Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Eric Sontz, M.D.
Cardiovascular Disease · Rancho Mirage, 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. Sontz 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. Sontz
Dr. Eric Sontz is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Rancho Mirage, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Sontz performed 18,408 Medicare services across 10,217 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Sontz received a total of $1,169 from 13 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 40 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Sontz 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 2% volume in CA
$1,169 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗18,408
Medicare services
Top 2% in CA for cardiovascular disease
10,217
Unique beneficiaries
$43
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~920 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EKG interpretation and report A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report. |
3,753 | $6 | $23 |
| Remote patient monitoring management, 20 min/month Management based on results from remote vital sign monitoring for the first 20 minutes per calendar month. |
2,667 | $23 | $83 |
| 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. |
2,399 | $74 | $200 |
| Intensive cardiac rehabilitation; with or without continuous ecg monitoring with exercise, per session | 1,440 | $101 | $424 |
| Intensive cardiac rehabilitation without exercise An intensive cardiac rehabilitation session that does not include exercise. The procedure may include continuous ECG monitoring during the session. |
1,285 | $101 | $411 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
1,027 | $53 | $159 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
949 | $7 | $29 |
| 3D radiographic procedure A radiographic imaging technique that creates three-dimensional representations of internal structures. |
879 | $10 | $26 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while an electrocardiogram is monitored under physician supervision. |
564 | $16 | $59 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
555 | $11 | $39 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
507 | $58 | $96 |
| Remote vital sign monitoring management, each additional 20 minutes This code covers the time spent by a provider managing patient data from remote vital sign monitoring devices. It applies to each additional 20-minute increment beyond the initial monthly service period. |
449 | $24 | $82 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
289 | $29 | $53 |
| 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. |
240 | $114 | $280 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
222 | $23 | $94 |
| 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. |
214 | $99 | $271 |
| 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. |
109 | $99 | $318 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
93 | $21 | $68 |
| 2-day continuous ECG with professional review A two-day continuous electrocardiogram recording that includes a review by a healthcare professional. |
91 | $15 | $71 |
| 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. |
85 | $144 | $527 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
83 | $28 | $69 |
| Anticoagulant management for warfarin Management of anticoagulant therapy for a patient taking warfarin. This service involves monitoring and adjusting the medication regimen. |
82 | $6 | $32 |
| 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. |
69 | $64 | $189 |
| 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. |
47 | $48 | $119 |
| Transitional care management, high complexity Coordination of care for a patient transitioning from a short-term hospital stay or other facility to home or another care setting. This service addresses a high-complexity medical problem. |
43 | $154 | $496 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
42 | $10 | $139 |
| Pacemaker programming, single lead Adjustment and testing of a single-lead pacemaker to ensure it functions correctly. |
41 | $25 | $57 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 38 | $221 | $765 |
| Continuous EKG monitoring review, 48-7 days Review and interpretation of continuous external EKG recordings lasting more than 48 hours up to 7 days. |
36 | $19 | $64 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
29 | $27 | $49 |
| Transitional care management services, moderate complexity Services provided to coordinate care during the transition from an inpatient or other facility setting back to the community. This includes follow-up and management of a health problem of at least moderate complexity. |
19 | $99 | $334 |
| Stress echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed while at rest and during exercise or drug-induced stress to evaluate heart function under different conditions. |
18 | $50 | $221 |
| Ultrasound of abdominal aorta An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the abdominal aorta, the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lower body. |
17 | $27 | $99 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
16 | $20 | $30 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
11 | $12 | $38 |
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.
7.7% high complexity
10.9% medium
81.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$1,169
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $167/year across 7 years
Bottom 35% in CA for cardiovascular disease
13
Companies
40
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
$1,169 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$23
2023
$189
2022
$132
2021
$385
2020
$119
2019
$256
2018
$67
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Abbott Laboratories
$23
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$403
ABIOMED
$157
Abbott Laboratories
$139
Novo Nordisk Inc
$104
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$94
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$76
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$59
Boston Scientific Corporation
$30
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$27
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$25
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$23
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$18
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 59.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AMPLATZER Occluders · AVEIR · CardioMEMS HF System · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · Impella · JUXTAPID · LEQVIO · LUX-DX · MITRACLIP · NEXLETOL · Ozempic · PRALUENT · SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA · VALITUDE · VERQUVO · XARELTO
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
Cardiologists within 10 mi
31
Per 100K population
1.3
County median income
$89,672
Nearest hospital
EISENHOWER MEDICAL CENTER
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. Sontz is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 20 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. Sontz experienced with ekg interpretation and report?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Sontz performed 3,753 ekg interpretation and report 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. Sontz receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Sontz received a total of $1,169 from 13 companies across 40 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. Sontz's costs compare to other cardiologists in Rancho Mirage?
Dr. Sontz's average Medicare payment per service is $43. 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. Sontz) 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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