Dr. Kirk Hou, MD, PHD
What this data tells you about Dr. Hou
Dr. Kirk Hou is a retina specialist physician in Los Angeles, CA, with 10 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hou performed 4,060 Medicare services across 2,034 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hou received a total of $9,864 from 10 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 45 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in retina specialist (ophthalmology) physician. 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. Hou 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye. |
982 | $34 | $371 |
| 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. |
756 | $107 | $858 |
| Extended eye exam with retinal drawing A detailed examination of the back of the eye that includes creating a drawing of the retina. |
522 | $21 | $120 |
| Aflibercept eye injection (Eylea) | 431 | $692 | $4,165 |
| Eye injection for retinal disease A procedure involving the administration of medication directly into the eye. |
322 | $100 | $916 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, established patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider. |
318 | $99 | $835 |
| Retinal photography (fundus photo) This procedure involves taking photographs of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It is used to document the condition of the eye's interior structures. |
312 | $31 | $455 |
| Injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg | 215 | $188 | $2,384 |
| 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. |
56 | $139 | $1,085 |
| Ultrasound of eye tissue and structures A diagnostic imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the eye's internal tissues and structures. |
34 | $42 | $803 |
| Retinal angiography with dye injection This procedure uses a special camera to examine the blood vessels in the retina after a dye has been injected into the body. |
34 | $115 | $700 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, new patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient. |
28 | $106 | $1,005 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) Imaging of the optic nerve. |
20 | $32 | $385 |
| Retinal photocoagulation to prevent detachment This procedure uses laser light to create small burns on the retina. It is performed to help prevent the retina from detaching from the back of the eye. |
18 | $219 | $3,747 |
| 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. |
12 | $158 | $960 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
The majority of payments (65%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers.
Geographic Context
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. Hou is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 17% of CA peers.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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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