVOQ · SKYRIZI · STELARA · SUCRAID · SUFLAVE · SUPREP · SUPREP BOWEL PREP · SUTAB · Sucraid · TREMFYA · TRULANCE · Talicia · Trulance · UCERIS · VEGZELMA · VIBERZI · VOQUEZNA · VOWST · XELJANZ · XIFAXAN · XIFAXANIBSD · ZENPEP · ZEPOSIA · ZYMFENTRA
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
Gastroenterologists within 10 mi
380
Per 100K population
12.0
County median income
$113,702
Nearest hospital
UCI HEALTH - LOS ALAMITOS
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. Chen is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 10% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 17% 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. Chen experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Chen performed 316 office visit, established patient (30-39 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. Chen receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Chen received a total of $11,258 from 43 companies across 542 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. Chen's costs compare to other gastroenterologists in Los Alamitos?
Dr. Chen's average Medicare payment per service is $97. 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. Chen) 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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