Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Peter Hwang, MD

Otolaryngology · Palo Alto, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Consulting-driven
725 WELCH RD, Palo Alto, CA 94304
6504978000
In practice since 2007 (19 years)
NPI: 1629127428 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. Hwang 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. Hwang

Dr. Peter Hwang is an otolaryngology specialist in Palo Alto, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hwang performed 809 Medicare services across 695 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hwang received a total of $140,060 from 10 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 59 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in otolaryngology. 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. Hwang 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 47% volume in CA $140,060 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
809
Medicare services
Top 47% in CA for otolaryngology
695
Unique beneficiaries
$109
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~43 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
Nasal endoscopy
A diagnostic procedure that uses a thin, lighted tube to examine the inside of the nasal passages.
282 $37 $53
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.
129 $57 $82
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.
72 $84 $159
Endoscopic nasal polyp biopsy or removal
A procedure to remove or sample nasal polyps or tissue using an endoscope. The endoscope allows the provider to view the nasal passages during the procedure.
66 $177 $1,390
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.
47 $113 $195
Nasal growth removal or destruction
This procedure involves the removal or destruction of a growth located in the nose using an approach through the nostrils.
34 $243 $8,462
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.
32 $70 $110
Endoscopic removal of nasal sinus tissue
A procedure to remove tissue from the nasal sinuses using an endoscope, which is a thin tube with a camera inserted into the nose.
29 $230 $3,086
Computer-assisted neurosurgery outside brain covering
A surgical procedure using computer guidance to operate on areas outside the membrane covering the brain.
25 $158 $1,006
Reshaping of nasal cartilage 22 $441 $4,318
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.
16 $32 $42
Nasal sinus exploration with endoscope
A procedure where a thin, flexible tube with a camera is inserted into the nose to examine the nasal sinuses.
15 $408 $6,120
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.
15 $124 $172
Removal of nasal air passage under lining tissue
A surgical procedure to remove tissue from the nasal air passage located beneath the lining.
14 $125 $13,258
Endoscopic removal of nasal sinus
This procedure involves using an endoscope to examine the nose and sinuses and remove tissue from the nasal sinus.
11 $558 $3,242
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.
3.1% high complexity
43.0% medium
53.9% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$140,060
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $20,009/year across 7 years
Top 1% in CA for otolaryngology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
10
Companies
59
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.

Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$95,003 (67.8%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$44,536 (31.8%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$521 (0.4%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$5,395
2023
$6,219
2022
$13,994
2021
$31
2020
$6,641
2019
$57,437
2018
$50,343

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$4,755
Stryker Corporation
$640
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Stryker Corporation
$58,834
Arrinex, Inc.
$30,000
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$20,213
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$13,902
GENZYME CORPORATION
$10,449
Medtronic, Inc.
$6,383
Intersect ENT, Inc.
$158
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$71
Aerin Medical Inc.
$29
Neurent Medical Limited
$20
Top 3 companies account for 77.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
CLARIFIX CRYOTHERAPY DEVICE · Clarifix · DUPIXENT · ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM · FUSION · N/A · NEUROMARK Device · NUCALA · PROPEL · RHINOBUR · STRAIGHTSHOT · Stravix · Vivaer RF Stylus · XPRESS ENT DILATION 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 →

The majority of payments (68%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 1% for otolaryngology in CA.

Looking for an otolaryngology specialist in Palo Alto?
Compare otolaryngologists in the Palo Alto area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse otolaryngologists nearby

Geographic Context

Otolaryngologists within 10 mi
205
Per 100K population
10.8
County median income
$159,674
Nearest hospital
PALO ALTO VA 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 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. Hwang is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 1% 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. Hwang experienced with nasal endoscopy?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Hwang performed 282 nasal endoscopy 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. Hwang receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Hwang received a total of $140,060 from 10 companies across 59 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. Hwang's costs compare to other otolaryngologists in Palo Alto?
Dr. Hwang's average Medicare payment per service is $109. 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. Hwang) 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 →