Medicare Enrolled

Dr. David Lu, M.D.

Anatomic Pathology Physician · Los Angeles, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
10833 LE CONTE AVE, Los Angeles, CA 90095
3107947953
In practice since 2008 (18 years)
NPI: 1144405515 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. Lu 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 →
Are you Dr. Lu? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Lu

Dr. David Lu is an anatomic pathology physician in Los Angeles, CA, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Lu performed 759 Medicare services across 470 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Lu received a total of $338 from 3 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 3 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in anatomic pathology 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. Lu 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.

✓ 18 years in practice ▲ 759 Medicare services $338 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
759
Medicare services
Bottom 44% in CA for anatomic pathology physician
470
Unique beneficiaries
$42
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~42 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
Cell examination of specimen, concentration technique
A laboratory test that uses a concentration technique to examine cells from a specimen.
 97 $19 $124
Moderately high complexity pathology tissue examination
A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This specific level of complexity involves a moderate to high degree of technical skill and interpretation.
 87 $70 $400
Tissue staining for diagnosis, additional
An extra laboratory procedure to apply special stains to tissue slides for detailed examination.
 84 $40 $252
Manual microscopic genetic analysis of tumor
A laboratory test that uses a microscope to manually examine tumor tissue for genetic changes.
 69 $35 $300
Cell examination with selective cellular enhancement
A laboratory test that examines cells from a specimen using a technique to selectively enhance specific cellular features for detailed analysis.
 66 $29 $257
Special stain test for organisms
A laboratory test using special stains on tissue slides to identify microorganisms. The process includes the technical preparation of the slides and a professional interpretation of the results.
 58 $23 $160
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.
 49 $31 $294
Limited pathology tissue examination
A microscopic examination of tissue samples to identify abnormalities. This limited exam focuses on specific aspects of the tissue rather than a comprehensive analysis.
 40 $4 $42
Pathology tissue examination, moderate complexity
A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to identify abnormalities. This specific level indicates a moderate degree of complexity in the analysis.
 39 $10 $90
Fine needle aspirate evaluation and report
A pathologist examines cells collected via a fine needle aspiration and provides a written interpretation and report of the findings.
 38 $74 $420
Prostate needle biopsy pathology exam
Laboratory examination of prostate tissue samples obtained via needle biopsy. The pathologist inspects the tissue both visually and under a microscope to identify any abnormalities.
 38 $148 $907
Tissue staining for diagnosis, initial
A laboratory test where special stains are applied to tissue slides to help examine the cells and identify specific characteristics.
 24 $47 $274
Fine needle aspirate evaluation
A laboratory examination of cells collected via fine needle aspiration to assess for abnormalities.
 21 $22 $131
Special tissue stain, multiplex
A laboratory procedure using special stains to examine tissue samples. This multiplex technique allows for the analysis of multiple markers on a single slide.
 18 $33 $200
Microscopic tissue examination
A pathologist examines a tissue sample under a microscope to identify abnormalities or disease.
 17 $6 $33
High complexity pathology tissue examination
A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope using advanced techniques to analyze cellular details.
 14 $124 $700
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 2022 ↗
$338
Total received (2021-2022)
Avg $169/year across 2 years
Top 45% in CA for anatomic pathology physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
3
Companies
3
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
$338 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2022
$238
2021
$100

Payments by company (2022)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Boston Scientific Corporation
$125
ARGON MEDICAL DEVICES, INC.
$112
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2022 payments
All-time payments by company (2021-2022) ›
Boston Scientific Corporation
$125
ARGON MEDICAL DEVICES, INC.
$112
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$100
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
BIOPINCE · ICEFX · ICEfx Cryoablation System
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 an anatomic pathology physician in Los Angeles?
Compare anatomic pathology physicians in the Los Angeles area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse anatomic pathology physicians nearby

Geographic Context

Anatomic pathology physicians within 10 mi
89
Per 100K population
0.9
County median income
$87,760
Nearest hospital
RONALD REAGAN UCLA 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 2022
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. Lu is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 18 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. Lu experienced with cell examination of specimen, concentration technique?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Lu performed 97 cell examination of specimen, concentration technique 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. Lu receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Lu received a total of $338 from 3 companies across 3 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. Lu's costs compare to other anatomic pathology physicians in Los Angeles?
Dr. Lu's average Medicare payment per service is $42. 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. Lu) 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 →

Explore related providers

Same specialty & city
Anatomic Pathology Physicians in Los Angeles
Browse anatomic pathology physicians in Los Angeles ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Anatomic Pathology Physicians in CA
Anatomic pathology physicians ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Anatomic Pathology Physicians in CA
Which CA anatomic pathology physicians receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
Boston Scientific Corporation Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Boston Scientific Corporation.
By company
ARGON MEDICAL DEVICES, INC. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from ARGON MEDICAL DEVICES, INC.
By company
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION.
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 →