Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Francisco Vega, M.D.
Surgery · Riverside, 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. Vega 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. Vega
Dr. Francisco Vega is a surgery specialist in Riverside, CA, with 13 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Vega performed 1,778 Medicare services across 1,088 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Vega received a total of $8,627 from 27 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 189 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in surgery. 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. Vega 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.
✓ 13 years in practice
▲ Top 5% volume in CA
$8,627 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,778
Medicare services
Top 5% in CA for surgery
1,088
Unique beneficiaries
$463
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~137 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
278 | $98 | $327 |
| Additional sedation, per 15 minutes Administration of a drug to deepen sedation during a procedure. This code covers each additional 15-minute increment of sedation beyond the initial period. |
210 | $9 | $29 |
| Additional blood vessel ultrasound evaluation An ultrasound exam of a blood vessel that includes a radiologist's review. This code applies to each additional vessel evaluated beyond the initial one. |
100 | $136 | $446 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages. |
93 | $95 | $314 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
89 | $92 | $331 |
| 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. |
85 | $105 | $349 |
| 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. |
76 | $128 | $425 |
| 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. |
73 | $40 | $132 |
| Ultrasound-guided injection into a single leg vein A chemical agent is injected into one incompetent vein in the leg while using ultrasound to guide the needle placement. |
72 | $1,068 | $3,505 |
| 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. |
72 | $63 | $232 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
66 | $8 | $10 |
| Radiologist review of abdominal aorta image A radiologist reviews images of the abdominal aorta to evaluate the blood vessel. |
63 | $98 | $328 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
63 | $8 | $20 |
| 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. |
62 | $81 | $287 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery images A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in one or both arms or legs to assess blood flow and vessel health. |
59 | $129 | $421 |
| 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. |
56 | $92 | $300 |
| 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. |
44 | $131 | $437 |
| Arterial plaque removal, initial vessel A procedure to remove plaque buildup from an artery in the leg. This is performed on the first vessel treated during the session. |
39 | $4,856 | $23,853 |
| Strapping, unna boot | 36 | $46 | $165 |
| Radiofrequency vein destruction, first vein A procedure to treat the first incompetent vein in the arm or leg using radiofrequency energy and imaging guidance. |
35 | $835 | $2,856 |
| Artery plaque removal and stent insertion in leg This procedure involves removing plaque buildup from leg arteries and placing stents to keep the blood vessels open. |
35 | $8,915 | $30,087 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
21 | $100 | $328 |
| Ultrasound of blood vessel, initial vessel An ultrasound exam of a blood vessel that includes a radiologist's review of the initial vessel. |
20 | $778 | $2,549 |
| Arterial plaque removal in leg A procedure to remove plaque buildup from the arteries in the leg to restore blood flow. |
16 | $4,930 | $23,484 |
| 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. |
15 | $11 | $45 |
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.
2.0% high complexity
26.7% medium
71.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$8,627
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,232/year across 7 years
Top 26% in CA for surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
27
Companies
189
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
$5,377 (62.3%)
Scientific / Research
Research funding and grants
$3,250 (37.7%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,122
2023
$2,008
2022
$691
2021
$1,007
2020
$178
2019
$3,579
2018
$41
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Abbott Laboratories
$276
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$179
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$138
Becton, Dickinson and Company
$133
Boston Scientific Corporation
$86
Philips North America LLC
$80
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$78
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$76
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$48
TELA Bio, Inc.
$27
Top 3 companies account for 52.9% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$3,337
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$1,239
Abbott Laboratories
$610
Koya Medical, Inc.
$482
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$469
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$286
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$275
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$263
Boston Scientific Corporation
$201
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$199
EKOS Corporation
$180
Becton, Dickinson and Company
$147
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$138
Medtronic, Inc.
$135
Baxter Healthcare
$125
Philips North America LLC
$80
PFIZER INC.
$79
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$76
Mallinckrodt Enterprises LLC
$60
Novo Nordisk Inc
$49
Cook Medical LLC
$46
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$38
TELA Bio, Inc.
$27
Maquet Cardiovascular U.S. Sales, L.L.C.
$24
Penumbra, Inc.
$23
Bolton Medical Inc
$19
Aroa Biosurgery Incorporated
$16
Top 3 companies account for 60.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(BS2) LM Undivided · (P84) IGT Devices Systems · ABSOLUTE PRO · AURYON LASER SYSTEM 100-120 VAC · Absolute Pro vascular stent system · Armada 14 percutaneous catheter · CHANTIX · COLLAGENASE SANTYL · COVERA · DIAMONDBACK PERIPHERAL · Dayspring · Diamondback Coronary · Diamondback Peripheral · EKOSONIC · ELIQUIS · ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System · ENROUTE Transcarotid Stent · ESPRIT · EXCLUDER Conformable AAA Endoprosthesis with Active Control · Ellipsys · Endurant · FLEXOR · FLIXENE · Fluency Endovascular Stent Graft · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GORE TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis · GORE VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endo · GRAFIX PL · Hema · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · Indigo System · Integra · JETI PERIPHERAL CATHETER · OFIRMEV · OMNILINK ELITE · OviTex 2S · PERCLOSE PROGLIDE · PICO7 · Perclose ProGlide suture mediated closure system · Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System · RELAY THORACIC STENT-GRAFT WITH PLUS DELIVERY SYSTEM · Renal - PD · Rybelsus · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · STRAVIX · SUPERA · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · Supera peripheral stent system · VARITHENA · Varithena Administration Pack · Venclose Maven Catheter · Venovo · Wegovy · ZILVER VENA
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 (62%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Surgerists within 10 mi
261
Per 100K population
10.7
County median income
$89,672
Nearest hospital
PACIFIC GROVE HOSPITAL
2.7 mi
2.7 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. Vega is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Vega experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Vega performed 278 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 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. Vega receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Vega received a total of $8,627 from 27 companies across 189 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. Vega's costs compare to other surgerists in Riverside?
Dr. Vega's average Medicare payment per service is $463. 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. Vega) 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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