Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Behnam Shenassa, M.D.
Urology Physician · Los Angeles, 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. Shenassa 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. Shenassa
Dr. Behnam Shenassa is an urology physician in Los Angeles, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Shenassa performed 15,354 Medicare services across 8,631 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Shenassa received a total of $5,584 from 40 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 222 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in urology physician. 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. Shenassa 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 9% volume in CA
$5,584 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗15,354
Medicare services
Top 9% in CA for urology physician
8,631
Unique beneficiaries
$46
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~808 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCG treatment for bladder cancer | 3,150 | $2 | $5 |
| Manual urinalysis with microscopic examination A urine test performed manually without automated equipment. The sample is examined under a microscope to check for abnormalities. |
2,426 | $4 | $10 |
| Bladder ultrasound after voiding An ultrasound scan performed after urination to measure the amount of urine remaining in the bladder. |
1,867 | $9 | $45 |
| 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. |
1,336 | $72 | $161 |
| Electronic assessment of bladder emptying A test that uses electronic monitoring to evaluate how well the bladder empties urine. |
1,307 | $11 | $75 |
| 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. |
873 | $93 | $238 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 5 and 10 minutes to discuss medical matters. |
551 | $46 | $92 |
| Complete pelvic ultrasound An imaging test using sound waves to create pictures of the organs and structures within the pelvis. |
482 | $87 | $250 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
278 | $45 | $98 |
| Ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis blood flow An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow through the arteries and veins in the abdomen and pelvis. |
276 | $127 | $376 |
| Leuprolide acetate (for depot suspension), 7.5 mg | 220 | $134 | $438 |
| 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. |
216 | $144 | $439 |
| 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. |
187 | $99 | $226 |
| Limited retroperitoneal ultrasound A focused ultrasound exam of the area behind the abdominal cavity to evaluate specific structures. |
178 | $52 | $130 |
| Cystourethroscopy A diagnostic exam of the bladder and urethra using an endoscope to visually inspect the urinary tract. |
161 | $211 | $459 |
| 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. |
154 | $70 | $239 |
| 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. |
152 | $125 | $320 |
| Simple measurement of urine flow pressure in bladder A test that measures the pressure of urine flow within the bladder. This procedure assesses bladder function by recording pressure changes during urination. |
145 | $107 | $426 |
| 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. |
144 | $109 | $362 |
| Complete ultrasound of retroperitoneum An ultrasound examination of the structures located behind the abdominal cavity. |
117 | $99 | $259 |
| 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. |
115 | $66 | $157 |
| Limited ultrasound of pelvis A focused ultrasound exam of the pelvic area to evaluate specific structures. This procedure provides images of the pelvis to assist in medical assessment. |
105 | $39 | $106 |
| Endoscopic destruction of bladder/urethra growth, less than 0.5 cm A procedure to remove abnormal tissue growths from the bladder or urethra using an endoscope. This specific code applies when the growths are smaller than 0.5 centimeters. |
92 | $709 | $1,577 |
| Bladder instillation of anti-cancer drug A procedure where an anti-cancer medication is introduced directly into the bladder. This method delivers the treatment locally to the bladder tissue. |
68 | $76 | $243 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
65 | $12 | $58 |
| Bladder irrigation and/or instillation This procedure involves flushing the bladder with fluid to clear it or introducing medication directly into the bladder. |
64 | $65 | $187 |
| Transrectal ultrasound of the pelvis An ultrasound imaging procedure where a probe is inserted into the rectum to visualize pelvic structures. |
61 | $126 | $214 |
| Smoking cessation counseling, 4-10 minutes A brief counseling session focused on helping patients quit smoking and tobacco use. The provider spends 4 to 10 minutes discussing strategies and support for cessation. |
59 | $16 | $30 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
55 | $52 | $135 |
| Prostate gland biopsy A procedure to remove small samples of tissue from the prostate gland for laboratory examination. |
53 | $195 | $485 |
| 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. |
52 | $41 | $85 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
48 | $17 | $45 |
| Urethral dilation using endoscope A procedure to widen the urethra using a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope. This helps to open a narrowed urethral passage. |
44 | $286 | $612 |
| Imaging of urinary tract with contrast An imaging test of the urinary tract performed after a contrast agent is injected to enhance visibility of the structures. |
42 | $20 | $40 |
| Bladder biopsy using endoscope A procedure to remove a small tissue sample from the bladder using a thin, flexible tube with a camera. The sample is then examined to check for abnormalities. |
36 | $344 | $865 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
28 | $64 | $152 |
| Simple insertion of temporary bladder tube A procedure to place a temporary tube into the bladder. This allows for the drainage of urine from the bladder. |
25 | $55 | $160 |
| Ureteral stone crushing with stent insertion An endoscope is used to break up a stone in the ureter, followed by the placement of a stent to keep the ureter open. |
25 | $315 | $913 |
| Endoscopic removal of foreign body, stone, or stent from urethra or bladder A procedure to remove a foreign object, stone, or stent from the urethra or bladder using an endoscope. The endoscope is a thin tube with a camera inserted into the urinary tract to locate and extract the item. |
22 | $277 | $544 |
| Ureteral stent insertion via endoscope A flexible tube is inserted into the ureter using an endoscope to keep the passage open and allow urine to flow from the kidney to the bladder. |
22 | $68 | $1,117 |
| Endoscopic removal of bladder or urethra growth, 2.0-5.0 cm This procedure uses an endoscope to destroy or remove a growth from the bladder or urethra that measures between 2.0 and 5.0 centimeters. |
17 | $199 | $635 |
| Ureteral stent insertion via cystoscopy A tube is placed into the ureter using an endoscope inserted through the bladder. |
13 | $49 | $600 |
| Simple change of bladder tube | 12 | $38 | $206 |
| Bladder stone removal, larger than 2.5 cm A procedure to crush, fragment, and remove bladder stones that are larger than 2.5 centimeters. |
11 | $385 | $1,039 |
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.
0.5% high complexity
21.7% medium
77.7% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$5,584
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $798/year across 7 years
Top 31% in CA for urology physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
40
Companies
222
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
$4,727 (84.7%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$857 (15.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$951
2023
$1,189
2022
$559
2021
$1,211
2020
$486
2019
$695
2018
$493
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$254
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$139
BLUEWIND MEDICAL
$93
PFIZER INC.
$84
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$73
Teleflex LLC
$58
UROGEN PHARMA, INC.
$55
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$48
ABBVIE INC.
$47
Ethicon US, LLC
$36
Boston Scientific Corporation
$34
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$30
Top 3 companies account for 51.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$733
PFIZER INC.
$655
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$654
Boston Scientific Corporation
$568
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$372
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$307
Coloplast Corp
$252
Teleflex LLC
$203
Axonics, Inc.
$196
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$184
Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$139
EDAP TECHNOMED INC
$120
UROVANT SCIENCES INC
$95
BLUEWIND MEDICAL
$93
COLOPLAST CORP
$79
Laborie Medical Technologies Corp.
$77
TherapeuticsMD, Inc.
$75
UroGen Pharma, Inc.
$72
UROGEN PHARMA, INC.
$55
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$52
Blue Earth Diagnostics Limited
$51
AbbVie Inc.
$50
ABBVIE INC.
$47
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$47
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$46
180 Medical, Inc.
$46
TOLMAR Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$45
Ethicon US, LLC
$36
Duchesnay USA Incorporated
$31
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$23
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$23
NeoTract Inc.
$20
Olympus America Inc.
$20
Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$20
Amgen Inc.
$19
Allergan Inc.
$19
Metuchen Pharmaceuticals
$18
MEDIVATION FIELD SOLUTIONS LLC
$16
Tolmar, Inc.
$14
AbbVie, Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 36.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ALTIS · AMS · AMS 700 CXR RTE KIT · AQUABEAM ROBOTIC SYSTEM · AQUABEAM SYSTEM · Altis · Axonics · Axumin · BOTOX · BRIDION · Bulkamid · Da Vinci Surgical System · ELIGARD · ESTRACE CREAM · Echelon Flex · GEMTESA · GENERAL BPH · GENERAL BPH · Glydo · ILUMYA · IMVEXXY · JELMYTO · JYNARQUE · LUPRON DEPOT · LYNPARZA · LithoVue · Lupron · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · Noctiva · Nubeqa · OBTRYX · Olympus Cysto-Resection · Osphena · PREMARIN · PROLARIS · PVC · Porges Coloplast · Prolaris · Prolia · REVI · REZUM · Restorelle · Rezum Generator · SOLYX · SUTENT · Solyx SIS System · Stendra · TOVIAZ · Titan · UROLIFT · UroLift · UroLift System · Veozah · XTANDI · Xofigo · Xtandi
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 (85%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Urology physicians within 10 mi
402
Per 100K population
4.1
County median income
$87,760
Nearest hospital
GLENDALE ADVENTIST MEDICAL CENTER
1.6 mi
1.6 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. Shenassa is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 9% in CA), 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. Shenassa experienced with bcg treatment for bladder cancer?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Shenassa performed 3,150 bcg treatment for bladder cancer 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. Shenassa receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Shenassa received a total of $5,584 from 40 companies across 222 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. Shenassa's costs compare to other urology physicians in Los Angeles?
Dr. Shenassa's average Medicare payment per service is $46. 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. Shenassa) 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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